Mayor Mamdani honors nonprofit partners who strengthen the city’s social safety net
Mayor's Office of Nonprofit Services (MONS) announces the City’s second annual Excellent in Human Services Delivery awards
This week, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and the Mayor’s Office of Nonprofit Services (MONS) honored nonprofit organizations during NYC Nonprofit Week. Throughout the week, 23 mayoral offices and City agencies visited and celebrated nonprofit partners across the five boroughs, underscoring the administration’s commitment to strengthening the City's partnership with the nonprofit sector.
“Our City relies on nonprofit partners who show up for New Yorkers every day,” said Mayor Mamdani. “These organizations are an essential part of our social safety net, providing housing, health care, education, legal services and so much more. This week, my administration was proud to celebrate their work and reaffirm our commitment to making sure they have the support they need to serve New Yorkers.”
“This week, we celebrated our exceptional nonprofits who go above and beyond to provide essential services to New Yorkers while treating them with dignity and care,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Helen Arteaga. “To the more than 40,000 nonprofit organizations who make New York more livable by strengthening our social safety net, we thank you for everything you offer to the 8.5 million people who call this remarkable city home.”
“Nonprofits are the backbone of the city and the economic engines that help New Yorkers thrive,” said Annie E. Minguez, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Nonprofit Services. “This week, we celebrated our nonprofit partners and the dedicated city workers who help ensure they can deliver the essential services New Yorkers rely on every day. I want to thank the 23 mayoral offices and city agencies who joined us in celebrating nonprofits this week, and the nonprofit providers who opened their doors and gave us the opportunity to meet their staff and witness their direct impact on communities across the city. Lastly, I want to congratulate the eight outstanding nonprofit organizations and city employees we celebrated at our 2nd Annual Excellence in Human Service Awards. We look forward to strengthening these partnerships, not just during NYC Nonprofit Week but every day.”
NYC Nonprofit Week was created in recognition of National Nonprofit Day, observed annually on August 17, to shine a spotlight on the vital role nonprofits play in delivering critical services to New Yorkers. From affordable housing and healthcare to early childhood education, legal services and family and youth programs, NYC Nonprofit Week provided City leaders an opportunity to highlight the nonprofits creating lasting impact in communities throughout the give boroughs.
Over the course of the week, MONS, in partnership with City leadership, visited and uplifted more than 40 nonprofits across the five boroughs and highlighted their work on social media, including Girls for Gender Equity, Refugee Atelier, CRECE FEC and Elmhurst Community Partnership, HousingPlus, Youth Justice Network, Harlem Independent Living Center, New York Edge, American Red Cross and Lantern Community Services. During the site visits, nonprofits were recognized for their outstanding contributions to improving the lives of New Yorkers year-round.
“Nonprofit organizations play an essential role in supporting the health, safety and well-being of all New Yorkers, including our immigrant communities in every borough,” said Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) Commissioner Faiza N. Ali. “During NYC Nonprofit Week, MOIA is proud to highlight Life of Hope and La Victoria, two of our incredible community partners whose work is vital to meeting the emerging needs of immigrant New Yorkers. MOIA will continue to partner closely with nonprofit organizations across our city that provide critical resources and services to New Yorkers.”
“New York has one of the largest nonprofit sectors in the country, working in dozens of languages on problems government cannot solve alone,” said NYC Emergency Management Commissioner Christina Farrell. “From food and housing to childcare, elder care, services for people with disabilities and access and functional needs, immigration support, and disaster recovery, this work reaches every neighborhood in the five boroughs. NYC Nonprofit Week is an opportunity for the city to recognize these contributions, and NYC Emergency Management is proud to plan and prepare alongside these organizations throughout the year.”
“This year’s NYC Nonprofit Week was a meaningful celebration of the organizations that show up for New Yorkers every day and of the partnership that makes that work possible,” said City Chief Procurement Officer and New York City Mayor’s Office of Contract Services Director Kim Yu. “At MOCS, we know that being a strong partner means making it easier for nonprofits to do business with the City. Our team is working every day to get contracts registered sooner, improve budget readiness and invoice processing, and create more consistent and efficient contracting practices across City agencies. We want our nonprofit partners to spend less time navigating City processes and more time focused on the communities they serve. We are grateful to the Mayor’s Office of Nonprofit Services for bringing agencies and providers together throughout the week, and to our nonprofit partners for their continued partnership as we work to build a contracting system that better supports them.”
