“This is a watershed moment for our organization and Our Bronx,” said NWBCCC’s executive director, Sandra Lobo. “We believe this is a moment that requires a borough-wide approach to create a sustainable and equitable Bronx economy.”
The NWBCCC is merging with the Bronx Cooperative Development Initiative, a sister organization it helped create with other partner groups in 2011 to reimagine the borough’s economic future. With the merger they’re more closely aligning the organizations’ goals, and expanding their presence to the east and south Bronx.
This merger builds out of NWBCCC’s Bronx-wide Coalition, which since 2019 has held quarterly public meetings to develop an expansive participatory process to develop a resilient, sustainable and equitable Bronx.
“The Bronx operates on a scale similar to entire cities or states,” Lobo said. “This gives us an opportunity to develop tools, strategies and models that can have national impact.”
NWBCCC announced the merger at their 50th Anniversary Gala Celebration at Manhattan College on October 18th. Honorees included Fran Fuselli, the director of NWBCCC’s weatherization assistance program, Yorman Nuñez and Nick Iuviene, the cofounders of BCDI, Christine Marinoni, founder of the Alliance for Quality Education, Milly Silva, secretary-treasurer of 1199-SEIU, and Wanda Salaman, Executive Director of Mothers on the Move.