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For 37 years, STRIVE has been a national leader in creating pathways to economic opportunity for predominantly low-income Black and Brown communities. Our students represent different ages, genders, and races. Many have been involved in the justice system. Some are food and housing insecure, and others are single mothers and fathers. All are welcome in free programs that provide comprehensive job training and placement.
STRIVE has a network of partners in 12 cities, with our flagship site in New York. Yet, there is still so much more work to be done. That’s why, even in a pandemic, we launched a new site, STRIVE Atlanta, at the end of 2020. The Atlanta site will enable us to increase our nationwide impact in 2021.
As we reflect on the progress of the past year, we are grateful for the strong partnerships between graduates, employers, community partners, and supporters. All of you make STRIVE’s work possible. Thank you.
We believe in the power of a career to create opportunity.
We believe that economic resiliency and upward mobility are essential to advancing racial equity.
We respect the courage of those in Black and Brown communities who face barriers to employment and are impacted by systemic racism.
We connect individuals to career opportunities that pave the way to achieving financial security.
We support individuals with histories of chronic unemployment or underemployment, justice involvement, and food and housing insecurity.
We provide a path out of poverty by addressing areas of immediate need.
We offer our students free training and resources to achieve economic independence.
“More than one in four Black households have zero or negative net worth, compared to less than one in ten white families without wealth”
- Economic Policy Institute, 2017
We deliver value and innovative programs through a model that is built on 37 years of experience and greater lessons from the field. Our programs are nimble enough to meet each person where they currently are in their life. We help students re-invent and re-create their lives with passion, new skills, and the dream of better futures.
Our 5-pillar model goes beyond addressing basic needs, skill training, and getting that first job. STRIVE stays with students for a lifetime. At graduation, students are on the first rung of a long ladder, and STRIVE will be with them for every step.
At the onset of COVID-19, STRIVE quickly transitioned in one week to online classes for students and online supports for our alumni network. Our training programs were held remotely throughout the pandemic. We increased virtual support groups, job clubs, and town halls for students and alumni. To adapt to the changing labor market, we worked with longstanding partners, including Mount Sinai Health System, to quickly match students with safe and high-quality jobs.
We connected to nearly 5,000 alumni to help them weather the challenges of the pandemic and economic downturn.
STRIVE also strengthened three existing program areas that are drivers to economic mobility: financial capability, mental health and wellness, and our STRIVE Alumni Network.
“A call to STRIVE changed everything when we couldn’t find ten people to work for us during the pandemic. STRIVE was able to find us motivated employees with good communication skills. Each of the hard-working individuals understood the urgency and put themselves at risk.”
- Valerie D. Orellana, Vice President of Human Resources, Mount Sinai Health Systems
lives impacted through
free programs
average starting wage
alumni supported
students enrolled in
programs
job placements
graduation rate
hours of free programming
delivered
Our signature workshop:
Employment specialists:
Students gain:
Students establish career goals and receive one-on-one support needed for:
Throughout their journey, our graduates receive:
Our students demonstrate their pride at graduation, and as they grow in their careers, they reach for more.
Black, Indigenous
& People of Color
male
female
aged 29 or younger
youth 18-24yrs
housing insecure
unemployed or on
public assistance
current or previous background
in the justice system
parents to minor
children
Our students are strong, proud, resilient, and curious.
STRIVE provides a unique, individualized approach to student development for a broad base that includes women, parents, young adults, and those with backgrounds in the justice system.
“Women —especially women of color— are more likely to have been laid off or furloughed during the COVID-19 crisis, stalling their careers and jeopardizing their financial security.”
- McKinsey & Company 2020 Study
Erika moved to America from Mexico to fulfill her dreams. She wanted to work in the construction field since she had worked as an environmental supervisor in the past. However, she could not land her dream job due to the language and cultural barriers she faced.
