Emily Puhnaty

DBI Projects and Drive Change Feed the Community!

Earlier this Fall, DBI’s Impact Council, the firm’s philanthropic and volunteer initiative, prepared and served food to 250 families at Drive Change in Brooklyn. The organization, which provides opportunities for young people to further their social and professional development through quality employment, launched a food distribution program, CARE (Culinary Access Relief Events), in 2020 to combat rising food insecurity in New York as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Drive Change invited the team from DBI to assist in one of its weekly grocery giveaways, in which recipients receive a week’s worth of healthy produce.

In addition to supporting Drive Change through its volunteer efforts, DBI worked with the organization to identify a permanent home for its operations, overseeing lease negotiations and construction of its headquarters at the historic former Pfizer Plant on Flushing Avenue in Williamsburg. Completed in 2023, the new space includes a commercial-grade kitchen, flexible teaching space, and administrative offices.

DBI has had the pleasure of working alongside countless non-profit organizations to help them achieve their missions and continue their inspiring work. Over 70% of DBI’s clients are non-profits, ranging from community service to education, arts and culture, religious, and workforce development organizations.

We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!

DBI Projects was honored to volunteer for our client, Kingsbridge Heights Community Center (KHCC), during their Holiday Meal Giveaway by helping distribute more than 500 special meal packages to Kingsbridge families.

Established in 1974 by a dedicated group of community organizers, KHCC has been a pillar of support for Bronx residents. Spearheaded by three community-driven women—Mary McLoughlin, Patricia Burns, and Janet Athanasidy—the organization is committed to empowering individuals from infancy through to professional life. KHCC strives to enhance education and well-being in the community, fostering academic milestones, literacy, mental health support, nutrition, technology, and the arts within an enriching environment.

Thank you KHCC for all you do for the community, we are proud to work alongside you and are inspired by your impactful work!

@[Mo Diop](780) @[Ofer Ohad](743) @[Mariela Abreu](745) @[Hilary Bingnear](766)

Today DBI Projects would like to spotlight one of our amazing clients, Action Inc.

Action Inc. services the communities of Cape Ann in northeastern Massachusetts with the goal of building an equitable and resilient community that provides opportunities for all people regardless of their income, race, gender, sexuality, or religion.

Action Inc. is a safety net for their community. They offer a broad range of supportive services, including: fuel assistance and energy efficiency programs, case management, housing assistance and homelessness prevention, job training and education, and affordable housing. Responsive to the community’s needs, they are agile and develop new programs and services when new needs arise.

Not only does Action Inc. service their community on the scale of the individual, but they advocate for important policy changes, locally and nationally, to support those in need.

We are very privileged to be working alongside such a wonderful organization and encourage you to check them out too!

DBI Projects would like to congratulate Emma's Torch on winning the Rising Star Award at the 3rd Annual NYC Imagine Awards!

Emma's Torch provides refugees with in-depth culinary training as well as employability, equity, and empowerment training. Throughout the program, participants learn in both a classroom and apprentice setting, thanks to the organizations cafes and catering businesses. Emma's Torch set participants up for successful employment in an industry in which their cultural heritage and cuisine can be celebrated.

DBI Projects would like to congratulate Gisele Castro, the Executive Director of Exalt Youth, on winning the Leadership Excellence Award at the 3rd Annual NYC Imagine Awards!

Exalt Youth elevates expectations of personal success for youth ages 15-19 who’ve been involved in the criminal justice system. They inspire youth at a critical crossroads to believe in their worth, from the first steps in contemplation through the journey to create lasting behavioral change. Exalt's powerful combination of structured classes for tangible skill development, individualized support to navigate the education and justice systems, placement in paid internships, and an alumni network of resources equips youth with the tools and experience to avoid further criminal justice system involvement.

Susan Sack is an inspiring force in the world of NYC non-profit real estate and someone we are proud to call one of our long-term collaborators.

Susan is the Managing Director of Real Estate at The Robin Hood Foundation. In the below interview, she discusses why this area of Robin Hood's work is fundamental to their ability to help organizations achieve their missions and benefit the community.

DBI has been a Project Manager and Real Estate Adviser in collaboration with Robin Hood Foundation for fifteen years. As the City’s largest poverty-fighting organization, our relationship with Robin Hood has given us the opportunity to support over forty organizations around NYC.

Have a listen to Susan's story via the link below!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mRtrrMw51Q

Over the weekend DBI Boston was thrilled to be one of the sponsors of the West Fairmount Hill Community Group's Juneteenth Joy celebration in Hyde Park.

It was a beautiful event with musical performances and inspiring presentations from many of Boston’s civic leaders, including Mayor Michelle Wu! Thank you to the Racial Equity and Justice Forum and the Planning Committee, West Fairmount Hill Community Group, and Hyde Park Main Streets for organizing a great celebration!

DBI has a long history of working with exalt, having managed the strategic planning, budgeting, scheduling and execution of their capital projects, and hosted dozens of interns in their program. We are proud to have delivered each of the projects within tight budgets, without compromising on quality.

exalt is a New York City-based nonprofit, serving all five boroughs. exalt elevates expectations of personal success for youth ages 15-19 who’ve been involved in the criminal justice system by providing a powerful combination of structured classes for tangible skill development, individualized support to navigate the education and justice systems, placement in paid internships, and an alumni network of resources that equips youth with the tools and experience to avoid further criminal justice system involvement.

Last week the DBI Projects team were lucky to have the opportunity to spend the day volunteering for Billion Oyster Project on Governors Island.

Billion Oyster Project was founded in 2014, with the vision of recreating a healthy and biodiverse New York Harbor. Building on New York Harbors’ long history of oyster reefs and the extraordinary capabilities of oysters as a species, the Billion Oyster Project was born. Since 2014, Billion Oyster Project has restored 100 million live oysters to the harbor, collected 2 million pounds of discarded shells, and engaged 11,000 NYC students in their education programs.

While on-site, Gail Tierney shared lots of interesting information about oysters, biodiversity, and New York Harbor and led us through our volunteering activities. Over the day, our team helped to prepare and clean hundreds of shells that would ultimately be used to form new oyster habitats.

Thank you, Gail and Billion Oyster Project, for having us and for the work you do!