New York, NY (July 16, 2020) – The New York Foundling announces the appointment of two new members to their Board of Trustees. Joining the board are Angelique Sina (Friends of Puerto Rico and Sinabel Group) and Paul Neale (DOAR, Inc).

“We are thrilled to welcome Angelique and Paul to The New York Foundling’s Board of Trustees. Both bring a unique perspective and expertise to our work, and, will continue to help us to grow as an organization. We are looking forward to working alongside them, and to furthering our mission to serve our community,” said Bill Baccaglini, President and CEO of The New York Foundling.

Angelique Sina is a social entrepreneur and President of Friends of Puerto Rico and Sinabel Group. After her career at the World Bank, she launched a multi-million-dollar philanthropic fund to support youth in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. As part of her efforts, she launched Café Ama, a social impact coffee company that creates a pathway out of poverty for youth in Puerto Rico by teaching them entrepreneurship and farming skills. She is a graduate of the University of Puerto Rico, Johns Hopkins, and Stanford University Business School. “The Foundling is an important bridge for youth and families reaching from New York to Puerto Rico,” said Sina. “I feel fortunate to play a small role in their important mission.”

Paul Neale is the Chairman, CEO and majority shareholder of DOAR, Inc., the leading global consulting firm advising lawyers at top tier law firms and major corporations involved in high-stakes, complex legal disputes. He has over 30 years of experience in litigation consulting and holds a B.A. in Criminal Justice from Temple University.

“The New York Foundling serves the communities and individuals who most deserve and need the amazing support that the organization provides,” said Paul Neale. “The Foundling’s mission and the passion and commitment with which it carries it out are truly inspiring.  I’m proud to be a part of such an impactful organization.” Neale also previously served on the board and remains a strong supporter of Hands In 4 Youth (www.hi4y.org), an organization that provides social and educational programs for low-income youth.

About The New York Foundling

At The New York Foundling, we trust in the potential of people, and we deliberately invest in proven practices. From bold beginnings in 1869, our New York based nonprofit has supported hundreds of thousands of our neighbors on their own paths to stability, strength, and independence. The New York Foundling’s internationally recognized set of social services are both proven and practical. We help children and families navigate through and beyond foster care. We help families struggling with conflict and poverty to grow stronger. We help people with developmental disabilities live their best lives. And we help children and families access quality health and mental health services core to building lifelong resilience and wellbeing. For more information about The New York Foundling, please visit www.nyfoundling.org.

Statement from The Foundling

Bill Baccaglini, President and CEO

We are in the middle of a storm—in New York City and across the nation. It is unfathomable to think that so many members of our communities: colleagues, friends, and loved ones – our “gorgeous mosaic” of many races and nationalities – are living in fear.

I cannot say that I know what it’s like to be a person of color, but I know enough to recognize deep, systemic problems when I see them. We all know they exist – that’s why many of us have chosen to work at The Foundling – to try to bridge some of those gaps and heal some of that suffering.

Our opportunity structure is broken and it has been for generations. Black and brown children go to schools, play in parks, and live in neighborhoods with fewer resources and services than those typically utilized by white children. And they are going to grow up with less access to quality healthcare – something made apparent by the disparate impact of COVID-19. Our clients and our staff, the overwhelming majority of whom are non-white, live this reality every day and we see the effects of these structural inequities.

And now, over and over, we have seen the difference in how black and brown people experience the criminal justice system. Each time, we all vow “never again.” How many times can we say “never again?”

This is not a New York City problem, it’s not an Atlanta problem, and it’s not a Minneapolis problem. It’s not a few isolated and unrelated incidents – this is a profound, systemic, American problem. We cannot allow ourselves, as the deniers would like, to analyze each incident – each killing of a person of color – as a separate event. We cannot continue to allow our political leaders to settle for marginal remedies that fail to address the larger condition.

The Foundling has represented, supported, and served people facing hardship in New York for over 150 years – people of all colors, religions, backgrounds, and beliefs. We represent those who feel voiceless and vulnerable, whose opportunities are limited.  Every member of our team is committed to serving people in need, to working in our communities, to saving lives. We are all in pain.

We cannot allow this issue to devolve into discussions about looters – a small number of people whose mission is to hijack a peaceful movement to create chaos for their own personal gain. These individuals give credibility to the deniers, who use the looting as a justification for their dismissal of the tragedy that is taking place and the larger issues at hand.

The stakes are higher than ever and we need our elected leaders to rise to the challenge. We need reforms that are equal to this moment. At The Foundling, we have focused on education for the past 15 years, not because we began with any expertise in the field, but to find ways of rebalancing the opportunity structure for black and brown children in our City. Our hope was that if we could intervene in the educational experience for one generation, we could reset the opportunity structure in an enduring way.  But we are one organization, with limited scope and resources. Much more is needed in the fight against racism and racial injustice.  Government must step up.

Leaders in every city in America must resolve to change. They must understand the urgency of this situation and rise to the challenge. There can be no greater priority than to recognize the very real pain that exists, to work to restore faith in our institutions, and to remove the need for our citizens to feel fear. Simply put, systemic racism must be acknowledged and addressed. Let this be the last time we have to say “never again.”