Erika’s friend told her about STRIVE. She enthusiastically enrolled in our construction track. STRIVE’s staff helped her regain confidence and coached her in English. At STRIVE, she earned multiple construction certifications and licenses.
Erika has been working as a safety administrator for Monadnock Construction for one year now. She has become a confident, happy, essential employee in a male-dominated industry. Erika now dreams of achieving her next goal: owning a construction safety training school. Erika is on the way to upward mobility.
Meleena was a student in STRIVE’s 2020 Healthcare Support Services cohort. At 22, she entered training with a passion for the work but little experience.
Meleena was an excellent student at the top of her STRIVE class. She had near-perfect attendance and was highly supportive of her classmates. STRIVE provided support groups to help her address anxiety and trauma. After graduating in high standing, she immediately applied for and was offered a position as a Patient Registrar with New York-Presbyterian Hospital. She looks forward to advancing to another position within the hospital system.
“ In 2019 17% of young adults ages 18 to 24 are out of work in mid to large cities in the U.S., totaling 2.3 million young people.”
- ‘Meet the Millions of Young Adults Who Are Out of Work.’ Brookings Institute
“In the United States, at least half of income inequality among parents is transformed into inequality of opportunity among their children.”
- The Stanford Center on Poverty & Inequality 2019 Report
Many parents who enroll in STRIVE programs have faced difficult obstacles in the past. They want to move forward to well-paying, productive jobs that will allow them to provide for the next generation and have time to spend with their children.
Being a dad of two young children means being determined and never giving up no matter how hard it may be. Making necessary changes for what’s right, igniting others’ life ambitions, and maintaining purpose. But the best thing of all is having a voice and knowing you never have todo anything alone. One of the biggest lessons that I learned at STRIVE was embracing cultural differences and working together for a greater purpose.
When I first started at STRIVE, I had just lost my job as a manager, so I had the attitude of such. My trainer, Mr. Hill, broke things down to me. He opened my eyes and showed me that collectively listening to others and working together will have a greater impact. I have always been a consistent dreamer, authentic, and direct when it comes to my passion—capturing moments and transforming them into memories that can last a lifetime. This passion led to starting my own business, Rock Henry Studios. I produce professional content in photography and videography.
Black adults currently under
correctional control. -Brookings Institution
“At any one time, nearly 6.9 million people are on probation, in jail, in prison, or on parole in the United States. Each year, more than 600,000 individuals are released from state and federal prisons.”
- US Department of Health & Human Services
All STRIVE programs welcome students who have been involved in the justice system. STRIVE offers specialized programs for returning citizens. As of 2012, STRIVE successfully administered eight federal grants to serve 3,000 justice-involved adults and youth across 10 U.S. cities.
Our latest programs were funded by the U.S. Department of Labor. We are proud of our evidence-based results.
STRIVE FOCUS: Our adult re-entry program had a 95% completion rate, nearly a 60% employment rate, and less than 5% recidivism rate, including during the pandemic in New York.
STRIVE Future Leaders: STRIVE successfully replicated this program for justice-impacted youth aged 18-24 in multiple cities across the country. It had an 83% employment and education placement rate and less than 5% recidivism rate.
The best way to increase economic opportunity for underserved populations is to connect them to jobs.
As a national organization, STRIVE successfully replicated job training and placement programs in several U.S. cities. The organization then brought its proven model to a new location where the need is great.
In 2020, Atlanta welcomed our work in job readiness and workforce development and is now home to STRIVE Atlanta. STRIVE Atlanta is our second location, after New York, that is fully owned and operated by STRIVE. We will expand to another new city in 2022.
Our goal is simple: to reach more individuals determined to work, provide them with support and training, and connect them to employers who will value their talents. We are eager to help people who are ready to make necessary changes in their lives, and to provide them with the skills to succeed.
We target industries that provide a path to a growing career, where opportunity is available for a family-sustaining salary, regardless of an applicant’s education or previous work history. We want to highlight the talent present in our communities that simply needs an opportunity to shine.
