October 31, 2022
Media Contact:
Aida E. Rosario
917.701.9221
aida.rosario@palanteharlem.org
P.A.’L.A.N.T.E. HARLEM RATED TOP HOMELESS AND HOUSING
NONPROFIT IN NEW YORK
Award based on community recommendation
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - (October 31, 2022) – P.A.’L.A.N.T.E. Harlem announced today that it has been honored with a prestigious 2022 Top-Rated Award by GreatNonprofits, the leading website for community recommendations of charities and nonprofits. The Top-Rated Nonprofit Award is based on the rating and number of reviews that P.A.’L.A.N.T.E. received from volunteers, donors, and clients. P.A.’L.A.N.T.E. provides homeless prevention services, tenant organizing, and legal services in Harlem, resulting in over 2,500 families being assisted this year.
“We are honored to be named a 2022 Top-Rated Nonprofit,” says Elsia Vásquez, Founder and Executive Director. “We are proud of our accomplishments this year and of our work throughout this never-ending pandemic, including the thousands of families we prevented from becoming homeless, families we restored to their homes after the violent illegal evictions when the eviction moratorium was still in place; the $1.7M we secured for families to pay rent arrears through the State Emergency Rental Assistance, and the 1,600 food insecure families we have provided fresh groceries through our newly created program #BodegaFriday.”
“…I believe in P.A.’L.A.N.T.E., I believe in the relationship I developed prior to becoming Mayor; and we are going to codify that even more as I rule as Mayor of the City of New York.” said NYC Mayor Eric Adams
“I’ve been working with P.A.’L.A.N.T.E. since inception and I’m honored to have recently honored P.A.’L.A.N.T.E. with the NY State Senate Empire Award for their unwavering commitment to serving the communities of District 31. This award is another testament of their commitment to servicing our communities.”, says NYS Senator Robert Jackson
“I could not be more proud to fund and partner with P.A.’L.A.N.T.E. Harlem, which has kept thousands of families safe and housed through their steadfast work to protect tenant rights,” said Harlem Council Member Shaun Abreu. “No organization is more deserving of this honor from GreatNonprofits. P.A.’L.A.N.T.E. serves as a model for how every community should fight unscrupulous landlords: by hiring a dedicated and knowledgeable staff, by ensuring people understand their rights, and by channeling the power of collective action.”
“One day, more than a decade ago, I returned to my office to find someone in the conference room, waiting for me. Elsia Vásquez was that person. At the time, I was working for the New York City Housing Preservation & Development… the seed was planted…I am proud to pull up my sleeves to work alongside Elsia. PA’LANTE!” says Nellie Nieves, former City employee and proud Board Member of P.A.’L.A.N.T.E. Harlem.
“P.A.’L.A.N.T.E. Harlem is a great example of a nonprofit making a real difference in their community,” said Perla Ni, CEO of GreatNonprofits, “Their award is a well-deserved recognition not only of their work but the tremendous support they receive, as shown by the many outstanding reviews they have received from people who have direct experience working with P.A.’L.A.N.T.E. Harlem.”
GreatNonprofits is the largest donation website for nonprofits and where people share stories about their personal experiences on more than 1.6 million charities and nonprofits. The GreatNonprofits Top-Rated Awards are the only awards for nonprofits determined by those who have direct experience with the charities – as donors, volunteers, and recipients of aid.
About P.A.’L.A.N.T.E. Harlem
Founded in 2008, P.A.’L.A.N.T.E. Harlem is a grassroots tenant advocacy organization that assists renters and low-income homeowners in New York City. P.A.’L.A.N.T.E., a 501(c)3 non-profit, is a leader in providing actionable solutions to address tenants’ housing concerns. P.A.’L.A.N.T.E. helps under-represented families realize their full potential by providing technical assistance, training, and legal services, and connecting residents to the government and non-profit resources that enable them to remain in their homes, hold negligent property managers and landlords accountable for critical safety violations and ensure that the buildings in their neighborhoods are safe, affordable, and habitable homes. Since its inception, P.A.'L.A.N.T.E. has serviced over 9,000 families throughout New York City.
About GreatNonprofits
GreatNonprofits is the leading website for people to find, review and share information about nonprofits. More than 1.2 million different charities, their reviews, ratings, and personal stories about their work are searchable by issue and location. The GreatNonprofits Top-Rated Awards are the only top ratings determined by those who deal directly with the charities – as donors, volunteers, and recipients of aid. The GreatNonprofits seal is rated by Software Advice, a Gartner company, as the second most-trusted rating seal after the Better Business Bureau. GreatNonprofits also provides tools and services to help nonprofits share and collect reviews and stories about the communities they serve. For more information, visit http://www.greatnonprofits.org
