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One Community partners with residents and local organizations to ensure fair access to resources and opportunities.

Our mission is to create a stronger, thriving community where everyone has the chance to succeed.

Fort Greene and Clinton Hill are full of talent, creativity, and diversity. At the same time, sharp inequities define daily life.

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  • 5,000+ families live in NYCHA housing, often separated from nearby wealth and resources.

  • The city’s 2nd poorest census tract sits next to some of its wealthiest blocks.

  • 10 public schools rate 3/10 or lower, despite strong educational institutions nearby.

  • 8 homeless shelters underscore how fragile stability is for many families.

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Abundance and struggle exist side by side. Systems of inequity make opportunity visible but out of reach for too many neighbors.

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Footage by HoodVlogs, featuring a Fort Greene resident reflecting on the uniqueness of individual neighborhoods. Setting: Walt Whitman Housing.

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Why Holistic Community Support Matters

Food Access and Health

Access to healthy, affordable food is essential for families to thrive. When fresh produce is out of reach, it affects physical health, learning, and overall quality of life. Food insecurity, the lack of consistent access to a nutritious diet, affects about one in seven households nationwide, with even higher rates for Black and Latinx families. Children and adults in food-insecure households are at greater risk for chronic diseases, developmental delays, and poor mental health. When communities lack access to fresh produce, rates of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease rise, and overall quality of life declines. Food assistance programs have been shown to reduce food insecurity and improve health outcomes, but ongoing investment and local solutions are needed to address persistent gaps.¹ ⁶ ⁷

Senior Connection and Well-Being

Social connection is vital for seniors’ mental and physical health. Programs that foster friendship and engagement help older adults stay independent and enrich community life. Loneliness and social isolation are serious public health concerns for older adults, with chronic loneliness having health impacts comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Seniors who lack strong social connections face higher risks of cognitive decline, depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, and weakened immune function. Conversely, seniors who engage in regular social activities experience up to a 70% reduction in cognitive decline, lower rates of depression and anxiety, and greater independence.² ⁵

Youth Development and Career Readiness

Youth development and career programs unlock potential, build confidence, and set young people on a path to success in school and beyond. Positive youth development programs provide young people with opportunities to build skills, form supportive relationships, and avoid risky behaviors. Research shows that young people who participate in such programs demonstrate improved social and emotional skills, better academic performance, and higher rates of successful transitions into adulthood. Work readiness programs further support this transition, with graduates experiencing higher employment rates, increased earnings, better job retention, and more opportunities for advancement.³ ⁴

“Food insecurity is not just about hunger—it’s about limiting a child’s ability to learn, a parent’s ability to work, and a senior’s ability to thrive."

Feeding America, 2023

References

  1. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. “Food Insecurity – Healthy People 2030.” U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, March 10, 2022. https://odphp.health.gov/healthypeople/priority-areas/social-determinants-health/literature-summaries/food-insecurity​

  2. Regency Healthcare Services. “The Role of Social Interaction in Improving Senior Health.” June 23, 2025. https://www.regencyhcs.com/blog/the-role-of-social-interaction-in-improving-senior-health

  3. Youth.gov. “Effectiveness of Positive Youth Development Programs.” August 1, 2021. https://youth.gov/youth-topics/effectiveness-positive-youth-development-programs

  4. Onjyf, Duja. “Evaluating the Effectiveness of Work Readiness Programs.” LinkedIn, April 25, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/evaluating-effectiveness-work-readiness-programs-duja-consulting-onjyf

  5. Vitality Senior Living. “The Real Impact of Loneliness on Senior Health.” May 30, 2025. https://www.vitalityseniorliving.com/resources_for_senior/impact-of-loneliness-on-senior-health/

  6. National Center for Biotechnology Information. “Food Insecurity, Neighborhood Food Environment, and Health Disparities.” December 30, 2023. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10972712/

  7. Food Research & Action Center. “Hunger & Poverty in America.” September 12, 2024. https://frac.org/hunger-poverty-america​

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