“The return to employment appears most dire for workers earning less than $25,000 annually and those with less than a high-school education—the only two demographic groups unlikely to recover to pre-pandemic employment by the end of 2024. ”
-McKinsey & Company 2021 Report
Atlanta has the highest income inequality in the U.S.
-Bloomberg, 2018-2019
Black households live below the poverty line.
White households live below the poverty line.
Black households are twice as likely as White households to have zero net worth.
The pandemic only increased the need for STRIVE services. We opened our Atlanta office in 2020 on schedule with the support of local philanthropy and key stakeholders of the city. STRIVE Atlanta graduated its first cohort in November 2020 in Supply Chain, Logistics, and Distribution.
STRIVE Atlanta offers occupational skills training from Atlanta Technical College and Chattahoochee Technical College through a special partnership with Technical College System of Georgia. Logistics is one of Georgia’s top industries, anchored by the world’s busiest airport. Logistics job postings increased by 51% between 2015 and 2019.
STRIVE Atlanta also partners with Atlanta BeltLine to connect residents along the BeltLine’s 22-mile corridor to STRIVE’s workforce programs. The BeltLine also housed STRIVE’s operations and career path training at its downtown headquarters.
Kenneth is a proud U.S. Navy veteran who lost his job during the pandemic. He received housing assistance from Veterans Affairs but could not pay his portion of the rent due to his loss of income.
Kenneth learned new skills at STRIVE Atlanta that prepared him for success in the workplace. The online training classes were challenging for him initially since he did not have strong computer skills. STRIVE’s training and coaching teams provided additional supports that allowed him to gain these necessary skills. Kenneth soon earned multiple logistics certifications, which gave him an edge over others looking for work in the industry.
Right after graduation, Kenneth accepted a position as a Forklift Operator with DHL. His manager promoted him quickly, telling him that he is the type of hard-working employee they have been seeking. Now, not only is Kenneth on a path to economic self-sufficiency, but he can also support his children and grandchildren.
“When I want something bad enough, I am going to study hard and do the best I can because I want that. I put 100 percent to it.”
- STRIVE Atlanta graduate, Kenneth
Looking Forward:
“As we recover from the pandemic, we’re grateful to partners like STRIVE Atlanta. We share STRIVE’s passion for offering pathways to sustainable careers for people seeking better lives for themselves and their families.”
- Keisha Lance Bottoms, Mayor of Atlanta
STRIVE was born out of a commitment to end poverty in the predominantly Black and Brown neighborhood of East Harlem. During the pandemic, Black and Brown communities suffered uniquely from high mortality and unemployment. We recognize the untapped talent and bold determination of individuals in these communities to find opportunities for mobility through our Health & Office, and Construction & Masonry career paths.
STRIVE knows a neighborhood’s history does not have to determine its residents’ futures.
of alumni contacted/supported
during the pandemic
job placements
employer partners hired
STRIVE graduates
“STRIVE helps people believe in themselves.”
- Lakythia Ferby, Executive Director STRIVE New York
In New York City, construction and healthcare are the fastest-growing industries with opportunities to move to the middle class. Data shows that these two industries lead to family-sustaining careers for our students, regardless of a justice-involved background or education. With close partnerships in New York City, STRIVE has developed its training programs to match the city’s growing needs and is proud of our students who are rising in their careers.
In 2020, we strengthened support in the following areas:
Starting in March 2020, STRIVE staff reconnected with nearly 5,000 alumni from the past two years to see how they were weathering the challenges of the pandemic and the subsequent economic downturn. As a result of these efforts, STRIVE launched our alumni association to build a remote network offering connections, social supports, and training to help STRIVE graduates with their career advancement.
