The concerns that have risen to the fore of current political discourse -- intolerance, prejudice, stigmatization, unjust incarceration -- are familiar to the homeless men and women BRC serves.
WHAT NEXT?
Regarding the politics in Washington, I won't even try to predict. I'm contributing to causes I'd taken for granted in the past; and I'm more invested than ever in BRC, where the caring and effective life-saving and life-changing work we do is as relevant now as ever.
Relevant certainly for the 10,000 homeless men and women who come to BRC each year. We welcome them from a life unsheltered, and help them overcome their addictions, manage their health and mental health, find sustainable employment and secure a home. We help them reclaim lives lost.
The concerns that have risen to the fore of current political discourse -- intolerance, prejudice, stigmatization, unjust incarceration -- are familiar to the homeless men and women BRC serves. Our clients know the feeling of being wrongfully judged due to their appearance, their diagnosis, their circumstances. And they know that at BRC they are seen for the person they are, and receive the opportunity to become the people they aspire to be.
WHAT NEXT?
This year we will open a new job training center, expand our work in addiction treatment and rehabilitation, open a new residence for the chronically unsheltered homeless, and complete construction on homes for over 150 low income New Yorkers.
WHAT NEXT?
The work we do, and the success our clients achieve, is more at risk than ever. Proposed changes to the tax code, healthcare, and immigration pose significant potential impact. Will revisions to the tax code eliminate the tax credit we rely upon to build housing that poor people can afford? Will access to healthcare for our clients be constrained? Will it cost BRC more to provide health insurance to our staff? Will our groundbreaking work saving the lives of heroin and opioid users be put in jeopardy if Medicaid no longer pays for addiction treatment? Will the undocumented individuals we serve who are poor and infirm, who cannot work and are not taking anyone's job, be deported back to impoverished countries where the healthcare they require is unavailable?
I can't predict what's next. What I can do is make sure BRC is doing all that we can to meet the needs of the people who depend on us; that whatever comes next, we're prepared for it.
Thank you, because the work we do is still relevant,
Sincerely,
Muzzy Rosenblatt, President & CEO