March 4, 2021, New York, NY – RTW Charitable Foundation (RTWCF), Harlem United and New York Cares yesterday held an event to showcase their work helping Harlem residents weather the pandemic, and delivered meals to homebound seniors in the community as part of a larger COVID-19 relief effort. RTWCF is partnering with Harlem United to vaccinate 250 people per week and support the salaries of nursing professionals, and with New York Cares to provide food to people experiencing food insecurity and provide meaningful connections with isolated individuals.
Many homebound seniors in the community and across the city are not only at risk of going hungry but are also dealing with severe isolation, made worse by the pandemic, which has been found to be as damaging to one’s health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
Founded as the charitable foundation arm of RTW Investments, LP, a leading healthcare-focused entrepreneurial investment firm with deep scientific expertise and a strong track record of supporting companies developing life-changing therapies, RTWCF partners with organizations conducting disease research and championing humanitarian causes.
While RTWCF has an initial focus on rare disease research, last year RTWCF quickly redirected its first round of funding to combat the devastating effects that the COVID-19 pandemic had on many communities in New York City, with $1 million of gifts across 12 organizations. The lion’s share of the funding was awarded to 10 community-based organizations on the frontlines of some of the hardest-hit areas in the City, including Harlem United and New York Cares. According to city data, East Harlem is among one of the neighborhoods most impacted by COVID-19.
“Today was a great day to highlight the work of our fantastic partners, Harlem United and New York Cares, who have been doing critical work for many years and are now helping New Yorkers in Harlem and across the city get through the pandemic. While the past year has presented significant risks to many who are already coping with health and socioeconomic disparities, these organizations are not only helping them get through the current crisis, but laying the foundation for a stronger city for years to come,” said Nate Pelsma, chief operating officer of RTW Charitable Foundation.
“Harlem United is absolutely thrilled to be partnering with RTW Charitable Foundation and to be a part of this day showcasing our work. Together we are able to offset the co st of delivering vaccinations and significantly expand our existing COVID-19 immunization program in our Harlem-based clinic. We are so grateful to RTW Charitable Foundation and look forward to a long relationship,” said Kevin Rente, senior vice president of strategic advancement, Harlem United.
“For 33 years New York Cares has alleviated the symptoms of New York City’s evident inequality through volunteer-led service. The city relies on New York Cares to provide carefully planned and managed volunteer-led programs that maximize assistance to vulnerable communities. Our work is vital now more than ever as our most vulnerable neighbors are disproportionately affected by COVID-19. RTWCF’s investment in our work directly supports our programs to deliver millions of meals, to provide social emotional learning activities for young people, and to create meaningful connections to isolated individuals. RTWCF’s generosity exemplifies our city’s goodness and helps build a pathway to emerge from the COVID-19 crisis stronger than we were before," said Gary Bagley, executive director, New York Cares.
During the event, which was held at the Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center in East Harlem, organization leaders conveyed the challenges facing their communities and how they are overcoming them, and what the partnership with RTWCF means to the community. Volunteers and staff from the Foundation then delivered food to homebound seniors in the neighborhood, under direction of New York Cares.
In the coming weeks RTWCF will hold days of action with other grantees, all of which are open to members of the press. On Saturday, March 20th, in Jackson Heights, Queens, RTWCF and New Immigrant Community Empowerment will host a day dedicated to educating and helping immigrants access the COVID-19 vaccine. The time is TBD, but will be in the midday hours.
In Manhattan’s Chinatown on Friday, March 26th from 12:00 - 2:00 PM, Send Chinatown Love, Think!Chinatown, Welcome to Chinatown and RTWCF will construct and paint outdoor dining spaces for Asian- and locally-owned restaurants.
About RTW Charitable Foundation
Founded in 2018 as the philanthropic arm of RTW Investments, LP, RTW Foundation works to power community initiatives and provide scientific advising to improve the health of underserved populations. The Foundation supports the development of medicines for neglected rare diseases, empowers youth to explore careers in science, biotechnology, and medicine, and builds partnerships with local organizations to advance health equity in New York City. To learn more, visit www.rtwf.org.
