In a recent survey, grantees described the Susan G. Komen for the Cure as “the undisputed leader in breast cancer research, education, and advocacy,” and said the organization has “singlehandedly raised breast cancer awareness to global proportions.”
The Greater NYC Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure was founded in 1990 by a group of breast cancer activists. Since then, Komen Greater NYC has raised more than $45 million for breast cancer research and local breast health education, screening, and treatment programs that help underserved women receive accurate information and quality care.
Komen Greater NYC blends fundraising, philanthropy, and advocacy, giving it unique power in the area of women’s health. Their funding area includes the five boroughs of New York City as well as Long Island, Westchester, and Rockland Counties. Komen’s grantmaking is guided by a professional oversight committee, and all grant proposals undergo a community needs assessment and review by experts in the field of breast health.
In 1992, Komen Greater NYC made their first grants, funding three programs for a total of $9,000. In 2009, they plan to fund 39 local programs with nearly $2.6 million.
Significant Komen funds have been allocated to breast screening programs including outreach, screening coordination, and Mammovan service. In New York City, the percent of uninsured women who reported having mammograms at least once in the past two years increased by almost 12 percent from 2002 to 2007. And Komen Greater NYC has broadened the scope of their support and treatment services to include legal assistance, financial assistance, meals, social services, and psychosocial support.