On September 30th, Red Hook Initiative, in partnership with NYC Kids RISE and community leaders, announced a milestone investment in the future of Red Hook’s youth: the Red Hook Initiative Community Scholarship 2026 — the first community-funded scholarship of its kind in a Brooklyn NYCHA development. 🎓 Beginning in January 2026, every kindergartner living in Red Hook Houses and enrolled in a NYC district or charter school will receive a $1,000 contribution to their NYC Scholarship Account. This investment goes beyond dollars. Families of kindergartners, RHI youth, and Red Hook community members will also have access to financial literacy workshops designed to build lasting skills for economic empowerment. 📖 Read the press release: https://lnkd.in/g_JjRmdY 📺 Watch the Brooklyn News12 coverage: https://lnkd.in/g5DYiAJD CBS2 New York coverage: https://lnkd.in/guDkeUHD
Red Hook Initiative
Non-profit Organizations
Brooklyn, NY 1,346 followers
Creating Change From Within Red Hook, Brooklyn
About us
The Red Hook Initiative believes that social change to overcome systemic inequities begins with empowered youth. In partnership with community adults, we nurture young people in Red Hook to be inspired, resilient, and healthy, and to envision themselves as co-creators of their lives, community and society. We envision a Red Hook where all young people can pursue their dreams and grow into independent adults who contribute to their families and community.
- Website
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http://www.rhicenter.org
External link for Red Hook Initiative
- Industry
- Non-profit Organizations
- Company size
- 51-200 employees
- Headquarters
- Brooklyn, NY
- Type
- Nonprofit
- Founded
- 2002
- Specialties
- Youth Development, Social Justice, and Education Advocacy
Locations
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Primary
Get directions
767 Hicks Street
Brooklyn, NY 11231, US
Employees at Red Hook Initiative
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Melissa D. Elliott, LCSW-R, SIFI,CPC,CCTP
Doctoral Student- Industrial and Organizational Psychology| Entrepreneur | Non Profit Leader| Adjunct Professor| Life and Leadership Coach |…
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Lisa Hartland
Senior Director of Development
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Tevina Willis
Community Building & Engagement
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Sherri Harden
Office Manager at RHI
Updates
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Thank you, BTQ Financial, for your continued partnership and belief in our mission to create change from within for adults and youth in the Red Hook Public Houses.
At the peak of harvest season, Red Hook Initiative hosted its Farm Dinner 2025: Rooted in Resilience, a celebration of youth, food justice, and community strength. BTQ was honored to support this youth-led program that grows more than food, it grows leaders. Donations from the event directly fund youth stipends, provide free produce for New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) residents, and sustain community programs that cultivate resilience from the ground up. Our own Rosa Peralta joined leaders from Red Hook Initiative, including Aphia M., Chief Administrative Officer, Michael Partis, Executive Director, and Lisa Hartland, Senior Director of Development. Learn how to support Red Hook here: www.rhicenter.org #CommunityImpact #FoodJustice #YouthLeadership
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We’re proud to see our Executive Director, Michael Partis, featured in this NPQ article alongside other visionary leaders. Michael shares his perspective on what it means for Black men in the nonprofit sector to reimagine leadership, care, and liberation.
What do freedom dreams look like for Black male leaders in the nonprofit sector? In this new NPQ article, Frontline Solutions' Founder Marcus Littles, along with Michael Partis, Executive Director of Red Hook Initiative, and Marcus Pope, President of Youthprise), tackles this and other critical questions. The three leaders delve into: - Reshaping narratives around Black men as care workers - What it looks like for Black men to dream - The role of Black men in the care work of liberation. Read the full conversation to explore a new vision for Black male leadership--defined by us and for us. #BlackLeadership #Nonprofit #SocialImpact #FreedomDream
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Thank you for kicking off Climate Week with us at Red Hook Farms! We hope you and the Myca Collective team visit us soon.
🌍✨ Kicked off Climate Week the best way possible — hands in the soil with Myca Collective at Red Hook Initiative. Half the fun of NYC’s food + ag ecosystem is knowing the hidden gems aren’t really hidden… you just have to be curious enough to look. Closed out the morning balancing cucumbers and late-season tomatoes on my Citi Bike handlebars, a very NYC kind of farm haul. 😉
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Thank you, Aprio, for your continued support and belief in RHI's mission to create change from within Red Hook Houses!
