The Founder
The Board Members
The Staff
The Youth
 |
Starting from his own apartment in 1993, Rubinson began working with a small group of
local youth in 1 service project. Over time, he was able to involve more young
people in a broader menu of projects, and build an organization to support them. Over 13 years Rubinson has helped FYI raise over $7 million for its day-to-day programming efforts, and $4 million for a new building which will serve a generation of local young people in Washington Heights - Inwood as a youth-oriented community meeting house. Rubinson lives in Washington Heights with his wife Laura Thorpe, daughter Francesca and son Shay. |
About the Board
FYI believes that young people should have decision-making powers at the highest
level of the organization. In its bylaws FYI stipulates that at least
3 of its Board members are young people.
In addition, FYI utilizes ''Special Youth Advisors'' who are younger program
participants receiving training at the board level. In this manner, the ideas
and energy of youth participants inform FYI's overall direction and policies.
FYI Board Members have received training from Youth on Board (in Boston) in
order to maximize the effectiveness of youth voices on the Board.
FYI has increased the size of its board slowly over time, moving from its original
3 members in 1993 to 9 members in 1995; to 12 members in 1997; up to 15 in 2003,
and now 17 members for the 2007-2008 fiscal year. This growth mirrors that of
FYI as a whole, with the bottom line always being effective stewardship and
leadership of the organization.
FYI's Board developed its own fundraiser, the Community Action Heroes Awards.
Starting in 1999, this annual event has been held at Morris-Jumel Mansion, DR-K
Restaurant, and in 2007, FYI's New Community Meeting House and Youth Center.
Diversity of the Board is also important in terms of skills, contacts, professional
experience, gender, and time availability, in addition to ethnicity and culture.
We also value having a healthy number of Board members who either work or live
here in Washington Heights.
| The past year at FYI has been one of solid work and achievement, and
also much change, as we have finally moved into our new site on 171st Street. The staff team is led by Associate Executive Director Esteban "Steve" Ramos, who has been a member of the staff since 1999. Steve started at FYI as an intern, rose through the ranks to become the director of Helping Hands Food Pantry (our satellite site where the food pantry is based), and has the vision, communication skills, knowledge of youth development, and experience to help FYI continue its organic growth. This growth in the past year saw 3 new excellent staff members join the FYI family. |
 |
Youth Timeline
In thinking about the time line for the young people at our organization,
we need to be clear in our thinking and approach to youth development, and redefine
what it means for a participant to move forward. The central idea for FYI's
youth development model must be Cultivation and Retention.
The Incentives
The Rewards For Giving Your Time
Trip USA
Other Incentives
May 2008 Participant Hours
March 2010 Participant Hours
Back to Top
The Youth Leaders
After becoming a Neighborhood Service Leader, the next step is Youth Leader. This person is aged from 14-18. They are of working age and receive a higher stipend than an NSLer and have more responsibility. Not only do they get to create a group by the end of the FYI semester, they are automatically inserted into certain incentive trips. They must help the staff in everyday activities. They may also run the regular service group if the staff member is needed elsewhere. They are the extra help to staff members and must attend similar meetings as the staff. They receive youth leader t-shirts at the end of a semester at FYI and should wear them at any event.
Current Youth Leaders
Adonis Acosta
Aileen Pelegrin
Jose Polanco
Moises Torres
Priscilla Canela
Back
to Top
The Neighborhood Service Leaders
Neighborhood Service Leaders is a program for FYI participants from the ages of 12 to 18, who want to start their own community service projects. Through NSL, participants have an opportunity to organize other youth and address problems they have identified in Washington Heights. Projects are created and run by the participants, who are selected through a competitive application process.
Each participant receives a monthly stipend based on his or her performance
in effectively carrying out the service project. Applications will also recruit
and supervise younger youth to help do the service work with the project.
Current NSL
Crystal Pizarro
Joselin Eustate
Michelle Trinidad
Mikaela Lopez
Robin Guzman
Yordangel Martes
Neighborhood Service Leader Training 2009
After a great NSL training experience in 2008, this years NSL training has new components and has been extend to be a year long process. With these new changes we are preparing our NSLers to be more knowledgeable about what it means to be a youth leader. We are not only training them on how to create and run community service activities, but also on how to be a leader. We are very excited about this years NSL training and are looking forward to the new ideas these groups of leaders will bring to F.Y.I.
Graduating Seniors
After another two years, the participant will be 16 – 17 years of age. The next step will be to no longer focus on the organization internally, but rather focus on the organization externally. These individuals will now be in an FYI Corps training program where they will focus on putting together large-scale service events, and perhaps even a small fundraiser.
They will have the titles of junior staff, and will also receive a stipend on a monthly basis. They will shadow NSL groups, collaborate with the Board of Directors, and will get exposure to college, and professional readiness.
The goal is to prepare and enable them with the proper tools to be successful outside of FYI. At the end of this journey the goal is that the individual is ready to go to college or some form of higher education.
At this point in time the participant will be asked to take a year off of FYI. They will still be associated with the organization, by attending events and maybe even being board members themselves. The most pivotal thing is to allow them the time to transition into the adult world.
Current Graduating Seniors: Ronald Diaz, Fatima Guzman,
Sholanlly Ferreira, Mirka Quinones,
Sholenny Ferreira
Graduating
Seniors (7) June 2007
Graduating
Seniors (3) June 2008
Graduating Seniors (4) June 2009
The Mentors
Beginning in early 1994, Fresh Youth Initiatives (FYI) introduced a Mentor Program for youths in the Washington Heights area of Manhattan. FYI is an organization in Washington Heights which supports youth-led community service projects and other activities to help young people maximize their potential.
FYI's Mentor Program is a logical extension of its ongoing community service activities. Designed to pair youths in the community with positive adult role models. The program provides enrichment opportunities for these young people with particular emphasis on social, cultural and educational experiences and exploration.
FYI works closely with other youth organizations in the community, including the Explorer Post 280 "Dreamers," and the Ivy League and recruits youth for the Mentor Program from these and other FYI programs.
To be eligible for our mentoring program potential mentors must: be at least 21 years of age; be a New York City resident for at least one year; have a least eight hours a month to spend with a youth; be able to attend fun large group mentoring activities and commit to be a part of the mentoring program for at least one academic year.
For more information on the mentors and the mentoring program:
The Mentors