2022-11-14T17:29:35-07:00 2021-12-31 990EZ 2021-08-01 842758847 MARCY HOUSES MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND INC MARC 8628006477 571 Decatur Street Brooklyn NY 11233 Valerie Johnson Board Chair 9175200974 2022-11-14 0 11 0 AAL2 2021 2022-09-23 18:48:47Z X www.marcyscholarship.org X X 27535 X 27535 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 27535 0 0 0 4055 0 302 6696 11053 16482 10712 0 27194 10712 27194 0 0 0 0 10712 27194 0 0 10712 27194 The primary purpose of the Marcy Houses Memorial Scholarship Fund is to encourage and motivate post-secondary students who reside in the Marcy Houses, a low-income housing development, by providing scholarships, mentoring and other supports. According to the 2020 Resident Data Book produced by the New York City Housing Authority, 4,100 New Yorkers live in the Marcy Houses where the average income in 2020 was $27,986. All of our scholarship and mentoring students live in this environment and the support offered through the Scholarship Fund is critical. We are dedicated to helping students navigate college or trade school, supporting their success with financial planning, guiding them towards meaningful careers, encouraging them to participate in community service and celebrating their success along the way. The number of program participants doubled from two in the first year scholarships were awarded by the Marcy Houses Memorial Scholarship Fund to four students in the 2021-22 year. $1,500 in scholarships were awarded during the short period from 8/1 to 12/31/2021. (The number has since more than doubled to 9 students currently.) We were one of five New York nonprofits named a top 200 finalist by the StateFarm Neighborhood Assist program in August 2021. After 10 days of voting to name the top 40 nationwide, we were successful and was the only nonprofit in New York City to receive a $25,000 grant through the Charities Aid Foundation America. 0 1500 The short period represented by this form 990EZ was the start of the second year of the scholarship and mentoring program and for the first time, we were able to provide students with laptops and relevant software (i.e. Microsoft 365, Adobe, etc.). 0 3205 In addition to the support offered to students through scholarships and laptops, the Marcy Houses Memorial Scholarship Fund Program provides Other Student Supports including mentoring, career counseling, and a Summer Bridge program. Expenses for these program components totaled $2,625 which is included on Form 990-EZ line 13, Professional Fees/Independent Contractors. Each of the four students was assigned a mentor with whom they met approximately monthly in-person or virtually for an aggregate total of 48 meetings. Students in the program were also able to attend one-on-one career counseling sessions over the course of the 2021-22 school year. "Summer Melt" is an apt descriptor for the fact that nearly 40% of low-income students who are accepted into college or trade school, never actually enroll, and many who do enroll never make it to the next year. The MHMSF Summer Bridge Program is designed to counter the effects of "Summer Melt". The ideal is to have 100% of the students in our program in attendance for each new semester and fortified to have a successful school year. We are, in fact, consistently achieving a 75 to 90% enrollment rate vs. the 40% rate noted above. Over the course of the Summer of 2021, we maintained contact with students through emails, text messages and social media and two days of Summer Bridge workshops focused on the first pillar of our mentoring program (The School Experience) with an emphasis on readiness for the Fall semester, academic support, increased self-efficacy and the importance of students identifying institutional resources available at the colleges or trade schools they would be attending. An in-person workshop facilitated by a psychologist experienced in working with students in transition addressed social-emotional issues including self-esteem, racial mindfulness, imposter syndrome and stress management. A dinner including family members of the students was also a part of the Summer Bridge program. Students also participated in a panel discussion with other students not in the Scholarship Program. This provided them the opportunity to learn from and exchange ideas with their near peers. 0 2625 7330 X Valerie Johnson Board Chair 25 0 0 0 Matthew Williams Treasurer 10 0 0 0 Adele Johnson-Davis Secretary 5 0 0 0 Shawn Lewis Director 5 0 0 0 Antoinette Wirth Director 5 0 0 0 Denzel Green Director 5.00 0 0 0 Monica Cash Director-resigned 0 0 0 0 Genevieve Johnson Director-resigned 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 NY Valerie Johnson 571 Decatur Street Brooklyn NY 11233 8628006477 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 NONE NONE 1 X 0 0 6239 9205 2535 17979 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6239 9205 2535 17979 12100 5879 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17979 0 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED Form 990-EZ, Part I, Line 1 Revenues include an unusual grant of $25,000 which was awarded as part of the StateFarm Neighborhood Assist Program. The Marcy Houses Memorial Scholarship Fund was one of five New York nonprofits named a top 200 finalist by the StateFarm Neighborhood Assist program in August 2021. After 10 days of voting to name the top 40 nationwide, we were successful and was the only nonprofit in New York City to receive a $25,000 grant through the Charities Aid Foundation America. While we will continue to apply for consideration as a finalist, we can have no expectation of receiving a similar grant based on a voting process in the future. Form 990-EZ, Part I, Line 16 Description;Amount^Scholarships;1500|Student Laptops and Software;3205|Marketing;676|Website upgrades and Maintenance 236;236|Finance Laptop and Accounting Software;976|Transaction Fees;38|Supplies;65^Total;6696^ Form 990-EZ, Part IV The reader will note that the List of Officers, Directors, Trustees, and Key Employees includes Board members only. The Marcy Houses Memorial Scholarship Fund is operated by a working Board of Directors the members of which provide general program management, treasury and marketing functions as well as other administrative functions. On August 9,2021, the Marcy Houses Memorial Scholarship Fund, Inc. ("MHMSF") filed a 990-N for its fiscal year ended July 31, 2021. It subsequently decided that a fiscal year that coincided with the calendar year would be more efficient for the organization. MHMSF contacted the IRS several times for clarity as to how to make the change. In a letter dated September 3, 2022, the IRS responded to a request MHMSF made on December 17, 2021 for information. In its letter the IRS provided info on how to make the change but did not state that the change was in fact made. Earlier today, we attempted to file a 990EZ for the 7-31-2022 fiscal year and the return was rejected because of a discrepancy in the Year-end date. That is how we learned the change had been made.