Youth Ministries for Peace & Justice (YMPJ): An Ariva Partner Feature

What’s one of the many things we love about being situated in the Bronx? Having a large network of organizations committed to serving Bronx families. 

Our partnerships with local nonprofits, banks, advocacy groups, and community organizers help us expand our services and introduce our community members to resources they may be missing. When we partnered with Youth Ministries for Peace & Justice (YMPJ) nine years ago, we knew our community would benefit from not only our services but also the many programs YMPJ offers.

Founded in 1994, YMPJ’s mission is to rebuild the neighborhoods of Bronx River and Soundview/Bruckner Boulevard in the South Bronx by preparing community members to become prophetic voices for peace and justice. They accomplish this through political education, spiritual formation, youth development, and community development. For over two decades, YMPJ has also engaged in environmental stewardship in the Bronx. 

We love working with YMPJ because they’re true changemakers. As their organization grows, they respond to the needs of their community and continue to strengthen their existing programs and introduce new ones. With a team full of mission-driven individuals and strong ties to the Bronx, this is no surprise. 

David Shuffler, Jr., YMPJ’s Executive Director, is a lifelong Soundview resident and first worked with YMPJ as a tutor. After his tutoring role, he went on to become Project Director at the Association for Neighborhood Housing & Development but eventually came back to YMPJ in 2011 when the Executive Director position opened up. Thirteen years later, David continues to strengthen YMPJ’s programs in line with their mission and to embody what it means to be community-first. 

“Since my staff are on the front lines, they’re able to actually identify common trends and things that are happening in the community. A lot of the information that is coming from community members is funneled into staff conversations and gives us the opportunity to think about new areas to address,” David tells us. 

By listening to their community, David and his team can offer programs that meet their needs. As Board of Immigration Appeals-accredited representatives with the Department of Justice, YMPJ is able to serve their immigrant community with in-depth consultations, information services, legal clinics, and application filings. Since Ariva serves a large immigrant population, we’re grateful that our clients can not only file their taxes at YMPJ, but also access critical immigration services. 

“Since partnering with Ariva, we’ve been able to return thousands of dollars and resources to our community. People look forward to this service all year round,” says David. 

With so many socioeconomic barriers to financial empowerment, it’s critical that we provide our community with the building blocks necessary to achieve that goal. When we partner with organizations like YMPJ, it gives us the opportunity to provide more people with our free tax preparation, financial counseling, and ITIN filing services. 

“Ariva’s ITIN services are critical to our neighborhood. ITIN numbers allow our immigrant community to pay taxes and help them become more recognized as part of this country,” David tells us. 

Thank you to David and the entire team at Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice for their commitment to the Bronx and for their continued partnership as we work together to achieve financial inclusion and economic prosperity in the Bronx.

We look forward to seeing new initiatives and programs at YMPJ come to life, including The Soundview Economic Hub. This community development project, led by YMPJ, will revamp 30,000 square feet of underutilized space under the Bruckner Expressway at Bronx River Avenue and provide locals with jobs, job training, a “micro-food hub,” and business incubation space. We encourage you to sign up for their newsletter to stay updated and consider becoming a volunteer to support their efforts. 

If you’re still looking for free tax preparation in NYC, we have three sites open year-round to help you file your taxes for this year or previous years, too. Schedule your appointment here.