Meet Your Zone Coordinators: Bronx
NYCHA REES Zone Coordinators are your personal guides to achieving your economic dreams. They partner with resident leaders and local organizations to connect residents to jobs and job training, adult education, financial empowerment, and business development services close to home. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, you can find your Zone Coordinators at the REES office at 787 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, they’re out and about in their zones visiting residents and partner programs.
NYCHA REES Zone Coordinators are your personal guides to achieving your economic dreams. They partner with resident leaders and local organizations to connect residents to jobs and job training, adult education, financial empowerment, and business development services close to home. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, you can find your Zone Coordinators at the REES office at 787 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, they’re out and about in their zones visiting residents and partner programs.
Eileen Cepeda
South Bronx/Zone 1
(Betances, Jackson, Mill Brook, Mitchell, Morrisania Air Rights, Mott Haven, St. Mary’s Park, and more.)
Born and raised at Coney Island Houses. She lived at the development for 25 years but now lives in the Kingsbridge section of the Bronx. Eileen has been a NYCHA employee since 2009 and has been a REES Zone Coordinator for three years.
Zone partners include: Phipps Community Development Corporation, Manhattan Education Opportunity Center, and Grace Outreach.
She can’t choose just one favorite partner: She loves the Jobs-Plus program at Mill Brook and works closely with the Director Mustafa Tabakovic, who takes a hands-on approach to build the Mill Brook community. The NYCHA Resident Training Academy and the Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America (NACA) are two other great programs she recommends. “NACA has an excellent mortgage program, and residents determined to find a home will achieve homeownership. Nothing is easy—they have to be persistent and put their best foot forward. They have
to make a conscious effort to say ‘this is what I want
to do’.”
Resident success story: There is a young Mill Brook resident who was getting involved with gang activity, but he got involved with the Jobs-Plus program and now has a job and is going to college in September. He is now a provider and role model for his child.
Her favorite thing about her job? “Being able to offer people opportunity, hope, and growth and making that connection. There are so many resources and a whole network here that could really help someone.”
Renee Lindquist
Concourse, Highbridge, and Morrisania/Zone 2
(Forest, Highbridge Gardens, Claremont Rehab, Morris, Morrisania Air Rights, Webster, and more.)
She’s been a Zone Coordinator for three and a half years and a NYCHA employee for almost 20. But she got her start with NYCHA as a volunteer, tutoring children in an afterschool program at Sedgwick House.
Zone partners include: Grace Outreach, Hostos Community College Allied Health Career Pipeline Program, Phipps Neighborhoods,
SUNY Bronx Educational Opportunity Center, The
New Jewish Home, and more.
“I like them all. It’s not just one,” she says of the partner organizations she works with. “Every last one of them provides multiple services that the residents need and can benefit and grow from.
Favorite thing about her job: “Collaborating with other organizations to bring a holistic approach to residents. Even though some residents think they need one thing, working with our partners we can help them advance and grow in other areas, too.”
Heartwarming resident success story: “A resident started working with Phipps because he needed a better job, he was a single father. But Phipps went beyond what they needed to do, they also helped him with his daughter. She was graduating from middle school and he didn’t have money for prom clothes, graduation. They helped support him with this, in addition to helping him with his resume, SNAP, and getting a better job. That one always sticks with me because they really cared.”
Diane Lewis-Hinton
Northwest Bronx/Zone 3
(Baychester, Boston Secor,Edenwald, Gun Hill, Marble Hill, Twin Parks, and more.)
She’s been a ZC for a year and a half, but a NYCHA employee for 23 years. “My first position at NYCHA was with ‘Office of Economic Empowerment’ prior to it becoming REES; where I worked on the Family Self-Sufficiency Program.” Preceding REES, she worked in Community Partnerships and Development on the Tenant Participation Activity funds with the Bronx Districts.
She’s never been a NYCHA resident, but grew up in Queens, near South Jamaica Houses. In her former days she had plenty of interaction with NYCHA programs and resident events.
Zone partners include: New York Urban League, SUNY Bronx Educational Opportunity Center, Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation, University Neighborhood Housing Program, and the Workforce1 Centers.
She enjoys working with all of her partners: She has a few favorites but particularly enjoys services provided by the Bronx Educational Opportunity Center and NYCHA Resident Training Academy. “When I’m connecting residents to various education and employment opportunities it’s extremely meaningful.”
Her favorite thing about her job? “I love my job; it’s very rewarding working for NYCHA to see people overcoming their obstacles and succeeding. Through our partnerships we are able to connect residents to resources and assist them with becoming self-sufficient. There is plenty of opportunity available for residents through the REES partnerships.”
Milton Martin Jr.
Southeast Bronx/Zone 4
(Castle Hill, Eastchester, Pelham Parkway, Soundview, Throggs Neck, and more.)
He’s been a ZC for a year, but this year is his 33rd year as a NYCHA employee. Milton began his career at NYCHA as a community center director. Before he became a ZC he had been a Brooklyn borough administrator for Community Operations.
He’s a former NYCHA resident, too! He grew up at Edgemere Houses (now known as Ocean Bay-Bayside) and lived there until he got married in 1982.
Zone 4 is set to launch in summer 2017, but Milton is still out in the developments connecting residents to information sessions and referring them to partner agencies.
Zone partners include: Phipps Career Network, Jobs-Plus Goodwill Industries, and SUNY Bronx Educational Opportunity Center.
He has two favorite partners to work with: “Goodwill Industries/Jobs-Plus because they connect our residents to real jobs and the SUNY Bronx Educational Opportunity Center because of the great education and training that they provide for our residents.”
He loves being out and about meeting people. “I love going to tables at different job fairs, health fairs, and events our partners have and getting to meet people and share the resources we have with them. I like to take about 25 different flyers for all different things that are going on, including in other zones, and many people are surprised to know about all the programs we offer.”