FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 13, 2023

New Ground and Girls Inc. of Long Island Named As Bank of America 2023 Neighborhood Builders® Awardees

Both Nonprofits Will Receive $200,000 in Flexible Funding and Leadership Training to Advance Economic Mobility on Long Island

Long Island, NY – Bank of America today announced New Ground and Girls Inc. of Long Island as 2023 Neighborhood Builders® awardees for their work advancing economic mobility and building up underserved neighborhoods on Long Island. Through this multi-year grant, funding and extensive leadership training for the nonprofits’ leadership will be provided and programs and services addressing homelessness and workforce equity will be able to expand.

The Neighborhood Builders program is one of the largest philanthropic investments into nonprofit leadership development in the nation, providing comprehensive leadership training for an executive director and an emerging leader on topics ranging from increasing financial sustainability, human capital management and strategic storytelling, and the opportunity to join a national network of peer organizations. Each Builder is also awarded a $200,000 grant over two years.

“Local nonprofits provide critical support and services to address our community’s needs and advance equity on Long Island,” said Marc Perez, president, Bank of America Long Island. “Both New Ground and Girls Inc. of Long Island are dedicated to creating lasting change by breaking the cycle of homelessness and equipping young women with the skills and resources to become the next generation of leaders. We look forward to seeing these organizations continue to thrive as Neighborhood Builders.”

New Ground helps Long Island veterans and families break the cycle of homelessness through long-term, comprehensive assistance to achieve lasting and sustainable change. Working to eliminate the root causes of homelessness, New Ground empowers veterans and families by providing educational, technical, and emotional support. New Ground’s multi-generational approach to higher education, financial literacy, and career development helps both adults and youth achieve self-sufficiency and independence by addressing barriers. Neighborhood Builders funding will support the expansion of New Ground’s housing programs and increase the number of veterans and families they serve.

“New Ground is thrilled to be a 2023 Neighborhood Builders award recipient, and this could not have come at a better time,” said Shannon Boyle, Executive Director, New Ground. “As we prepare to grow our Long-Term Housing Program from two units to 20 by early 2025, this capacity-building support from Bank of America will allow New Ground to best prepare for this dramatic expansion. New Ground’s growth will have a direct impact on struggling families and veterans, allowing so many more to receive our intensive social work and education services to once and for all break the cycle of homelessness and poverty.”

Girls Inc. of Long Island empowers girls and young women from underserved communities across Long Island through research-based programs, helping participants build confidence, prepare for economic independence, and achieve their full potential. To create a brighter, more equitable future, Girls Inc. of Long Island provides school and community-based programming to serve girls and young women in Suffolk and Nassau Counties. Cultivating the next generation of women leaders, Girls Inc. of Long Island aims to increase participants’ access and exposure to academic and career opportunities that have been historically male-dominated and excluded women and people of color. Neighborhood Builders funding will Girls Inc. of Long Island to further career-readiness initiatives and serve more girls and young women on Long Island.

“Girls Inc. of Long Island is honored to have been chosen for Bank of America’s Neighborhood Builders program,” said Renee Flagler, Executive Director, Girls Inc. of Long Island. “The funding will have an immense impact on our organization, affording us the opportunity to increase capacity, foster more growth, and add more life-changing innovative programming for the girls in our community. We are grateful to Bank of America for their support and alignment with our charge to ensure that girls are equipped to reach their full potential and become the new generation of leaders.”

Since 2004, Bank of America has invested more than $300 million in nearly 100 communities across the U.S., partnered with more than 1,600 nonprofits, and helped more than 3,000 nonprofit leaders strengthen their leadership skills through the Neighborhood Builders and Champions program.

The invitation-only program is highly competitive and nonprofits are selected by a committee comprised of community leaders and past Builders awardees. There have been 39 nonprofits selected as Neighborhood Builders on Long Island since 2005 and Bank of America has invested nearly $8 million in these local nonprofits.

Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the world’s leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 69 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 3,900 retail financial centers, approximately 15,000 ATMs (automated teller machines) and award-winning digital banking with approximately 57 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 4 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BAC).

For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, visit the Bank of America newsroom and register for news email alerts.

New Ground

New Ground helps struggling Veterans and families break the cycle of homelessness and poverty with a unique long-term approach. Our strategy is comprehensive, defining all possible barriers to success from the beginning and with our clients as an integral part of the process. With New Ground assistance, each client outlines goals and the barriers preventing success, and then works to tackle them to secure permanent, stable housing and a brighter future. New Ground addresses every aspect of the client’s circumstances through intensive direct services, referrals to local experts in key areas, and utilization of essential resources within the larger community. It is this holistic approach that sets New Ground apart, as well as the multi-generational services provided to all members of the household. Social Workers provide the concrete services needed in areas of educational advancement, career development, financial aid, basic life-skills and more, to best help clients overcome challenges. They also bring the clinical expertise essential to addressing behavioral and decision-making patterns that may perpetuate negative life choices. Recognizing that breaking the cycle of homelessness and poverty takes time, services typically occur over a few years with every client’s timeline individually determined and personalized to their needs and progress. This unique flexibility of services allows for many avenues to success. A multigenerational approach provides education services also to the children and youth to ensure their overall academic success, advancement to next grade levels, and completion of higher education programs. Thus New Ground is breaking the cycle of poverty now and for future generations.

Girls Inc. of Long Island

Girls Inc. of Long Island delivers life-changing programs and unique experiences to give girls the tools they need to be strong, smart & bold. We provide school and community based programming that serves the unique needs of girls, ages 5-18, living in Suffolk and Nassau Counties. Through community partnerships, we help girls to achieve their full potential, making their future brighter. Girls Inc. of Long Island is dedicated to the advocacy of gender equity for all girls in all areas of their lives.

Girls Inc.

Girls Inc. inspires all girls to be strong, smart, and bold through direct service and advocacy. We work with schools and in communities to provide the mentoring relationships, safe spaces, and evidence-based programming that are proven to help girls succeed. Girls build the knowledge, skills, and confidence to lead change in their lives and effect change in the world. Girls Inc. also works with and for girls to advance legislation and policies that increase opportunities for all girls. Together with partners and supporters, we are building a new generation of leaders.

Reporters May Contact:

Juan Soto, Bank of America

Phone: 1.646.855.5252 juan.soto3@bofa.com