“In this extraordinary moment, we are working to support every one of our alumni to ensure they emerge from this pandemic stronger than when it began.“
- Lakythia Ferby, Executive Director, STRIVE New York
“I am confident in my current position at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where I work closely with physicians, nurses, and other departments to provide our patients and their caregivers the outstanding care they need to get through their journey. In my head, I feel like a superhero and love to refer to myself as a multi-tasking extraordinaire. I can confidently say that I am a firm believer that forward-thinking leadership and empowering others leads to a healthy work and home life. Every single day I remind myself that I am constantly graduating to higher places and the only failure is not trying.
I will continue to grow with my current company and I know that I can always count on my extended family at STRIVE.”
There is much more to financial stability and upward mobility than a good job. The economic recession caused by the pandemic showed that millions of households are only a few paychecks away from struggling to feed their families. Black and Brown families are most vulnerable.
STRIVE has asset-building programs to help students become financially savvy. We know that achieving economic stability is a cornerstone for a stable life. STRIVE has also created services for alumni, including an asset-building series hosted by STRIVE Alumnus and Community Manager & Vice President at JPMorgan Chase, Nichol X. King.
Nichol X. King serves as both an advisor and a source of inspiration for alumni as she walks them through the ups and downs of credit, borrowing money, and becoming ready to apply for a mortgage. Nichol is helping our students build a foundation for financial capability. She serves the Harlem community as the Community Manager for Chase Bank’s first-of-its-kind community style branch.
“More than one in four Black households have zero or negative net worth, compared to less than one in ten white families without wealth.”
- The Economic Policy Institute, 2017
“To teach the graduates about financial help is one of my proudest moments, because 40% of Americans have $400 dollars in their bank account. Teaching and talking to STRIVE graduates about having a successful plan to save and manage money wisely is very rewarding.”
- STRIVE Alumnus and Community Manager & Vice President at JPMorgan Chase, Nichol X. King
“The 12-Step Workshop was life- changing for me. I am a different person now. I know who I am. I always felt bad about myself. Today, I am happy with who I am and recognize who I want to be. [STRIVE Staff] Tina and Genna helped me in ways I did not know existed.”
- STRIVE student, 2020
The Road to Mental Wellness
of STRIVE students
screened positive for
symptoms of PTSD
received
mental health
support in 2020
100% of participants self-reported that they are more confident in their personal and professional abilities after attending the workshops.
Poverty, especially during a pandemic, affects mental health, and, therefore, the ability to advance in one’s career. Mental health issues further reduce opportunity and worsen inequality.
STRIVE understands that for many, behavioral health challenges combine with other issues to perpetuate long-term unemployment. Because of this, mental health and wellness services are an intrinsic part of our programming. We believe that it’s important for all students to destigmatize getting help and to begin healing. The staff receives trauma-informed training, so that everyone in the organization is part of the process. STRIVE students receive the help they need to become the fully functioning, happy and healthy people they are meant to be.
STRIVE’s proven success is not just in the stories, but in the numbers and data.
We continue to evaluate our programs through comprehensive data collection and analysis. In 2020, we embarked on a journey to enhance evidence-building with the experts at MDRC, supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Our partnership consisted of multiple components, including a report on lessons learned while operating in New York during 2020’s pandemic.
Read MDRC’s article on STRIVE’s Commitment to Building Evidence.
“STRIVE finds the individuals from the community, which is really important to Mount Sinai, and they invest time and energy...growing these individuals.”
- Valerie D. Orellana, Vice President of Human Resources, Mount Sinai Health Systems
Not all entry-level jobs lead to a career with promotions and pay raises. Getting out of the gig economy and onto a career path is part of the journey to economic success and building wealth. We work in partnership with employers who inform our training and provide insights into the changing landscape of work. In turn, STRIVE offers a pipeline of potential employees for businesses. We advocate for our students who seek safe, quality jobs that provide a living wage with benefits and opportunities for financial stability. We tailor our programs to reflect the needs of employers.
Partners like the Mount Sinai Health System define engaged partnership. During the pandemic, when Mount Sinai needed job support, their first phone call was to STRIVE. We honored them with our 2020 Partnership Award, recognizing their milestone of hiring over 100 students in the past five years.
