Community Partners

The UFT works with literally dozens of parent and community organizations in its work as an advocate for New York City students and schools.

• Abyssinian Development Corporation
  A leading non-profit community development corporation dedicated to building the human, social and physical capital of Harlem, the Abyssinian Development Corporation has partnered with the UFT to celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. and to rally on the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday to call attention to educational justice issues.
• Advocates for Children of New York (AFC)
  An organization of attorneys and education specialists, AFC is dedicated to protecting every child’s right to an education through free legal and advocacy services, representation and resources for parents.
• Advocates for Justice
  A public interest law firm, Advocates for Justice works on behalf of the poor and for the rights of workers by providing pro bono and low-cost legal representation for those who qualify.
• The Alliance for a Greater New York (ALIGN)
  Dedicated to creating good jobs, vibrant communities, and an accountable democracy for all New Yorkers, ALIGN unites workers, community members and other allies to build a more just and sustainable city.
• Alliance for Quality Education (AQE)
  A diverse coalition of over 230 organizations committed to a quality education for every child in New York State, AQE has worked with the UFT on lawsuits for fair funding and smaller class sizes and has joined us in rallies against budget cuts. The group’s participation was instrumental in the success of the Middle School Initiative, which secured greater funding for middle school science labs.
• A. Philip Randolph Institute (APRI)
  Named for the great African-American labor leader, APRI is one of several AFL-CIO constituency groups and a staunch ally of the UFT in our struggle for an equal education for all our children. APRI has stood by our union in fights against co-location of charter schools, for humane immigration reform and to preserve free student Metrocards for New York City students.
• ARISE Coalition
  An invaluable advocate for New York City schools’ special education population, the ARISE Coalition has partnered with the UFT on our There Is No Excuse campaign to defend students’ special education services and IEPs and in our efforts to protect whistleblowing teachers who reveal that special education students in their schools are not receiving necessary services.
• Bronx Community Health Network
  Bronx Community Health Network (BCHN) is a not-for-profit organization and Federally Funded Health Center that sponsors 21 community and school-based health centers in the Bronx.
• Bronx Zoo
  The Bronx Zoo, the Wildlife Conservation Society's flagship park, opened on Nov. 8, 1899. Since then, the zoo has created a unique window into the natural world for city dwellers in the heart of the Bronx — and serves as a springboard and hub for conservation efforts across the entire planet.
• Brooklyn Children’s Museum
  Founded in 1899, the Brooklyn Children’s Museum is the first museum created expressly for children. The museum engages children from pre-school to high school in learning activities and provides a wealth of educational resources.
• The Children’s Aid Society
  A top-rated, New York-based children's charity, the Children's Aid Society serves New York’s neediest children and families.
• Citizen's Committee for Children
  Combining public policy research and data analysis with citizen action, Citizen's Committee for Children casts light on the issues, educates the public, engages allies, and identifies and promotes practical solutions to ensure that every New York City child is healthy, housed, educated and safe.
• Class Size Matters
  A non-partisan clearinghouse for information on class size and the proven benefits of smaller classes, Class Size Matters has been a valuable ally to the UFT in the fight for smaller classes in New York City’s overcrowded public schools. The group brought a lawsuit on this issue together with the union.
• Coalition for Educational Justice (CEJ)
  A citywide coalition of community-based organizations and unions, CEJ has fought alongside the UFT to preserve free student Metrocards and fend off cuts to the city’s education budget. CEJ also participated in the Middle School Initiative, the Brooklyn Education Collaborative that also fought for greater funding for middle school science labs, and the CC9 Project, which led to the creation of the Lead Teacher mentoring program now enshrined in our contract with the DOE.
• Coalition for the Homeless
  Founded in 1981, the Coalition for the Homeless is the Nation’s oldest organization advocating on behalf of homeless men, women and children.
• Community Food Advocates
  Focused on promoting the health and well being of low-income New Yorkers by advancing policies that strengthen and support the full utilization of federal food programs, Community Food Advocates is spearheading the Lunch 4 Learning Campaign, which calls for free and healthy school lunch for all NYC public school students.
• Community League of the Heights (CLOTH)
  Founded in 1952, CLOTH is dedicated to the improvement of the quality of life for residents of the southern Washington Heights area through advocacy, organizing and provision of services related to affordable housing, education, health, youth services and neighborhood improvement.
• Dominicanos USA
  Dominicanos USA (DUSA) is a non-partisan organization committed to the civic, social, and economic integration of Dominican-Americans into the fabric of American society. DUSA strives to ensure that every U.S. citizen is able to freely exercise their civic rights, realize their full potential and capitalize on all opportunities the United States has to offer.
• The Door
  Serving more than 11,000 young people from all over New York City annually, The Door provides advocacy on legal issues, individual and group counseling and workshops for LGBTQ youth.
• Drag Story Hour
  Drag Story Hour NYC produces storytelling and creative arts programs for children and teens, presented by local drag artists, in libraries, schools, and other community spaces in all five boroughs of New York City, and virtually. Through fun and fabulous educational experiences, these programs celebrate gender diversity and all forms of difference to build empathy and give kids the confidence to express themselves however they feel comfortable.
• Every Person Influences Children (EPIC)
  An important parent advocacy and leadership training group in New YorkState, EPIChas worked with the UFT to provide workshops for parents of children in the New York Citypublic school system.
• Food Bank for New York City
  As one of the country's largest food banks, the Food Bank for New York City's aim is to end hunger in the city by organizing food, information and support for community survival and dignity.
