The Bronx Community Foundation

The Bronx Community Foundation is the first and only community foundation in The Bronx, solely dedicated to delivering resources to the borough.

The Bronx Community Relief Effort (Bx.C.R.E), the first major initiative for The Bronx Community Foundation, was born in the South Bronx immediately after coronavirus hit New York City. With a $10 million rapid response fund, we were committed to raising and deploying significant philanthropic dollars and resources across the borough in an effort to support a community in crisis.

Bx.C.R.E supports effective, on-the-ground operations that are focused on meeting the most essential needs of The Bronx community. Funds are distributed in real-time within the community across eight key areas of need: health, food, small business support, micro grants, housing, technology & education, justice and non-profit support. 

To date, Bx.C.R.E. has met urgent needs in a short period of time and quickly developed systems in support of these objectives. As we scale for the future, we must develop systems that respond quickly to the emerging and evolving needs of our community, as well as continue to build a foundation that sustainably ensures scalable impact, efficiently meeting the needs of the resilient Bronxites who call the borough their home.

A COMMUNITY IN CRISIS

The Bronx is the poorest county per capita in the United States. Bronx residents are dying from COVID-19 at twice the rate of the other boroughs in New York City.

The COVID-19 crisis has magnified long-standing economic, racial, and health inequalities:

• The Bronx has the highest rate of unemployment in New York State
• The Bronx is the unhealthiest county in New York State
• Over 52% of Bronx neighborhoods are in high or extreme poverty
• 37,000 Bronx public school students are considered homeless
• 92% of the Bronx is non-white