JULY 2020 WEST HARLEM GROUP ASSISTANCE, INC
THIS ISSUE Programming Updates Project Development Updates WHGA Reopening Feature: Building through Bridges Executive Statement: The Next Step
1646 MOVE-IN READY SOON
CFHF AT WHGA POP-UP PANTRY A SUCCESS The C o m munities fo r Healthy Food s ( C f HF) at W H G A F ood Hub c o n t i nues to serve the comm u n i ty as a sta ple WHGA prog r a m . On June 10 2020, the CfHF a t W HGA food hub coll a b o r a ted with Councilman Mark L e v i ne, West Side
1 6 4 6 Amsterdam A v e n u e a f f o r d a b l e p r o p e r t y f a c a d e
Rece n t r e habilitation project, 1646 A m sterdam Av enue, will offi c i a l l y be ready t o be occu p i e d before the end of
Coal i t i o n Against Hunger and Stre e t C o rner Resources to host a P o p-Up Pantry at Coun c i l m a n Levine’s Amst e r d a m Avenue office.
summ e r . T he project which has been d e v e loped in collaboration with C P C and HPD, now makes 8 affo r d a b l e apartments and one comm e r c ial space a vailable for leas i n g . “ W e contin ue to uphold our m i s s i on to increase the avai l a b i l i t y of affor dable hous i n g i n Harlem. While our oper a t i o n s have undergone vast chan g e s a mid the COVID-19 pand e m i c, we conti nue to beli e v e i n the importance of our miss i o n a mid an increasingly comp e t i t i ve housing market, and w o r k to deliver accordingly. (See m o r e on page 2)
D o n ald Notice W H G A E x e c . D i r e c t o r [ 2 n d f r o m l e f t ] , I e s h a S e k o u CEO Stre e t C o r n e r R e s . , C o u n c i l m a n M a r k L e v i n e , J u ne A n d rews-Hend e r s o n W H G A De p u t y D i r e c t o r
The d i s t r ibution, which was open to all m e m b e r s o f t h e p u b l i c , a l l o w e d acce s s t o a total of 500 pantry bags wh i c h i n c l u d e d a f r e s h m e a l , f r e s h a n d dry f o o d products, toiletries, baby car e p r o d u c t s , d e t e r g e n t a n d c l e a n i n g prod u c t s . Street Corner Resources par t i c i p a t e d i n t h e d i s t r i b u t i o n t h r o u g h cont r i b u t ing personal protective equipm e n t s u c h a s g l o v e s a n d d i s p o s a b l e mask s t o clients at the site. “The t u r n out was a lot more than expec t e d . W e ’ r e d e f i n i t e l y h a p p y t h a t w e were a b l e to serve so many people. We ’ r e e x p e c t i n g t o h a v e m o r e r e g u l a r clien t s f o l lowing th is,” shared CfHF at W H G A s i t e d i r e c t o r , A n t a e u s T u r n s Ashc r a f t . In total, 512 households were s e r v e d a t t h e d i s t r i b u t i o n b u t o v e r 2500 i n d i viduals were impacted. CfHF a t W HGA has been a key part of t h e c i t y ’ s C O V I D - 1 9 r e s p o n s e . S e r v i n g as o n e o f 20 relief hubs, the food pant r y s e r v e d a r e c o r d b r e a k i n g 1 2 , 0 0 0 clien t s i n April mon th and over 18,000 c l i e n t s f o r t h e m o n t h o f M a y .