• Fresh Air Fund
  Since its founding in 1877, The Fresh Air Fund, a not-for-profit youth development organization, has provided free life-changing summer experiences in the outdoors to more than 1.8 million children from New York City’s underserved communities.
• Harlem Week, Inc.
  The sponsors of Harlem Week, Harlem Week, Inc., works with a wide variety of groups in the Harlem community to put on its wonderful annual celebration of Harlem’s rich history and culture. The UFT has worked with Harlem Week, Inc., on a wide range of issues and, for the past 25 years, has proudly participated in the Harlem Week festivities.
• Hispanic Federation
  A network of Latino non-profit organizations throughout the northeast, the Hispanic Federation is an important UFT ally in the fights for fair immigration reform and smaller class sizes in city public schools. The federation also stood by us in our Keep the Promises and Put the Public Back in Public Education campaigns against school budget cuts.
• Jewish Labor Committee
  This independent secular organization enables the Jewish community and the trade union movement to work together on important issues of shared interest and concern, in pursuit of their shared commitment to economic and social justice.
• The Jewish Museum
  Dedicated to Jewish art and culture, the Jewish Museum is one of the world’s largest and most important institutions offering a variety of Jewish cultural, educational and recreational programs and events.
• Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA)
  One of several AFL-CIO constituency groups, LCLAA represents the interests of Latinos in the American labor movement. An important partner of the UFT in the fight for humane immigration reform, members of LCLAA and of our union have together participated in civil disobedience to protest Arizona’s anti-immigrant profiling legislation.
• El Museo del Barrio
  The mission of El Museo del Barrio is to present and preserve the art and culture of Puerto Ricans and all Latin Americans in the United States.
• National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
  America’s premier civil rights organization, the NAACP is a powerful ally of the UFT in the greatest civil rights struggle of our time: the fight for the right to a decent education for all our children, regardless of class, color, creed or national origin. To this end, the Association has partnered with the UFT on a wide variety of campaigns including landmark lawsuits against school closings and for fair funding for city schools and smaller class sizes. The NAACP has also joined us for innumerable rallies against budget cuts and for good jobs, and has assisted in our charter school campaign. We were proud to present the Association with our union’s highest honor, the John Dewey Award, at our 2010 Spring Conference.
• National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO)
  NALEO is a non-partisan membership association whose constituency includes Latino elected and appointed officials from across the country.
• National Employment Law Project (NELP)
  NELP works to restore the promise of economic prosperity to America's working families by promoting policies and programs that create good jobs, strengthen upward mobility, enforce hard-won worker rights, and help unemployed workers regain their economic footing through improved benefits and services. By developing and testing new policies at the state and local level, NELP hopes to spur change nationally. NELP has partnered with the UFT to fight for an increase in the state minimum wage.
• New York Botanical Garden
  The New York Botanical Garden is a living museum, an educational institution, and a plant research and conservation organization.
• New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU)
  The New York chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, the NYCLU is among the nation’s foremost defender of civil liberties and rights.
• New York Communities for Change (NYCC)
  A vibrant community organization of working New Yorkers united for social and economic justice, NYCC has worked with the UFT on several organizing and social justice initiatives, including our historic campaign to organize New York City’s 28,000 family child care providers and our ongoing effort to bring charter school teachers into the union. NYCC also took up the fight against school closings and co-location of charter schools.
• New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC)
  An umbrella policy and advocacy organization of more than 200 immigrant and refugee rights groups across New York State, NYIC has fought alongside the UFT for a more just and humane immigration policy and against anti-immigrant legislation like Arizona’s SB 1070.
• The New York Public Library
  The mission of The New York Public Library is to inspire lifelong learning, advance knowledge and strengthen our communities. To deliver on this promise, they rely on three great resources — staff, collections and physical and digital spaces — to provide opportunities for learning and growth to all New Yorkers.
• New Yorkers for Great Public Schools (NY-GPS)
  A diverse coalition, New Yorkers for Great Public Schools campaigns against school closures and co-locations.
• Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition (NWBCCC)
  A vibrant community-clergy partnership, NWBCCC has fought alongside the UFT to preserve free student Metrocards, secure humane immigration reform, and protect our schools and our children from debilitating budget cuts. The coalition has also stood shoulder-to-shoulder with our union at many different rallies for jobs and against Wall Street profiteering.
• Parents to Improve School Transportation (PIST)
  PIST is dedicated to achieving shorter, safer, sensible and stable school bus routes for all children.
• Parent to Parent of New York State
  A place where families of individuals with special needs and the professionals who serve them can meet and share information, Parent to Parent of New York State offers support, referrals and trainings.
• Share Our Strength
  Dedicated to ending child hunger, Share Our Strength works to connect children to effective nutrition programs like school breakfast and summer meals.
• Six Weeks to Fitness
  Six Weeks to Fitness sends fitness trainers and nutritionists to local businesses, churches and community centers to engage adults and children in exercise and nutrition classes.
• Strong Economy for All
  A coalition of some of New York’s most engaged and effective unions and community organizations, Strong Economy for All press for public and private policies to benefit working, middle-class and low-income New Yorkers, including job creation, fair taxation, effective government services, consumer protections in foreclosures and financial services and improved wages and healthcare. The coalition, of which UFT is a member, has worked with the UFT on an array of issues, most prominently the fights to renew the state millionaire's tax and over the city budget.
• United for Change
  United for Change empowers who want to make our world a better place by learning about issues, spreading the word and funding change.
• Urban Youth Collaborative
  Committed to building a strong youth voice in New York City public education, the Urban Youth Collaborative brings city youth together to fight for change through local and citywide organizing strategies. The collaborative has worked with the UFT on the campaign to preserve free student MetroCards.