The Community Fund of Bronxville, Eastchester, and Tuckahoe is joining forces with Pace University to conduct a community needs assessment of programs and services available to residents.
In partnering with the Helene T. and Grant M. Wilson Center for Social Entrepreneurship at Pace University, The Community Fund is seeking to identify the types of services and resources available to residents and address any potential gaps or inadequacies in areas such as human services, health care, housing, public safety, day care, and recreation, among other vital community needs.
The Community Fund is committed to supporting critical social, health, and well-being programs that dramatically improve the lives of the people in our Bronxville, Eastchester, and Tuckahoe Community,” said Amy Rutter Korb, executive director of The Community Fund. “Our partnership with Pace on this innovative needs assessment will help us not only determine the best programs to support in and around our community but also help direct the funds we raise to the programs our community members care most deeply about.”
As part of this year-long partnership between The Community Fund and Pace University, Pace Public Administration and Wilson Center faculty and researchers will develop an in-depth community survey with interviews (all responses will remain confidential) targeting community members and leaders in the areas of public health, human services, business, nonprofits, government and the like. They will then analyze the information and complete a full report with recommendations on areas of need. The Community Fund will disseminate and present the findings in community meetings and public announcements.
“Taking a good hard look at community resources and comparing them to current needs goes a long way to ensuring that no person or group is overlooked and that The Community Fund is maximizing its reach and impact,” said Rebecca Tekula, executive director of the Wilson Center for Social Entrepreneurship, and professor of public administration at Pace. “We look forward to working with The Community Fund on such an important endeavor.”
“This data will allow us to understand the ongoing needs of the residents in these communities, which is especially important during these unprecedented times,” said Gina Scutelnicu Todoran, department chair of public administration at Pace. “We look forward to seeing these results and are proud of this partnership with The Community Fund.”
The Helene T. and Grant M. Wilson Center for Social Entrepreneurship aims to promote social change through entrepreneurship. The Center furthers this mission by serving Pace students across all disciplines, social enterprises, and nonprofit organizations with education, research, communication, and advisory services.
Wilson Center and Public Administration faculty and graduate students have completed a variety of in-depth research projects and reports for local governments and community organizations across a variety of areas, including an assessment of K-12 learning programs for the Westchester Children’s Association; the economic impact of the nonprofit sector in Westchester County; a community assessment of performance for the Port Chester Police Department; and Pace University’s overall economic impact in New York State.
The Community Fund, founded in 1919, currently supports 26 social service agencies and community programs that provide critical services to Bronxville, Eastchester, Tuckahoe, and the area within the Bronxville 10708 zip code—often at no cost to people who cannot afford to pay. Additionally, the Community Fund provides administrative support to the agencies it supports through ongoing site visits, consultations, workshops, and forums.
