CAMBA, Inc. is a
Brooklyn
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
-based
nonprofit organization
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
that provides social services to New Yorkers in need. CAMBA, which stands for Church Avenue Merchant Block Association, was founded in 1977 as a merchant association in
Flatbush that worked to reduce crime and beautify the community. In 1982, Joanne M. Oplustil became CAMBA's CEO and she continues to serve in that role today. Since then, the organization has expanded to offer services to a growing population of
immigrants
Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not natives or where they do not possess citizenship in order to settle as permanent residents or naturalized citizens. Commuters, tourists, and ...
and
refugee
A refugee, conventionally speaking, is a displaced person who has crossed national borders and who cannot or is unwilling to return home due to well-founded fear of persecution. s.
Today, CAMBA's 160 program sites provides healthcare, education and youth development, family support, legal services and housing services to 45,000 New Yorkers every year. In the model of
settlement housing, CAMBA created the affiliated nonprofit, CAMBA Housing Ventures, in 2005 to offer affordable and
supportive housing
Supportive housing is a combination of housing and services intended as a cost-effective way to help people live more stable, productive lives, and is an active "community services and funding" stream across the United States. It was developed by ...
to New Yorkers in housing crisis.
Housing services
CAMBA offers housing services that targets those who are currently homeless or who are at risk of being homeless. HomeBase collects a variety of data (from housing court, pending evictions, and other sources) to pinpoint households in Brooklyn and
Staten Island
Staten Island ( ) is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located in the city's southwest portion, the borough is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull an ...
where tenants are facing eviction. CAMBA HomeBase staff will then go into those neighborhoods—oftentimes in an outfitted RV called the You Can Van—and offer housing assistance before a housing crisis occurs.
CAMBA Housing Ventures pairs attractive and sustainable spaces with case management services for low-income and formerly homeless individuals and families.
Adult, drop-in and family shelters are also operated by CAMBA across Brooklyn.
See also
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Homelessness
Homelessness or houselessness – also known as a state of being unhoused or unsheltered – is the condition of lacking stable, safe, and adequate housing. People can be categorized as homeless if they are:
* living on the streets, also kn ...
*
Social services
Social services are a range of public services intended to provide support and assistance towards particular groups, which commonly include the disadvantaged. They may be provided by individuals, private and independent organisations, or administe ...
*
Poverty in the United States
In the United States, poverty has both social and political implications. In 2020, there were 37.2 million people in poverty. Some of the many causes include income inequality, inflation, unemployment, debt traps and poor education.Western, B ...
References
External links
Official website{{US-philanthropy-org-stub
Organizations established in 1977
Non-profit organizations based in New York (state)