“NYC Nonprofit Week is an opportunity to recognize the organizations that show up every day to meet the needs of New Yorkers, strengthen communities, and turn advocacy into action," said NYC Commission on Gender Equity Executive Director Priya Nair. "In observance of this week, the Commission on Gender Equity proudly recognized Girls for Gender Equity, Right To Be, and Catcalls of NYC for their leadership and the impact they have made across our city. Their work — from empowering young people and advancing gender and racial justice to creating safer public spaces and equipping New Yorkers to stand up against harassment — reflects the power of community-based organizations to drive lasting change. We are grateful for their partnership and the many ways they continue to help build a more equitable and inclusive New York City.”
“Nonprofits are at the heart of New York City’s social safety net, bringing the expertise and resources that New Yorkers rely on every day,” said DYCD Commissioner Sandra Escamilla-Davies. “Having worked in the nonprofit sector, I know firsthand the dedication and care behind this work and the difference it makes in communities across our city. At DYCD, we are proud to collaborate with these organizations, providing the tools and support they need to serve young New Yorkers and their families. NYC Nonprofit Week gives us an opportunity to celebrate their contributions and reaffirm our commitment to strengthening the partnership between government and the organizations that serve our neighborhoods.”
“I was honored to visit and celebrate the Harlem Independent Living Center (HILC) for Nonprofit Week,” said NYC Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities Commissioner Nisha Agarwal. “HILC is part of a nation-wide network of independent living centers – nonprofits operated by and for people with disabilities. HILC provides a comprehensive array of services to enhance the autonomy of people with disabilities and their ability to thrive within their communities. They provide direct services including insurance enrollment assistance, housing support, and activities of daily life and technology training. HILC also advocates for structural change so that every person with a disability can live a full, socially connected life with self-determination. Thank you to HILC for your essential work and the Mayor’s Office of Nonprofit Services for uplifting so many incredible organizations.”
“NYC Nonprofit Week is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the invaluable work of our nonprofit provider partners and the essential role they play in strengthening communities across all five boroughs. We are deeply grateful for their expertise, trusted relationships, and unwavering commitment to supporting children, youth, families, and communities. On behalf of everyone at ACS, I want to thank our nonprofit providers for their partnership and dedication, and I look forward to continuing to work together to serve New York City’s children, youth and families," said ACS Commissioner Rebecca Jones Gaston.
"Nonprofits are the backbone of our city and NYC Nonprofit Week celebrates the vital role these organizations play in delivering essential services to New Yorkers across all five boroughs" said Doug Lipari, Executive Director of the NYC Office of Talent and Workforce Development. “We’re grateful for our nonprofit partners across workforce development, education, and the entire human services sector for their tireless work and commitment to serving New Yorkers and strengthening our communities.”
This week culminated with the second annual Excellence in Human Services Delivery Awards (EHSDAs), a special awards ceremony held at Gracie Mansion on Thursday, August 20, to recognize and celebrate the nonprofits and public servants who work together to strengthen the City’s social safety net. Winners were selected from more than 250 nominations submitted by nonprofit organizations that contract with City agencies and City agency staff who partner with nonprofits. Sponsored by Ponce Bank and EmblemHealth, each City agency employee received a $1,000 cash award, while nonprofit recipients were recognized with trophies. MONS launched the Excellence in Human Service Delivery Awards (EHSDAs) in 2025 to recognize and celebrate the vital partnership between City agency staff and nonprofit organizations that deliver essential services to New Yorkers, including affordable housing, legal services, health care, education, and family and youth programs. To date, 10 nonprofits, four City employees and two City agencies have been recognized for their outstanding contributions. The awards advance MONS' mission to strengthen collaboration between City agencies and the nonprofit organizations that serve New Yorkers every day.
This year’s award winners are:
ACTION & INNOVATION AWARD
Celebrates individuals who introduce creative, forward-thinking solutions that improve service delivery, program impact or government partnerships.
EXCELLENCE IN CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARD
Honors City employees who go above and beyond to support nonprofit providers through clear communication, responsive coordination and timely action. Also recognizes nonprofits whose frontline work demonstrates exceptional impact in meeting community needs.
OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE AWARD
Recognizes organizations that model efficient systems, fiscal stewardship and streamlined processes that help New Yorkers thrive.
EMERGING NONPROFIT AWARD
Honors smaller, newer organizations making a significant impact in New York City communities.
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Honors an individual who has dedicated their career to strengthening the City’s nonprofit sector.