BUILDING THROUGH BRIDGES
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COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT THROUGH INTERSECTIONALITY
F o o d delivery to W H G A h o u s in g b y D o n a l d N o t i c e
Y o g a session a t R a n d o l p h H o u s e s
West H a r l em Group Assistance, Inc. an d A f f i l i a t e s h a s b e e n a m a j o r s o u r c e of supp o r t f or those in the community du r i n g C O V I D - 1 9 . S i n c e i n c e p t i o n i n 1971 , t h e organization has supported u n d e r s e r v e d a n d u n d e r r e p r e s e n t e d Harl e m r e sidents. Today, almost 50 ye a r s l a t e r , W H G A p r o g r a m m i n g a n d acti o n h e lps to take the community thr o u g h c r i s i s . COVI D - 1 9 has adversely affected devel o p i n g c o m m u n i t i e s . A s a r e s u l t o f t h e impl i c a t i ons caused by COVID-19, many m o r e r e s i d e n t s n o w f a c e f o o d inse c u r i t y and hunger. In fact, A New Y o r k T i m e s p o l l s h o w s t h a t 5 0 p e r c e n t of N Y C r e sidents now worry about food a c c e s s . T h e C f H F a t W H G A p r o g r a m , whic h w a s introduced in 2014 to addre s s f o o d i n s e c u r i t y i n t h e c o m m u n i t y , has b e e n mobilized as one of 20 Commu n i t y R e s p o n s e P a r t n e r s w i t h t h e Food B a n k for NYC. At the CfHF at WHG A r e l i e f h u b , r e s i d e n t s g a i n unre s t r i c ted access to frozen and dry f o o d s , p e r s o n a l p r o t e c t i v e e q u i p m e n t , baby f o o d , cleaning supplies and fresh m e a l s w h i c h a r e s e r v e d d a i l y i n coll a b o r a tion with Red Rabbit. Due to t h e s h a r p i n c r e a s e i n f o o d i n s e c u r i t y , the f o o d hub has recorded service to ov e r 1 3 0 , 0 0 0 c l i e n t s s i n c e o p e n i n g , w i t h serv i c e t o a record-breaking 18,000 cli e n t s i n M a y 2 0 2 0 . T h e s i t e n o w r u n s o n an e x t e n d ed schedule, including priorit y t i m e s l o t s f o r t h e e l d e r l y a n d t h e diff e r e n t l y abled. Howe v e r , while food access is a major e l e m e n t o f t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n ’ s resp o n s e , WHGA prioritizes other comm u n i t y n e e d s . A t W H G A a n d a f f i l i a t e site s , w h i c h include Randolph Houses, C o n v e n t A v e n u e F a m i l y L i v i n g C e n t e r and W e s t Harlem Residence, administra t o r s h a v e o p t i m i z e d v i r t u a l p l a t f o r m s to c o n d u c t wellness checks, home-base d f i n a n c i a l l i t e r a c y a n d a f t e r - s c h o o l prog r a m ming in ord er to assess and to a d d r e s s r e s i d e n t a n d c l i e n t n e e d s . “Dur i n g t his time of uncertainty, continu o u s o u t r e a c h a n d e n g a g e m e n t i s need e d t o continue to build community a n d t o i n s t i l l a s e n s e o f n o r m a l c y i n the m i d s t of this crisis,” Stacey Cohen, D i r e c t o r o f P r o g r a m O p e r a t i o n s , Soci a l S e rvices Department, Randolph H o u s e s . WHGA ’ s main objec tive when founded, h a s a l w a y s b e e n t o p o s i t i o n comm u n i ty rememb ers to access affor d a b l e , d e c e n t a n d s a f e h o u s i n g i n Harl e m . T he organization has develope d o v e r 1 8 0 0 u n i t s o f h o u s i n g t o d a t e . Toda y , n o twithstanding operational ch a n g e s c a u s e d b y C O V I D - 1 9 , W H G A cont i n u e s to uphold its core mission. T h i s s u m m e r , t w o a d d i t i o n a l reha b i l i t ation projects will become occ u p i e d , m a k i n g a f f o r d a b l e r e s i d e n t i a l and c o m mercial un its available for low a n d m i d d l e i n c o m e r e s i d e n t s . (See more on page 3)
In t e rior of 1646 A m s t e r d a m Av e n u e a f f o r d a b l e a p a rtments
WHGA SITE REOPENING Phys i c a l operations at WHGA and A f f i l i a te sites a re set to grad u a l l y resume according to city r e o p ening phases. Foll o w i n g the reopening of offi c e s p aces, employees will have a c c e ss to a supply of pers o n a l protective equipment, such a s g loves and masks, as well a s h and sanitizers and anti - b a c t erial wipes. Additional comm u n i cations ma terials on disp l a y w ill also aid to promote adhe r e n c e to new public health prac t i c e s . HEPA filters have been i n s t alled in the offices at stra t e g i c p oints to p romote clea n a i r c irculation . The orga n i z a t ion’s client enga g e m ent will als o undergo chan g e a s operations will be adju s t e d to reduce person to pers o n c o ntact.
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TENANT RESOURCE PAGE LAUNCH
Over a l l , t h e public health crisis has po s e d a g r e a t c h a l l e n g e t o c o m m u n i t y deve l o p ment in the past few months. H o w e v e r , W H G A c o n t i n u e s t o a s s u m e a high l y i n t e rsectiona l approach with th e a i m o f b r i d g i n g t h e g a p s w h e r e comm u n i ty member s may find it challen g i n g t o m e e t t h e i r o w n n e e d s , n o t only f o r housing but for food or social s e r v i c e . W h i l e m a i n t a i n i n g c o n t i n u i t y has b e e n more difficult, the organizati o n i s m o t i v a t e d b y t h e c o m m u n i t y . “Our m i s s ion to invest in Harlem and to h e l p t o m a k e i t i n t o a c o m m u n i t y that a l l o ws all of its residents to thrive w a s b u i l t o n h o p e t h a t w e c a n harn e s s a ll the resources and potential t h a t H a r l e m h o l d s t o b e n e f i t t h e resi d e n t s and the wider community,” D o n a l d N o t i c e , E x e c u t i v e D i r e c t o r o f WHGA s h ares, “ever y project or initiati v e t h a t w e u n d e r t a k e i s p a r t o f o u r cont i n u e d quest to preserve that histor y a n d t o a d d v a l u e t o t h e c o m m u n i t y . ”
West Harlem Group Assistance, Inc. has now launched a digital tenant resource hub as part of the organization's virtual outreach strategy.
