SoBRO: South Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation

SoBRO’s Youth Programs made it to the top 50 as a semi-finalist for the annual Coming Up Taller awards, competing against 320 programs from 47 states and the District of Columbia. With this distinction, SoBRO will receive a Certificate of Excellence and a listing in the Coming Up Taller awards national publication, along with mentions in the program’s press kits. The final 15 award winners will be announced before the end of June.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE. MARCH 18, 2007, BRONX, NY: We are pleased to announce that SoBRO’s Youth Department came out on top for the first annual Opportunity Awards, organized by the New York City Employment & Training Coalition (NYCETC).

On Saturday, March 15th, students of SoBRO's Community Service Initiative (C.S.I.) program will participate in the NYC Tap Project Water Walk, which is intended to raise awareness and support for children worldwide who suffer from a lack of readily avaiable clean water.

Anyone interested in the event is encouraged to sponsor SoBRO's walkers or to join the walk themselves.

On Thursday, April 10, 2008, Jeanne B. Mullgrav, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) will speak at SoBRO’s South Bronx Leadership Forum (SBLF). Commissioner Mullgrav was appointed to her current post by Mayor Bloomberg in 2002. Since that time, she has overseen a dramatic increase in her department’s resources and has effectively channeled those resources into New York City organizations, yielding tremendous results for us and our communities.

On February 27, 2008, the South Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation (SoBRO) will host an event in cooperation with Lincoln Medical Center as part of the New York City Health Literacy Campaign. Throughout the day on Wednesday, health professionals from Lincoln Medical Center will lead workshops on the health concerns that most impact he Bronx community followed by free screenings for high blood pressure and diabetes, two of the most common chronic health diseases in our community.

DON’T GIVE IN TO EXPENSIVE LIGHTING!
Come Learn Secrets to Saving Hundreds of Dollars On Your Energy Bill and a Chance to Win a $50 Gift Certificate for Home Depot.

Long Island City, NY – January 26, 2008 – You are probably paying $150 more than you need to on your annual lighting costs! Misled New Yorkers have a chance to stop money from leaking out their light sockets on Saturday, January 26th from 10am to 2pm at Home Depot in Long Island City.

Roosevelt Island, NY - December 12, 2007 - This Saturday, environmental organizations throughout New York City will hold an environmental awareness fair at Roosevelt Island to encourage green living throughout New York.

For the past six months, members of SoBRO’s development staff have been meeting with a team of experts in marketing, graphics, web design, and web copy to redesign and improve SoBRO’s website. The project was supported through the Taproot Foundation, a unique organization that brings together volunteers from the private sector to work as a team to strengthen the capacity of non-profits.

SoBRO ESL Teacher Beda Vergara was recently invited to join the Mayor's Committee on Adult Education whose mission is to "to help articulate a vision for the future of adult education in New York City."

Since joining SoBRO in year 2000, Mr. Vergara has been a key member in our adult literacy program and contributed greatly to the development of our services by participating in the planning of logic models and curriculum development.

Mr. Vergara had received an honorable mention at the New York Times ESL Teacher of the Year Award in early 2007.

Starting on September 25, 2007 and every Tuesday and Thursday thereafter through November 13, 2007, construction firms, with a minimum of three years in business, are invited to strengthen their businesses through the Turner School of Construction Management Training Program to be held at 149th Street & Bergen Avenue in the heart of the Bronx.