The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has renewed two significant supportive services grants to STEPS for FY 2004. In addition New York State's Education Department has given STEPS a supplemental grant supporting employment readiness activities. For both grants, we are very appreciative.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao today announced a $25,000 grant to Support for Training & Educational Programs, Inc., of New York City. A total of $1.2 million in grants is being awarded to 48 faith-based and community organizations. The grants will help these organizations to meet the employment and training needs of specific populations by coordinating with the public workforce system.

“Faith-based and community organizations are in a unique position to reach some of the hardest-to-serve job seekers in our poorest neighborhoods. They are a trusted bridge that help workers connect with the employment and training resources available at local One-Stop Career Centers across the nation.” said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao

The organizations that receive these grants will focus on the needs of ex-offenders, immigrants, at-risk youth, single mothers, individuals with disabilities, foreign job seekers who face language barriers, battered immigrant women, low-income workers and the economically disadvantaged. In many cases, the grantees will provide supportive services and individual mentoring not available through the One-Stop delivery system.

“These grants will encourage small organizations to define the area of greatest need in their communities and develop partnerships and programs that lead to long-term solutions,” said Brent Orrell, director of the Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. “We look forward to supporting the efforts of faith-based and community charities to make their communities stronger and more self-sufficient.” Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Emily Stover DeRocco said, “These grants to small, local groups will expand the reach of the public workforce system to individuals who might not otherwise be served. Leveraging resources of both the One-Stop Centers and local community organizations will close gaps in service and allow quicker achievement of a common goal – getting more Americans back to work in good jobs with career ladders.”

Thanks to a literacy grant from the Verizon Foundation, STEPS’ computer lab is now technically up to date and provides students with learning tools that are invaluable. New computers, educational and technical software, coupled with the installation of a Verizon DSL Business local area network system, bring instructional and administrative efficiencies that expedite and deepen learning.

STEPS is pleased to announce a recent, generous operating grant from The Daphne Foundation on behalf of our work with at-risk and underserved participants in East Harlem and neighboring communities as they struggle to become self-sufficient. The Daphne Foundation funds programs that confront the causes and consequences of poverty in the five boroughs of New York City, with a particular interest in helping community organizations create and implement long-term solutions to intractable social problems. We are grateful to the Daphne Foundation for its commitment to ongoing support for STEPS' efforts to reverse the effects of poverty on single adults, families, youth and children.

JP Morgan Chase has given general operating grants to STEPS every year since the 1980's as part of its overall philanthropic program to support community development in low- and moderate-income communities. During 2002, for example, JP Morgan Chase provided 56 such grants to community organizations in upper Manhattan.

In talking about the important work that local organizations do for their areas, Ms. Nereida Andino, Vice President and Senior Grants Officer, said, "STEPS is very strong and consistent in its work providing basic skills and jobs. It is this focus that clearly enables STEPS to serve adults and families as well as it does."

STEPS is very appreciative of this longtime support which JP Morgan Chase has provided through its foundation. We extend our thanks to them for their continuing interest in helping New York' diverse communities.

The service provided to local nonprofits and public sector organizations through the web site, http://www.volunteermatch.org/ is one that STEPS is proud of. Launched in 1998 to bring volunteers and service organizations together on behalf of community needs, this award winning web site contains over 41,000 volunteer opportunities with close to 23,000 organizations across the country.

On the site, nonprofits list activities that need volunteer help, and prospective volunteers can search their interests by zip code, organization, activity, or scheduling needs. In addition, the site can search activities by types of volunteers needed, such as children, seniors and groups. When a volunteer selects an activity, refers that interest to the nonprofit, and the volunteer and organization work out the details.

Since signing up a year ago, STEPS has received over 40 volunteer referrals, giving us both the outreach and resources that small organizations such as ours could not have otherwise achieved. To those volunteers and to those operating and supporting this web site, STEPS sends its enthusiastic appreciation.

Through DYCD’s help, STEPS now receives Newsweek’s classroom materials. The GED classes, taught by Annamarie Hill, receive multiple copies of each week’s magazine, along with a useful teacher’s guide and related maps and posters, all of which work to clarify and deepen students’ understanding of current events. According to Annamarie Hill, STEPS' GED Teacher, these materials help the students think about issues of history, politics and economics, aspects that are relevant to the GED exam and for more participatory citizenship.

STEPS wishes to thank the following current donors for their grants, in-kind assistance and volunteer participation. We apologize if there are any errors in this list and would appreciate your bringing them to our attention.

The NYC Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD): Community Block Grant (Q4DA#1 1) The New York State Education Department: Incarcerated & Institutionalized Transition Program(Adult Education Act) New York City Adult Literacy Initiative (NYCALI)

STEPS acknowledges these recent grants and contributions: Amalgamated Bank The Daphne Foundation The Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation 15th Street Friends HSBC Bank JP Morgan Chase Foundation North Fork Bank US Department of Labor The Verizon Foundation

Fiona Armstrong, Joel Barsky, Daniel Berkowitz, Daniel Bonallack, Annamarie Hill, Mary Kaufman, Mr. & Mrs. Peter Kellogg, Arthur Kwarta, Leo & Fran Kwarta, Virginia Kwarta, Emily Lenzner, Milton J. Little, Jr., Lois Lord, Larry Marcus, Tommy & Bruce McDonell, Linda Moselle, Andrew Perlstein, Barbara Rachlin, Patricia Reaves, Alice Rees, Joyce Rushing-Reid, Richard Seeger, Dror Shnayer, Leslie A. Talbot, Tin Win Thien, and a special thanks to Patricia Gessell for contributing much of the content for this website.