The disparity in digital knowledge and affordable access to technology that is largely a by-product of economic inequality rooted in racial inequity and lack of investment in communities of color.
As more jobs come to rely on technology, STRIVE is uniquely positioned to bridge the Digital Divide. We incorporate digital skills into every aspect of our programs to ensure our students can overcome this barrier. We have identified three tiers of knowledge that all students will be able to achieve.
Provides a baseline digital skillset all workers need, regardless of industry. After participating in the STRIVE program, every student will demonstrate proficiency in computer and internet basics, email, and online job searching skills.
Develops specific technology-related skills needed for a particular occupation or industry.
Allows STRIVE alumni the opportunity to keep skills fresh and advance in their careers through continued development and training.
Co-Chairs:
Roy Castro
Brian Friedman
Vice-Chair:
Judith McElnea
Secretary:
Arthur Kokot
Treasurer:
Bonnie L. Howard
Governance, EQUITY & Inclusion Committee:
Tony Steadman
Board Members:
Richard Barthelmes
Daryl Lee
Tonia O’Connor
Yvan-Claude Pierre
Andy Rahl
Laurie Rosenfield
Jay Sheehy
Laura Slutsky
Philip Weinberg
Randy Zeno
Chairman Emeritus & Co-Founder:
H. Thompson Rodman Jr.
Support and
Revenue
Contributions
$2,363,475
Program Income
$199,125
Government Grants
$6,506,484
Special Events
$1,263,674
Less: Direct Expenses
($146,330)
Net Investment Loss
($200)
Other
$521
Total
$10,186,749
Expenses
Program Services
$7,930,289
Supporting Services
$2,013,511
Total
$9,943,800
Net assets, end of year: $3,290,806
2019 audited financial results. A full report is available here.
“STRIVE sees what people can be, and it provides the grace and love and support that they need to achieve it. I hope each of you in this room will consider supporting their work you can see the lives that they honor.”
- Dina Powell McCormick, Global Head of Sustainability and Inclusive Growth at Goldman Sachs
We thank our Federal, State, and Local Government Agencies:
Consortium for Worker Education
CUNY Institute for State and Local Governance
Manhattan Borough President's Office
Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City
New York city council
NYC Department of Corrections
NYC Department of Design and Construction
NYC Department of Small Business Services
NYC Human Resources Administration
NYS Department of Labor
NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance
US Department of Health and Human Services
US Department of Labor
We thank our 2020 donors of all levels. Check out the complete donor list here.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Goldman Sachs Gives
Suzanne Peck & Brian Friedman
The Robin Hood Foundation
Alix & Dick Barthelmes
Atlanta CareerRise
The Gordon and Llura Gund Foundation
Jefferies Financial Group Inc.
The JPMorgan Chase Foundation
The Pinkerton Foundation
Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation
The Annie E. Casey Foundation
Anonymous Donor
The Bewtra Charity Fund
The Blanchette Hooker Rockefeller Fund
Bloomberg Philanthropies
Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta
The Frank E. & Seba B. Payne Foundation
The Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation
Mediabrands/Daryl Lee
Lisa & Bernard Selz
Mark Taylor
United Way of Greater Atlanta
Annaly Capital Management Inc.
Assured Guaranty
Blackstone Charitable Foundation
The Eccola Foundation
EY
The Hartwell Family
Bonnie Howard & Charles Charrow
Sonia & Paul Jones
Arthur Kokot
L+M Development Partners
Morgan Stanley/Tom Nides
Robertson Foundation
Rose M. Badgeley Residuary Charitable Trust
Anonymous Donor
Ardea Partners
Elaine & Norm Brodsky
Clarkstown Reformed Church
Comcast NBCUniversal
Thomas Cook
Cooley LLP
Disney Advertising Sales
Facebook, Inc.
