NEW DIRECTOR TO FOCUS ON FUNDRAISING, GRANT MANAGEMENT
Today, the Fair Housing Justice Center (FHJC) announced the hiring of Eric Petersen as its first-ever Director of Development.
Mr. Petersen joins FHJC with broad experience in fundraising, and has worked since 2014 at New York based nonprofits with a focus on equity in employment and housing. Most recently, he served as the Director of Development at Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow, a Brooklyn based nonprofit that helps underrepresented young adults to access education and employment. He has also served as Development Associate with ICD-Institute for Career Development, and has worked with The Doe Fund, helping residents of homeless shelters to find housing and employment.
A proud alumnus of public education, Mr. Petersen holds a master’s degree in Urban Policy from Hunter College and a bachelor’s degree in History from SUNY Plattsburgh. While in graduate school and immediately after, he engaged in affordable housing policy research and in fundraising efforts on behalf of organizations fighting evictions in New York.
“FHJC has a well-deserved reputation as one of the nation’s most effective nonprofits fighting housing discrimination,” said Petersen. “Their mission is more important now than ever. Still, not enough people know about FHJC or their work. I am honored and excited to help FHJC move the cause of fair housing forward. Once we get the word out, I think philanthropists and small dollar donors will be too.”
“Since its founding in 2005, FHJC has been among the most successful fair housing organizations in the country, despite a small staff and relatively limited resources,” said FHJC Executive Director Elizabeth Grossman. “We are excited to now be in a position to hire a full-time Development Director, and thrilled to have Eric in the role. We look forward to working with him to raise FHJC’s profile among foundations and benefactors, helping to make fair housing a living reality for all New Yorkers.”
The mission of the FHJC, a nonprofit civil rights organization, is to eliminate housing discrimination; promote policies and programs that foster open, accessible, and inclusive communities; and strengthen enforcement of fair housing laws in the New York City region.