Robert Cornegy, The Doe Fund

Name: Robert Cornegy, Jr.

Title: Executive Vice President of External Affairs

Company Name: The Doe Fund

What led you to your current profession?

I first got involved with The Doe Fund 30 years ago. I returned home after playing basketball abroad to find my friends and neighbors struggling with addiction, released from prison with no support system, and trapped in cycles of poverty. I opened a facility for people who were then-termed “mentally-ill chemical abusers,” and The Doe Fund allowed me to use their drug testing lab. That was my first look into the work they were accomplishing. Being here now, after serving as a New York City Council member, is a full circle moment for me.

Favorite quote:

“Service is the rent we pay for the privilege of living on this earth.” –Shirley Chisholm

What recent project, transaction or accomplishment are you most proud of?

We just held a groundbreaking ceremony for The Doe Fund’s newest affordable and supportive housing development in the White Plains neighborhood of the Bronx. This residence will provide 90 state-of-the-art, energy efficient homes to individuals and families who desperately need stability after experiencing hardship and homelessness. On-site building amenities will include 24-hour security, live-in building superintendent, energy efficient building systems and appliances, a laundry room, community rooms, private rear gardens, and on-site social services. I am committed to ensuring that New York’s most vulnerable residents have access to safe, clean, affordable and supportive housing.

How do you contribute to your community or your profession?

There are two things standing in the way of New York’s recovery: public safety and filthy streets—both symptoms of the homelessness crisis. At The Doe Fund, we address these issues and keep our streets clean and safe by providing paid work, transitional housing, and support services to those who have experienced homelessness, incarceration, and addiction. I see my friends in the men we serve, and their success gives us all hope. As EVP, I introduce stakeholders in government and the private sector to our work and goals, advance our social enterprises, and explore innovative new avenues like social cooperatives.