NYC Department of Social Services

Enoelia Soto was only two weeks into her new position with the HPA Rental Assistance Programs (RAP) as the Deputy Director, RAP Renewals, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. RAP Renewals is the only client-facing unit that provides assistance to the 34,000 NYC residents currently receiving CityFHEPS. Read more in our Staff Spotlight of Enoelia Soto!

On May 17, 2024, the DSS/HRA/DHS M/WBE Program Team partnered with the NYC Mayor's Office of Contract Services to deliver our first in-person matchmaking event. Our Minority- and/or Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBE) Matchmaking Series began in 2022 and has grown to become a key part of our strategy to bring M/WBEs together with procurement decision makers from our agencies and the for-profit, non-profit, and community-based organizations we work with. Our most recent event brought 14 Human Service Providers together with 64 M/WBEs for over 400 in-person matchmaking sessions. One in five or 20% of the M/WBEs who have attended past events later secured a contract with DSS/HRA/DHS or with one of our participating Providers, so we’re excited to celebrate more success stories. Raymond Daniel Medina, who leads our contractor diversity program, shared, “We see our Human Service Providers as partners. We’ve developed information resources and matchmaking events that literally bring M/WBEs right to their table to discuss contracting opportunities. We’re very grateful to our agency partners and Providers for joining our mission to bring diverse vendors into the service of our clients and communities. It really shows that the City works best when we work together.”

HRA's Career Services offer opportunities and resources to help you increase your job skills and build a career. Read more at https://on.nyc.gov/44Q8a2g

Among 32,000 children living in shelters – they began their high school journey during a global pandemic. But they crushed the odds and are now college-bound. Read the full story in PIX 11: https://on.nyc.gov/45C8K5U

Our 2024 Pay It Off program reduced noncustodial parents’ debt owed to NYC by over $1 million. The NYC Office of Child Support Services matched parents’ qualifying payments. Learn more about the child support program and other debt reduction services. Visit nyc.gov/hra/ocss.

This past Saturday, the Department of Social Services’ First Deputy Commissioner, Jill Berry, and other DSS staff gathered at PS/MS 5 in the Bronx for the Every Child and Family Is Known (ECFIK) family resource fair. ECFIK is a joint partnership between the NYC Children's Cabinet, NYC Public Schools, NYC Administration of Children Services (ACS), and DSS to assist families served by the Department of Homeless Services (DHS) with children attending school in the Bronx. Saturday’s resource fair encouraged families to sign up for next year’s program and brought resources to participating families and community members.

"The Adams administration has made unprecedented investments to address the citywide crisis of unsheltered homelessness. Thanks to doubling outreach staffing and aggressively expanding specialized shelters, NYC has made important progress connecting more than 2,000 New Yorkers who were living unsheltered on our streets and subways to permanent housing."—NYC Department of Social Services Commissioner Molly Wasow Park Read more: https://on.nyc.gov/45rQ9JC.

New York’s municipal workforce of over 300,000 is committed to stopping elder abuse by providing victims with necessary support and services. If you see signs of elder abuse, call 311 or text 311text (311-692) to report anonymously.

DYK? Every year, as part of HUD's Continuum of Care (CoC) Program, the NYC CoC accepts applications for new and expansion project funding through the Local Competition. Final submissions are due 6/12. Visit NYC CoC NOFO for full details: https://on.nyc.gov/3UDXktc.

Happy #Pride2024 NYC! DSS-HRA-DHS staff joined DSS First Deputy Commissioner Jill Berry at the Queens LGBTQI+ Pride parade this Sunday. We are proud to serve all New Yorkers and fight poverty and homelessness.