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Media Contact: Erin Gaffney
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City & State New York Names Nathaniel M. Fields, Urban Resource Institute CEO, to Nonprofit Power 100 for Third Year in a Row
NEW YORK (October 3, 2022) – For the third time, Nathaniel M. Fields, Chief Executive Officer of Urban Resource Institute (URI), has been named to City & State New York’s Nonprofit Power 100 list. Recognized among esteemed peers for leadership and dedication in New York City’s nonprofit sector, Fields was ranked in the top 30 for his work in the prevention, intervention, and direct services for those impacted by domestic violence and homelessness.
“Nonprofit organizations continue to play a critical role as our city and state navigate through ongoing challenging times, and I am proud to be named among these 100 inspiring leaders who help bring positive impact to our communities,” noted Fields. “Being acknowledged for my work and impact—especially during Domestic Violence Awareness Month—is an incredible honor. I want to express gratitude to the dedicated URI staff who work every day to transform the lives of our clients, and congratulations to my fellow honorees for your work making New York a safer, more equitable, and more socially responsible city.”
In early 2022, Fields reached his 10th year as URI CEO, continuing to lead the long- and short-term strategic direction for the largest provider of domestic violence residential services in the US and a leading service provider for homeless families. URI has the capacity to shelter 1 of every 35 unhoused people in New York City and reaches 40,000 individuals each year through many programs. In his decade at the helm, Fields has transformed URI’s comprehensive, trauma-informed approach to survivor services into a leading force for change, including more than tripling the size of the agency in the past 5 years.
Field’s work is focused on identifying and breaking barriers to safety and healing, including the innovative People and Animals Living Safely (PALS), the groundbreaking program that allows survivors of domestic violence to shelter with their pets. It has become a nationwide model and is the gold-standard for pet-friendly shelter services. Fields also oversaw the launch of the Economic Empowerment Program and creation of the Economic Empowerment Center in midtown Manhattan, that address one of the most common forms of domestic violence—economic abuse, which affects 98% of survivors. These are just two of the programs that represent the Fields’s commitment to addressing domestic violence and homelessness in a holistic manner with a comprehensive response.
Fields has served in leadership roles for numerous organizations and councils, including: the Human Services Committee of the transition team for NYC Mayor-Elect Eric Adams; the Board of the Human Services Council; the special COVID-19 domestic violence task force of the New York State Council on Women and Girls; the COVID-19 Response Work Group of the New York City Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence (ENDGBV); the Fatality Review Committee of the New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence; and the New York City Mayor’s Nonprofits and Social Services Advisory Council. He has led the New York City Coalition of Domestic Violence Residential Providers as co-chair for over ten years.
In addition to his three-year recognition on City & State New York’s Nonprofit Power 100 list, Fields has been named to: Crain’s New York 2022 list of Notable Black Leaders, Crain’s New York 2021 list of Notable Black Leaders and Executives, and City & State New York’s 2021 Responsible 100 list.
About Urban Resource Institute (URI):
Urban Resource Institute (URI) transforms the lives of domestic violence survivors and homeless families by empowering individuals, families, and communities, particularly communities of color and other vulnerable populations, to end cycles of domestic violence, homelessness, poverty, and trauma by increasing safety and resiliency. As the largest provider of domestic violence shelter services in the US and a leading provider of homeless services, URI’s programs impact more than 40,000 individuals annually through prevention, intervention, education, and direct services in both residential and non-residential settings in New York. URI is recognized as a thought-leader with influence across the U.S. and beyond. For more information, visit www.urinyc.org or follow on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
If you or someone you know needs immediate assistance, call NYC’s 24-hour Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-621-HOPE or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE.
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