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NEW YORK (February 22, 2021) – Nathaniel M. Fields, chief executive officer of Urban Resource Institute (URI), has been named by City & State to the 2021 Nonprofit Power 100. In this second consecutive appearance on the list, Fields is ranked in the top 20 among esteemed peers recognized for their outstanding leadership across the New York nonprofit sector.
“Nonprofit organizations are the backbone of every community, and in this extraordinary year, nonprofits have stepped up and delivered critical services to New Yorkers through the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic, health, and social pressures that have swept through our country,” said Fields. “In its 40 year history, URI is no stranger to crisis, and the challenges of this year revealed a renewed resiliency and dedication of our staff and clients. I am honored to again be a member of City & State’s Nonprofit Power 100 list, and take this opportunity to give credit to the URI team who remain focused on our mission.”
Born and raised in Brooklyn and trained as a social worker in New York, Fields has firsthand knowledge of the challenges affecting NYC’s most vulnerable communities. As CEO, Fields is responsible for leading URI’s long- and short-term strategy and implementing its strategic vision, mission, and comprehensive, trauma-informed programming, with a focus on innovation and impact. During his nine-year tenure, URI has become the largest provider of domestic violence residential services in the US, and a leading service provider for homeless families, with the capacity to shelter 2,200 individuals daily at more than 25 locations across New York City, and to impact more than 40,000 individuals each year through education, prevention, and intervention programs.
This year, Fields led the organization in adapting to remain open, operational, and safe through the pandemic for both staff and clients. Appropriate services were shifted to virtual programs, technology and internet services were enhanced to meet the needs of remote work and school, and Fields engaged in a public awareness campaign to help victims of domestic violence with safety planning information and reassurance that shelter and services remain available
Fields was recently named to the Crain’s Notable Black Leaders & Executives list, and he is actively engaged in leadership roles for numerous additional organizations and councils, including: the COVID-19 Domestic Violence Task Force of the New York State Council on Women and Girls; COVID-19 Response Work Group of the NYC Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence; the Fatality Review Committee of the NYS Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence; the NYC Mayor’s Nonprofits and Social Services Advisory Council; the Board of the Human Services Council; and the NYC Deputy Mayor for Health & Human Services 2020 Nonprofits and Social Services Advisory Council on “reopening” New York City. He has also led the NYC Coalition of Domestic Violence Residential Providers as co-chair for over ten years.
URI offers both emergency and transitional domestic violence and homeless residential services, as well as pet-friendly DV shelters, that remain open and available all day, every day. For more information visit www.urinyc.org, or for 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.
About Urban Resource Institute (URI)
Urban Resource Institute (URI) helps transform the lives of domestic violence survivors and homeless families in New York City by interrupting and ending cycles of violence, poverty, and trauma. 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 delivered both in and out of shelter settings. With a commitment to innovation and a trauma-informed approach to program development and client service, URI is uniquely equipped to provide solutions to the challenges affecting New York City’s most vulnerable populations, with a particular focus on communities of color, while influencing service providers across the US and the world. For more information, please visit www.urinyc.org.
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Join us in honoring clients, partners, and supporters who champion our mission and raise funds to enhance our life-changing services. We’re also celebrating a decade of PALS honoring the bond between domestic violence survivors and their pets.