CAMBA, Inc.
CAMBA, Inc. is a Brooklyn-based nonprofit organization that provides social services to New Yorkers in need. CAMBA, which stands for Church Avenue Merchant Block Association, was founded in 1977 as a merchant association in Flatbush that worked to reduce crime and beautify the community.[1] In 1982, Joanne M. Oplustil became CAMBA's CEO and she continues to serve in that role today.[2] Since then, the organization has expanded to offer services to a growing population of immigrants and refugees.
Today, CAMBA's 160 program sites provides healthcare, education and youth development, family support, legal services and housing services to 45,000 New Yorkers every year. In the model of settlement housing, CAMBA created the affiliated nonprofit, CAMBA Housing Ventures, in 2005 to offer affordable and supportive housing to New Yorkers in housing crisis.[3]
Housing services
[edit]CAMBA offers housing services that targets those who are currently homeless or who are at risk of being homeless. HomeBase collects a variety of data (from housing court, pending evictions, and other sources) to pinpoint households in Brooklyn and Staten Island where tenants are facing eviction.[4] CAMBA HomeBase staff will then go into those neighborhoods—oftentimes in an outfitted RV called the You Can Van—and offer housing assistance before a housing crisis occurs.[5]
CAMBA Housing Ventures pairs attractive and sustainable spaces with case management services for low-income and formerly homeless individuals and families.[6][7]
Adult, drop-in and family shelters are also operated by CAMBA across Brooklyn.[8]
See also
[edit]- Homelessness
- Social services
- Poverty in the United States
- List of New York City Block and Neighborhood Associations
References
[edit]- ^ "In Conversation- Joanne Oplustil, President & CEO, CAMBA". A Day In the life of an Artist: David Emmanuel Noel. 2015-08-24. Retrieved 2016-07-22.[dead link]
- ^ "Joanne Oplustil | LinkedIn". www.linkedin.com. Retrieved 2016-07-22.[failed verification]
- ^ "Wingate Expands Affordable-Housing Footprint". Wall Street Journal. 2014-06-06. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2016-07-22. (subscription required)
- ^ "How Better Data Helps Case Workers Prevent Homelessness" (PDF). Forbes Insights. 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-12-21. Retrieved 2016-07-22 – via Forbes.
- ^ "The "You Can" Van Drives Around New York City Stopping Evictions". 2015-11-16. Retrieved 2016-07-22.
- ^ "CAMBA Housing Ventures Home". www.cambahousingventures.org. Retrieved 2016-07-22.
- ^ "New affordable housing opens in Brooklyn". Archived from the original on 2016-08-08. Retrieved 2016-07-22.
- ^ "CAMBA Homeless Shelters". www.camba.org. Archived from the original on 2016-07-14. Retrieved 2016-07-22.