ABYSSINIAN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND GODDARD RIVERSIDE CHOSEN AS NYJL'S 2021–2022 COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT SITES

The New York Junior League's (NYJL) Community Improvement Project has selected the Abyssinian Development Corporation and Goddard Riverside as its 2021-2022 community partners. The Community Improvement Project (CIP) creates a one-year partnership with a selected organization to increase the organization's community impact. This year's CIP partners will receive $60,000 in supplies and in-kind services for capital improvements and a trained team of volunteers to complete the project.

"We faced the COVID-19 pandemic head on, and swiftly adapted our programming and continued providing volunteer power to address the evolving needs of our community partners," said NYJL President Dayna Barlow Cassidy. "We saw great need in the applications received through our Community Improvement Project (CIP) and discovered an opportunity to address the needs of more than one partner and impact the lives of more individuals during this time, when so many are facing great challenges. We are proud to partner with Abyssinian Development Corporation and Goddard Riverside for our 2021-2022 Community Improvement Project."

Abyssinian Towers, located in Central Harlem, is a 99-unit residential community of the Abyssinian Development Corporation (ADC) that offers affordable, low-income housing to more than 100 seniors and people with disabilities. The NYJL will renovate the first-floor Community Room, which brings residents together to help relieve feelings of isolation and loneliness exacerbated by the pandemic. Reinvigorating the space will support additional community events, training workshops, and seminars for residents.

Located at West 140th Street in Central Harlem, Goddard Riverside's 48-unit housing development provides safe, affordable housing to individuals who previously experienced homelessness. The housing development's Resource Center provides legal assistance, financial counseling, and mental health services to the community. NYJL volunteers will renovate this large community space and outdoor patio used by residents for recreation, tenant meetings, and wellness.

For my information regarding CIP, please visit this webpage or email cip@nyjl.org.


About Abyssinian Development Corporation:

Founded in 1989, the Abyssinian Development Corporation (ADC) is a nationally recognized nonprofit community development corporation dedicated to building the Harlem community. Through its initiatives, the ADC has developed and preserved over 1,000+ affordable housing units, and served more than 1,000 public school students in Harlem from kindergarten through 12th grade. Services provided include affordable housing, human services, and educational opportunities for youth.

About Goddard Riverside:

Founded in 1959 after the merging of the historic Riverside Community House and Goddard Neighborhood Center, Goddard Riverside is a multi-service, community-based organization serving more than 22,000 people annually across their 22 locations in NYC. Their programs are dedicated to developing people to their fullest potential by offering early childhood education, tutoring, housing, legal assistance, and social support services to low-income individuals or individuals with mental illness. They strive to create a fair and just society where all people have the opportunity to make choices leading to better lives for themselves and their families.

About the New York Junior League:

The New York Junior League (NYJL) is an organization of women committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.