CONTINUING THE JOURNEY: THE NEXT STEP EXECUTIVE STATEMENT
The j o u r n ey of community deve l o p ment is in c onstant evol u t i o n . Throughout our quest, we have h a d to reroute, recalibrate and refu e l o u r vessels in order to keep our d e s t i nation reachable. Financial and b u d g e tary implications, a public heal t h c r isis and socio-political issu e s h a ve all, in the past few mont h s , e merged as obstacles to achi e v i n g our mission.
Through the website, both existing and prospective residential and commercial tenants will have access to community-based information including housing applications, social service, and food access information. Tenants will also be able to subscribe to receiving updates via e-newsletter. Click to access or visit http://whgainc.org/tenantresourcepage/
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Howe v e r , it is important to underscore t h a t s u c h o b s t a c l e s d i d n o t m a k e o u r path i m p a ssable. Instead, they have pus h e d u s t o b e s t r a t e g i c d r i v e r s a n d have t a u g ht us how to navigate the terr a i n . T h e p e o p l e a n d h i s t o r y o f H a r l e m are o u r g reatest driving forces. The ch a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f s t r e n g t h a n d r e s i l i e n c e that t h i s c ommunity embodies is our fu e l t o p u r s u e o u r m i s s i o n i n c r e a t i n g a comm u n i ty that allo ws everyone to thr i v e . T h r o u g h h e i g h t e n e d c o m m u n i t y outr e a c h , continued partnerships and s t r a t e g i c a l l o c a t i o n o f r e s o u r c e s , w e will c o n t i n ue to ass ess our needs and t o b u i l d . As w e n o w prepare to take the next step i n o u r o n g o i n g j o u r n e y , w e l o o k forw a r d t o achieving this mission and r e a c h i n g t h e n e x t d e s t i n a t i o n t o g e t h e r Dona l d C Notice Exec u t i v e Director WHGA .
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REMEMBERING RICHARD KUSZEL Rich a r d K uszel Main t e n a n ce Department, Conv e n t A venue Family Living Cent e r ( C AFLC)
IMPACT STORIES "Me a n d m y daughter didn’t have anywh e r e t o g o . T h i s w a s a l i f e save r . T h is was everything. When I came t h e y h a d t o w e l s , s h e e t s , pots a n d pans, plates, forks, food avai l a b l e u n t i l I c o u l d h a v e d o n e with I n e eded to do. When I came here w e h a d noth i n g and t h e y made sure t h a t my child could eat. I’m grate f u l . I c a n ’ t s a y a n y t h i n g b a d . It’s n o t o u r home but I ’ m not on the street. We’re not col d . I t ’ s a lifel i n e w h en you n eed a lifeline. I say, “ W e n e e d m o r e W e s t H a r l e m s [WHG A ] ” b ecause it’s horrible out there . I f t h i s p l a c e w a s n ’ t h e r e I don’ t k n o w what we would have done."- Ms. F e r g u son, West Harlem Resi d e n c e (WHR) client
Bran d o n A ntonetti, Communities for H e a l t hy Foods at WHGA Client
@WestHarlemGroupAssistanceInc
"I am f r o m the Bronx but currently res i d i n g i n u p p e r C e n t r a l H a r l e m , NY f o r t h e last two years. The pantry h a s b e e n a b l e t o p r o v i d e f r e s h food s & e ssential goods for my family. T h i s s e r v i c e g i v e s f a m i l i e s l i k e mine t h e opportunity to seek food con s i s t e n t l y e s p e c i a l l y s i n c e m y unem p l o yment. Tha nk you for making m y h o m e m e a l s o n e l e s s stru g g l e . "- Bran d o n A ntonetti, Communities for He a l t h y F o o d s a t WHGA c l i e nt.
Marc h 8 , 1967Febr u a r y 17th 2020 "His disposition to work hard and learn his way around was impressive. He was always looking to help and give things a try. I miss you man"- Ruben Rankin, Director of Building Services, CAFLC. "It was a privilege for me to have met you and being part of the team at Convent. It’s was extremely difficult to see you go so unexpectedly. Thanks for all good memories we share together. You will always be remembered for your positive attitude, hard work, generosity and unselfishness toward others. Rest in Peace; coworker, friend and family! From Convent’s family"Norman Burgos, Case Manager, CAFLC