*Capital & Interest monthly payments
WE STAY/Nos Quedamos, Inc. is a women-led South Bronx-based Community Development Corp. Their sustainable development work creates the conditions that maintain their health and culture. Their work engages, empowers, and transforms marginalized communities to remain and thrive.
Their vision is one of acceptance and respect: We Stay, We Welcome, We Build. They are the living example of a unified, diverse and flourishing community guided by love and the need for justice. They manifest their resiliency through community partnership, ownership and self-determination.
Their organization is committed to supporting efforts that promote opportunities that aim for outcomes that substantive improve the health and well-being of their residents, the surrounding Melrose community and greater South Bronx region. To advance this priority, Nos Quedamos remains actively engaged with advocacy efforts that join with other Bronx based organizations to leverage capacity and have influence on matters related to public policy effecting the future of development that will impact their stakeholders and constituents.
WE STAY/Nos Quedamos (NQ) will activate three long-planned Climate Resiliency Hubs in the South Bronx frontline EJ community of Melrose Commons as centers for community learning, organizing, and power-building towards long-term climate justice, as well as community-led emergency planning and crisis coordination in a highly marginalized, majority low-income BIPOC catchment that faces disproportionate risk from accelerating climate impacts.
Two grants from the NYS Downtown Revitalization Initiative fully funded the design and construction of the Resiliency Hubs and the retrofitting of four of NQ’s affordable housing developments (450 units) to deliver the free high quality dependable wireless services for the residents in 2025.
Over the years, they’ve focused on building community capacity to fully leverage these valuable new assets, which include key blue-green infrastructure and establish valuable public space. The requested loan funds would support these efforts.
The proceeds from this loan will allow WE STAY/Nos Quedamos cover upfront costs for the capital projects such as payments to contractors, equipment purchases, maintenance expenses, and insurance.
The loan will be repaid through pending grant reimbursements from NYS Department of State and NYS Empire State Development.
Implementing these projects will bring a much-needed economic investment and fulfill community self-determination goals. Melrose residents will have access to free safe, reliable broadband network, become well-versed in climate resiliency issues and invigorated to solve the problems that lie ahead.
As a result of the proposed projects, a more engaged and knowledgeable Melrose Commons will emerge, increasing community capacity to thrive through climate-related emergencies, and to champion on-going climate resilience efforts throughout the South Bronx and beyond.
NQ’s long-term commitment to Environmental Justice is evident in their history/work scope. This timeline can serve as an overview.