The charitable arm of the firm, the Aprio Foundation, has awarded $151,000 to 26 nonprofit organizations in its second round of Community Impact Grants! This round of funding reflects #TeamAprio’s deep commitment to driving meaningful change and strengthening the places where we live and work. From economic empowerment and education to health and wellness, youth development, career readiness, and more, this round of grantees celebrates both new #nonprofit partners and returning organizations to the Foundation's community. Learn more about the grantees and their missions: https://lnkd.in/gzAqhF7C
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Farm Dinner 2025: Rooted in Resilience was a celebration of community, food justice, and youth leadership at Red Hook Farms. We are deeply grateful to our Presenting Sponsor, EmblemHealth, for their leadership support, and to Kora Management LP, BTQ Financial, and Shipt for their generous partnership. Special thanks to Chef Kevin of Insa Brooklyn for crafting a meal that reflected the spirit of resilience at the heart of Red Hook. Congratulations to our 2025 Farm Champion Awardees: Studio Loutsis, Taylor Loutsis, Founder and Creative Director Red Hook Art Project, Tiffiney Davis, Co-Founder and Executive Director, and Jacqui Painter, Artistic Director Together, we continue to cultivate spaces where food justice, youth leadership, and community resilience take root and thrive. #RootedinResilience #FarmDinner2025 #RedHookInitiative #FoodJustice
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Red Hook Initiative reposted this
Red Hook Initiative and Brooklyn Org came together at Freedom School for a special Read Aloud with Jocelynne Rainey, Ed.D., President & CEO of Brooklyn Org. Dr. Rainey shared her time, energy, and wisdom with our scholars. Reminding them that their voices matter, their stories have power, and they can shape the future of their communities. Red Hook Initiative (RHI) is grateful for Dr. Rainey’s presence last week and for Brooklyn Org’s ongoing partnership in building a stronger, more equitable Brooklyn. We’re also grateful to RHI's Executive Director Michael Partis for the warm welcome and continued collaboration.💬📚 Brooklyn Org is Brooklyn’s community foundation, championing our borough and advancing racial justice through participatory grantmaking and local partnerships. Together with neighbors and donors, we’ve directed over $130 million to nonprofits leading grassroots change on issues from immigrant rights to housing to youth opportunity, building a more fair and just borough. Red Hook Initiative is a community-based organization in Red Hook, Brooklyn, that advances justice and equity by supporting youth and residents in creating change from within. Through programs like Freedom School, RHI creates spaces where young people can learn, grow, and speak their truth.
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Thank you Anthony T. Marshall for sharing your time and your mother’s story with our youth! 📚 We’re grateful for your visit and would love to welcome you back for Industry Insight — your journey in fashion would be an incredible inspiration. #RedHookInitiative #YouthEmpowerment #CreatingChangeFromWithin
NCAT Alumnus with a Bachelor’s of Science in Fashion Merchandising & Design, a Minor in Professional Theatre, and a Certificate in Entrepreneurship. Currently employed at Saks Global as an Editorial Product Supervisor.
July 30th, 2025 I had the special opportunity to volunteer at the Red Hook Initiative! I read my mothers first published children’s book “The Lady and the Crooked Foot Cat” to an audience of youth members apart of Red Hook’s summer program. Everyone welcomed me in with open arms and the children asked great questions! I definitely hope to return to participate in their Industry Insight program to share knowledge, advice, and insights on the luxury fashion industry! #Volunteering #RedHookInitiative #GetInvolved #SupportOurYouth
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Staff Spotlight 💼 Join us in congratulating Betty on graduating from Columbia University’s InTOuCH Program as a certified Community Health Worker! After completing an intensive 8-week training, Betty is now equipped to connect Red Hook residents to health resources and support their wellness journeys. We’re proud of her continued commitment to building a healthier, more resilient community. #RHIImpact #StaffSpotlight #CommunityHealthWorker #HealthEquity #RedHookInitiative #CreatingChangeFromWithin #RedHookLocalLeader
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We’re thrilled to share that tickets are now live for RHI's annual Farm Dinner 2025: Rooted in Resilience. 📅 September 17, 2025 from 6-9pm 📍 Hamilton Loft, Brooklyn This special evening will feature a guided farm tour, as well as a locally-sourced dinner that celebrates the power of community, food justice, and youth leadership. Seating is limited—purchase your tickets today and support the next generation of changemakers: bit.ly/farmdinner25
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