HELP USA’s Daniel Farrell Chosen to Succeed Karen Ford as Chief Operating Officer. Ford Tapped for Visionary Role in NYC Mayor Eric Adams’ Administration.

Farrell, a nationally respected expert in the homeless services field and 12-year HELP USA veteran, takes over at a pivotal time as the agency looks to grow its prevention and family shelter programs.

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NEW YORK, NY– (December 12, 2022) HELP USA, renowned national homeless services provider, and low-income housing developer, today announced the promotion of Daniel Farrell, LCSW, to Chief Operating Officer, succeeding Karen Ford, who has joined Mayor Adams’ administration as Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office for Nonprofit Services.

“Danny is the exact right person to lead our operations, programs, and client care efforts as we rapidly expand the number of people we can serve in the next three to five years. His broad knowledge of the human services sector, deep connections within the industry, and collaborative management style will keep HELP USA moving forward with our mission to assist the homeless to become and remain self-reliant,” said Anthony Williams, HELP USA Chairman of the Board.

Farrell was selected for the top operations role from his successful tenure as HELP USA’s Senior Vice President of Homeless Prevention, Diversion & Research. He has had increasing positions of responsibility during his tenure at HELP USA, spearheading the transformational roll-out of wrap-around services for veterans’ families, Homebase homeless prevention programs, and the method-driven research division. Farrell will continue to oversee all assessment, homeless prevention, rapid rehousing, and veterans supportive housing programs in the company’s portfolio. To these already extensive responsibilities, he will add oversight of domestic violence programs and all shelter operations to his supervisory portfolio.

“HELP USA has a tradition of great leadership, and that continues unabated with the selection of Danny for this role,” said Tom Hameline, HELP USA President & CEO. “Karen Ford leaves us well-positioned and poised to continue our life-changing efforts seamlessly. We congratulate her on this well-deserved opportunity and anticipate continuing to work closely with her and the Adams administration to address New York City’s housing crisis.”

Ford will head The Mayor’s Office for Nonprofit Services, a new office tasked with engaging and supporting both New York City’s nonprofit sector and City agencies that contract with nonprofit partners, acting as a central coordinating office that manages cross-agency initiatives and addresses emerging issues.

Farrell takes over the department with several landmark projects in development that will add hundreds of critical transitional housing units and permanent supportive and affordable homes for families in Brooklyn and the Bronx in the coming months and years. These purpose-built complexes draw on trauma-informed design to deliver spaces uniquely suited to promote a sense of safety, respect, connection, and community while families work toward long-term housing stability.

“I am eager to build upon the strong foundation Karen leaves behind at HELP USA and with my talented colleagues, expand our efforts to ensure that everyone has a safe place to call home,” said Daniel Farrell, LCSW. “Karen’s ability to inspire those around her to achieve great things will be amplified as she takes on this key position in our community. We look forward to working with her in her new capacity.”

Prior to HELP USA, Farrell was director of Lenox Hill’s Park Avenue Women’s Shelter and director of Bronxworks’ Homeless Outreach Team, and the Homebase start-up program. He is a trained psychoanalyst from the New York Institute for Psychoanalytic Self Psychology, an Adjunct Professor at Hunter College’s School of Social Work, a published author of multiple papers on homelessness, and a speaker at regional, national, and international conferences. Farrell has a B.A. in Sociology with a minor in Criminology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a Master of Social Work from the Hunter College School of Social Work.

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About HELP USA

HELP USA works to ensure that everyone has a place to call home. We build affordable homes, provide shelter for people in crisis, and strengthen vulnerable communities. Every day, we address the root causes of homelessness at our 44 residences and over a dozen prevention and support programs. For more information, visit www.helpusa.org.

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