The importance of nonprofit work was on full display Tuesday as community organizers and donors cheered on grant recipients at the annual Brooklyn Org Spark Breakfast.
Five Brooklyn-based nonprofit organizations were recognized for their impact on the communities they serve and each received $100,000 Spark Prizes to continue their mission.
“It’s imperative that we stand in support for our local community and the nonprofits that are the backbone of our neighborhoods,” said Dr. Jocelynne Rainey, president and chief executive officer of Brooklyn Org.
Supporting nonprofits is now more important than ever as federal funding freezes, rescinded grants and executive orders threaten their ability to provide essential services, Rainey said.
“Our nonprofits need you,” she continued. “They need volunteers, they need board members, they need lawyers. They need the full support of Brooklyn behind them at this critical moment and for the long term.”
The winners of the Spark prize were selected from a group of 20 organizations by a committee of Brooklyn residents. Each selected organization has a unique focus, from improving childhood literacy to culinary training to providing housing, technology and legal services.
Brooklyn Book Bodega provides access to books and strives to create a passion for learning. One of the organization’s goal is to increase the number of families that have more than 100 books at home.
Leoyln Scott, an organization ambassador and a teacher, said the Brooklyn Book Bodega improved the quality of education for her students in the classroom and at home.
“Brooklyn Book Bodega has been more than just a resource for my classroom,” Scott said. “It’s a staple in my school, my community and in the homes of so many who walk through my door.”
Brownsville Community Culinary Center was founded to increase access to healthy food, improve nutritional education and provide career development opportunities through free culinary vocational training.
Markees Pruitt, a sous chef and kitchen manager at BCCC, began his culinary journey as a student there. He discovered the center upon his release from prison, where he received a second chance at life through cooking.
“I found not just a place to learn, but a place to belong,” Pruitt said. “This work is very personal for me. I know what it’s like to need a second chance. I stand here today because many people believed in me at BCC.”
Bernadine Pruitt, Markees’s mother, cried tears of joy watching her son accept the award on behalf of the organization. Attending the breakfast and witnessing the many groups giving back was inspiring, she said.
“It’s a good feeling because it lets us know that people are watching, people are watching what people from low-income desert communities are doing to benefit their communities,” Bernadine Pruitt said.
Community Help in Park Slope started in 1971 as a soup kitchen serving vulnerable Brooklynites out of a small storefront. Since then, the organization has launched pantry and breakfast programs at its current location on 4th Avenue. CHiPS also offers transitional housing at the Frances Residence for pregnant people and new mothers.
Kxalima Foss moved into permanent housing in April 2024 after living at the Frances Residence when she was pregnant with her son. Foss said the prenatal and postpartum care she received there as a single mother gave her the space to look toward her future.
“Having a space to receive mental, physical and emotional support has been life-changing,” Foss said. “When you have a safe and stable home you can focus on other things. I had the chance to focus on my goals. I have dreams and goals I never thought possible.”
Peter Endriss, the executive director of CHiPS, said the new funding will allow the organization to expand its food and support services, among other things.
Good Call provides access to early legal intervention for more than 10,000 New Yorkers. The group uses technology to help marginalized, low-income clients who often face unfair treatment by the criminal justice system.
Danielle Krumholz, an attorney volunteer, said many people have difficulty accessing legal representation.
“No one call I receive is the same as the next,” Krumholz said. “Every caller’s situation is unique, but everyone needs this critical service.”
TechFIN, co-founded by Shadan Deleveaux and Nigel Frankson, closes the digital divide facing low-income families. The two founders said they grew up without computers at home and are intimately familiar with the challenges faced by students who struggle in the digital age.
Markayla Theus received a free laptop from TechFIN as a high school student and will pursue law school after graduating college later this year. Theus said she struggled in school before receiving the laptop due to the growing demand for internet access outside of the classroom.
“In the moment I learned I would be receiving a free laptop it removed a brick from my chest,” Theus said. “My grades improved and I had an easier time uploading my assignments and contacting my teachers for help. Most importantly, I had access to the one thing that could never be taken away from me, knowledge.”
Brooklyn-based nonprofits interested in applying for the 2026 Spark Prizes can submit applications here.