Elizabeth Fealy
Jeffrey Gill
Harlem Community Development Corporation
Dawn Hudson & Bruce Beach
Lendlease Americas, Inc.
Gwen R. Libstag
Mount Sinai Health System
Northwell Health
Tonia O'Connor & Greg Mayes
O'Neill Foundation
Leslie & Andy Rahl
The Ready Foundation
Fiona & Eric Rudin
Santander Bank
Tony Steadman
Lena & Dennis Yang
Randy Zeno
A+E Networks
Anonymous Donor
Cadent
Discovery Communications
ENGINE
Fast Forward Group
David Finkelstein
FOX Corporation
Barbara & Peter Georgescu
Good+Foundation
Mellody Hobson
Initiative
ION Media Networks
Lake Capital Partners
Latham & Watkins LLP
MAGNA Global
Lucie Ondraschkova
Partnership for Southern Equity
Kate & Bradford Peck
Yvan-Claude Pierre
PNC Bank
PSG Global Solutions/Brian Cotter
Lindsay & Zachary Rechler
Tom Rodman
Rudin Foundation
Philip Salinger
Heather Secrest
Snap Inc.
TD Bank
TIAA
Jim Tricarico
Wells Fargo Foundation
Emily Wade
Zefr Inc.
The Ad Council
AMC Network
Georgine & Frank Anton
AvalonBay Communities Inc.
Greg Bauso
Rick Beispel
Lily Calcagnini
The Carol and Shirley Fund
Maria & Roy Castro
CECP/Daryl G. Brewster
The Charles J. Newman Co. LLC
Liz Churgin
Condé Nast
Cozen O'Connor
Douglaston Development
Thelma Duggin
Gail H. Fell
The Gerrish H. Milliken Foundation
Jennifer Hand & Tom Tierney
Serena Johnson
Alexandra Kaplan
Riki Larimer
Ann A. Lundberg
John J. Lynch
The MacDougal Family Foundation
Maycomb Capital/Andrea Phillips
Judy & Jeff McElnea
Ned Morgens
NCheng LLP
Elaine Nigam
OpenAP TV
Dana Perino & Peter McMahon
Karen & John Petry
RBC Foundation
Thomas Remien
The Richard Powell Fund
Laurie Rosenfield
Jes Santoro
Joe Scantlebury
Polly Scott & James Maher
Jay Sheehy
Quanah Stamps
Talent Inc./Jeffrey Berger
Mortimer Tieschmaker
Cynthia Trevor
John Vaske & Farnaz Vossoughian
Verizon
Anthony Vollmer
Phil Weinberg
Tricia White
Katherine Arndt
Emily & David Bachman
Bernard Bailey
Maureen & William Barton
Lisa & Alan Berman
Christopher Bradley
Yvonne Bregman
Richard Brown
Kasha Cacy
Roy Daiany
Caroline Dellaway
Carrie & Dunn Dillard
Jane & William Donaldson
Kelly Evans
Andrea Fabry
Beryl & Ed Feinberg
Robert Fomon
Jessie Foss Freschl
Julianna Fricchione
Nadav Geft
June & Jerrold Gottlieb
Lia Grigg
Jon Harding
Herb Block Foundation/Caroline & David Lacey
Tamiko Hershey
Yaryna Hritzkiv
Kevin Hungate
Eileen Kiernan
Lynn Pinkus Lewis
Jo Ann Lynch & Michael Farmer
Gloria Mallios
Mary & Ron Pressman
Jordan Rednor
Laurel & Joseph Rossi
Lisa Sherman
Adrienne Skinner
Laura Slutsky
Carrie Stimmel
Hamel Vyas
Michelle D. Wilson
Margaret Yanney
Linda Yellin & Randall Arthur
Thank you to our donors who gave recurring gifts, companies who matched gifts, and the partners and donors who gave us food, clothing, and other items that cannot be represented with a dollar sign. We value every single donation.
Reflects donations made between January 1-December 31, 2020.
