2025 Brooklyn Org Spark Breakfast Honors Nonprofits

The 2025 Brooklyn Org Spark Breakfast, held for the first time at Barclays Center, recognized five local nonprofits for their outstanding contributions to racial justice in Brooklyn. Each organization received a $100,000 unrestricted grant to support their community work.

Brooklyn Org President and CEO Jocelynne Rainey emphasized the importance of these organizations during challenging times for the nonprofit sector, noting that they represent core Brooklyn values of “diversity, inclusivity, equity, justice, belonging, and compassion.”

This year’s honorees included Brooklyn Book Bodega, which provides books to children and families while promoting literacy through community programming. Co-founders Rebecca Cohen and Seema Aghera plan to use the funds to expand their outreach efforts.

Brownsville Community Culinary Center, which has faced financial challenges since the pandemic, will use the award to extend its culinary training programs and healthy food initiatives in the Brownsville neighborhood.

Community Help in Park Slope (CHiPS), serving the community since 1971, operates a soup kitchen, food pantry, and supportive housing for mothers. Executive Director Peter Endriss noted the prize will help increase their visibility across Brooklyn.

Good Call uses technology to provide early legal intervention for low-income residents navigating the criminal justice system, having helped over 10,000 individuals from marginalized communities.

TechFIN works to close the digital divide by providing refurbished computers to low-income families, enabling better access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities.