Our Mission

The mission of the Urban League of Rochester, NY, is to enable African-Americans, Latinxs, the poor, and other disadvantaged to secure economic self-reliance, parity and power, and civil rights.

Our four-pronged strategy for pursuing this mission is:     

1. Ensuring that our children are well-educated and equipped for economic self-reliance in the 21st century;

2. Helping adults attain economic self-sufficiency through good jobs, homeownership, entrepreneurship, and wealth accumulation;

3. Ensuring our civil rights by eradicating all barriers to equal participation in the economic and social mainstream of America; and

4. Ensuring that our staff are provided the tools to educate, advocate, and fulfill the mission.

The Urban League of Rochester was founded in 1965 in the wake of racial unrest and riots that crippled the Rochester community. The formation of the agency, which is an affiliate of the National Urban League, was intended to address the material needs of community members who live in poverty and minority citizens in areas such as housing, employment, education, health, and economic parity.

Today, the Urban League of Rochester offers over 25 programs in youth services, services for individuals with developmental disabilities, economic development, employment services, family and children services, education, homeownership, and entrepreneurial assistance. In FY 2020-21, over 25,000 community members benefited from our diverse programming.

Our Vision

Advocacy For A Better Future

As we look to the future of the Urban League of Rochester, we recognize that there is still much work to be done to reach a level of equity across all races, genders, and other demographics. Our collective vision is to create a more equitable and inclusive Rochester by exploring new economic development opportunities, increasing access to education and employment opportunities, and partnering with our stakeholders to advance the Urban League Movement. We look forward to creating lasting change for our community.

Annual Reports