We’re proud to share our long history of developing innovative, targeted programs and services that help New Yorkers become economically secure and engaged members of their communities. CAMBA is an incubator for programs that have helped over one million New Yorkers improve their lives through education and workforce development, college access, health and wellness, temporary shelters and permanent affordable housing, youth development programs, legal services and much more. From our earliest days in Central Brooklyn to our current roster of more than 180 programs in over 100 locations across the five boroughs, we work to keep communities strong so that all New Yorkers thrive.
1977: CAMBA is founded in Flatbush to meet neighborhood needs, including reducing crime, improving trash collection, and beautification projects.
1982: Joanne M. Oplustil takes the reins as Executive Director of CAMBA with the knowledge that merchant success is tied to helping the large number of immigrants in Flatbush learn English, acquire jobs, and begin supporting local businesses.
1983: CAMBA begins providing free English classes and immigrant and refugee services.
1988: CAMBA’s first dropout prevention program starts at Tilden High School in East Flatbush, giving low-income teens the support they need to graduate high school and continue their education. • CAMBA offers free summer camp for homeless children living at Seagate by the Sea, featuring visiting artists-in-residence, academic enrichment, cultural events, and trips.
1989: CAMBA begins offering HIV/AIDS services, an early response to a growing crisis.
1993: CAMBA opens its first Beacon Community Center at PS 269 to revitalize the community by engaging parents, teachers, religious leaders, and youth to bring stability and opportunity • CAMBA Legal Services (CLS) is incorporated as CAMBA’s legal services arm, becoming one of the first such providers to the working poor.
1994: CAMBA becomes the first human services agency to proactively train all staff in safe sex and universal precautions, and to educate newly arriving refugees on HIV prevention and universal precautions.
1995: CAMBA becomes an early adopter of performance-based public contracting and embraces tracking/reporting changes.
1996: CAMBA offers the first and only free security guard training academy exclusively for women with a focus on immigrant women, as well as the first NYC Community-Based Organization to offer free licensed security guard training • CAMBA opens the Park Slope Women’s Shelter when NYC begins outsourcing homeless services, helping residents manage their mental health to make a successful move to permanent housing.
2001: CAMBA becomes one of only two agencies in the U.S. who agree to resettle HIV+ refugees.
2004: By the early 2000s, housing insecurity would continue to increase due to population growth and gentrification. Homelessness was increasing and low-income families were struggling to stay in their homes. To that end, NYC launches HomeBase, a homeless prevention program that tackles the immediate problems that could result in homelessness. CAMBA is one of the first agencies to operate HomeBase.
2005: CAMBA launches CAMBA Housing Ventures (CHV), a new non-profit affiliate to develop innovative solutions for increasing affordable housing in NYC via public-private funding.
2007: CAMBA’s first chronically homeless family moves into permanent supportive housing at 880 Willoughby, a mixed-use building which helps spur redevelopment in Bushwick.
2012: CAMBA launches a technology training program called ‘Mobilize Your Business’ for low-income and immigrant entrepreneurs, the first of its kind to use mobile technology to formalize their businesses, and the first publicly funded initiative in the U.S. to train and ‘right-match’ highly-skilled immigrant professionals to gateway jobs in their professions.
2013: With the construction of CAMBA Gardens I built on the campus of Kings County Hospital, CAMBA establishes the first replicable national model for building affordable housing on underutilized hospital property, thereby providing on-site healthcare access. • CAMBA launches Collegiate Express, a dual-generation college readiness initiative with a unique “Parent-Coach” component.
2014: CAMBA establishes the first mobile unit of HomeBase, a.k.a. the “You Can Van” – designed to reach families most at risk of homelessness, consistently keeping over 90% of clients out of the shelter system.
2015: CAMBA becomes one of the first providers in NYC to offer specialized afterschool programming to children living in shelters (SONYC), and the first to bring the SafeCare evidence-based model for foster care prevention to shelters • BIVO (Brownsville In Violence Out) begins as a pilot program utilizing the Cure Violence model to decrease gun violence in Brownsville, Brooklyn. After one year, the highest conflict areas in the 73rd Precinct saw a 57% decrease in shootings • CAMBA’s Project ALY promotes family acceptance of LGBTQIA+ youth via social marketing and community education.
2016: CAMBA opens six new Cornerstone Community Centers, located within New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) facilities • CAMBA becomes the first Community Based Organization (CBO) to create and offer small business development trainings tailored to worker co-ops in NYC.
2017: CAMBA opens Van Dyke Houses, the first supportive and affordable housing built on surplus New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) property.
2018:CAMBA Legal Services, Legal Aid Society, and Fordham Law School issue a groundbreaking report on the impact of financial abuse on domestic violence survivors.
2019: CAMBA Gardens Phase II receives an award for Outstanding Affordable Housing Development by the U.S. Green Building Council.
2020: CAMBA responds to the COVID-19 Pandemic, meeting a 400% increase in demand at its food pantry, outfitting its family shelters with necessary tech for remote learning, and making sure clients had clean facilities, face masks, and minimal disruptions to critical services.
2021: CAMBA College Bound expands, providing college access services to over 500 students. 100% of the 116 high school seniors who received 1:1 services graduated on time and were collectively awarded nearly $1 million in scholarships.
2022: Governor Kathy Hochul presents BIVO (Brownsville In Violence Out) with $120K in funding to continue its fight against gun violence and aid victims, survivors, their families, and communities • CAMBA’s Park Avenue Residence receives a makeover of its Recreation Room thanks to partners at West Elm.
2023: CAMBA Housing Ventures is selected to develop a new 13-story, 200-unit affordable senior housing development with community amenities • CAMBA Housing Ventures is named to the Top 50 Affordable Housing Developers in the nation by Affordable Housing Finance Magazine.
2024: CAMBA/CAMBA Housing Ventures welcomes its new President & CEO, Valerie Barton-Richardson, a 30-year veteran of the organization, as former President & CEO Joanne Oplustil retires after nearly 45 years of dedicated service to the organization.
We look forward to your help and support in advancing the mission of CAMBA and the clients we serve!