ACCOMPLISHMENTS July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2009 HOUSING • 1817 tenants received assistance in applying for housing benefits or apartments or in resolving problems with landlords. This was 303 percent of our contracted goal, and a 12 percent increase over the previous year. • At least 311 tenants secured benefits or apartments or solved disputes with landlords. This was a 30 percent increase over 2007-2008. • We organized and supported a tenants association at 281-295 Wadsworth Avenue. • Extensive physical surveys were conducted in 24 residential building as part of a citywide antiabandonment campaign. • Three owners received assistance in making repairs or applying for rehabilitation loans. • 495 landlords were informed about rehabilitation loans and voluntary repair agreements. MEDIATION • 208 disputes, many of them referred by the police or courts, were resolved through mediation or conciliation. This represented a 16 percent increase over the previous year. • 248 conflicts were referred to our mediation program. TYPE OF DISPUTE NUMBER Family conflicts, in-school disputes, and similar conflicts 91 (37%) Housing conflicts 61 (25%) Noise complaints 35 (14%) Harassments 34 (14%) Non-payment of monies 13 ( 5%) Other disputes ` 15 ( 6%) DISPOSITION OF CASE Mediated, agreement reached 144 (58%) Mediated, no agreement reached 1 ( 0%) Conciliated without a mediation session 64 (26%) Referred to court or a more appropriate agency 19 ( 8%) Other (case dropped by complainant, disputant(s) 20 ( 8%) did not appear at mediation session, etc.) • 20 student leaders from Gregorio Luperon High School completed a 30-hour peer mediation training, then worked with an experienced adult mediator to settle 27 disputes among their fellow students, between pupils and staff, and within students’ families. The peer mediators began a video about mediation, engaged in a poetry project with members of STAR senior center, and visited the United Nations. • Peer mediation trainings were delivered to 20 pupils each at Harbor Heights Middle School and Heritage (High) School. • Our mediators resolved 23 disputes at Public Schools 28 and 48 and Harbor Heights Middle School. • At the request of the State Department, met with representatives of Haiti and the Dominican Republic to discuss community conflict resolution. YOUTH • 100 elementary and intermediate school students enjoyed our eight-week summer day camp at Public School 189. They took trips throughout the city and engaged in a variety of recreational and cultural activities. • 590 pupils in kindergarten through eighth grade enrolled in our after-school centers at Public Schools 28, 48, and 189 and Public School/Intermediate School 18. Participants received help with homework every day, benefited from academic enrichments, produced a comic book selected for publication by an arts organization, played in a citywide basketball league, and pursued other cultural and recreational activities. Each site sponsored one or two schoolwide celebrations showcasing students’ talents and achievements. The center at Public School 189 also opened on 20 school holidays. • Our after-school centers at Public Schools 28 and 48 delivered science-based life skills training to 100 pupils. • At Public School 325 159 third-, fourth-, and fifth-graders attended Saturday tutoring sessions in preparation for standardized English and math tests. 81 percent of the participants improved their test scores compared to those from 2008. • Group counseling was extended to 28 chronic truants at Public School 28. Their families benefited from support services. Virtually all participants reduced their absences significantly; two had perfect attendance after the program started. • Four editions of school newspapers were published at Public Schools 28, 48, and 189. Pupils at Public School 189 developed a web site. • 25 youths and 15 parents attended arts and crafts classes on Saturdays and exhibited their creations in two community events. Enrollment was 48 percent above the previous year. • 18 teenagers joined in after-school coaching and officiating classes, then earned stipends for refereeing and coaching in local sports leagues. • 12 students from Public School 28 enjoyed after-school dance and theater classes. PARENT EDUCATION AND COUNSELING • 23 workshops in English and Spanish educated parents about constructive child-rearing. Attendance totaled 445. Presentations were hosted by Public School 48, Intermediate School 218, Mercy College Middle School, and Fort George Community Enrichment Center. • 120 parents and children benefited from bilingual counseling. A duplicated count of 496 mothers and fathers participated in 38 group counseling sessions; 40 parents and children received family counseling on 17 occasions; and 44 individual sessions were held. The number of fathers and couples participating increased significantly. • The Coalition and Cornell Cooperative Extension co-sponsored two 10-session nutrition classes, one for 17 adults and one for 10 parents and their 10 children. • Twelve parents attended three trainings in preparation for teaching other adults how to discuss sexuality with their daughters and sons. A video of the trainings aired throughout the nation. • We organized a career day at Public School 192 during which successful Latino immigrants discussed their experiences with elementary school pupils. • 150 family members attended a Three Kings Day celebration during which parents from different countries discussed how they commemorated the holiday as children. • We conducted General Education Diploma classes in Spanish for parents of children at Public School 128. • Families enjoyed trips to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a Mets game, and similar sites. • A community service fair was held at City College Middle School. FAMILY LITERACY • 12 families with children attending Public School 189 took part in a summer program involving trips throughout the city. • During the school year 22 families from Public School 189 shared enjoyable family literacy activities. 55 children benefited from after-school tutoring; 22 adults attended English, parenting, and computer classes; and participants of all ages enjoyed intergenerational literacy activities. • All children in the program received above average grades on their June report cards and virtually all parents raised their scores on standardized English tests. OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS • A staff person from another agency visited our office once a week to help families apply for food stamps. More than 300 residents took advantage of this service. • We served as fiscal conduit for Discovery Rooms for Children, Friends of Payson Avenue, Moose Hall Theatre Company, Riverside Edgecombe Neighborhood Association, Riverside Oval Fund, South Washington Heights Neighborhood Association, 280 Dreamers, Washington Heights Neighborhood Association, and We Care Neighborhood Arts. • We held our eighth fund-raising reception honoring State Senator Eric Schneiderman. • We assisted in the publication of a book about Dominican women’s experience with immigration.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2009

HOUSING

•1817 tenants received assistance in applying for housing benefits or apartments or in resolving problems with landlords. This was 303 percent of our contracted goal, and a 12 percent increase over the previous year.

•At least 311 tenants secured benefits or apartments or solved disputes with landlords. This was a 30 percent increase over 2007-2008.

•We organized and supported a tenants association at 281-295 Wadsworth Avenue.

•Extensive physical surveys were conducted in 24 residential building as part of a citywide antiabandonment campaign.

•Three owners received assistance in making repairs or applying for rehabilitation loans.

•495 landlords were informed about rehabilitation loans and voluntary repair agreements.

MEDIATION

•208 disputes, many of them referred by the police or courts, were resolved through mediation or conciliation. This represented a 16 percent increase over the previous year.

•248 conflicts were referred to our mediation program.

TYPE OF DISPUTENUMBER

Family conflicts, in-school disputes, and similar conflicts 91 (37%)

Housing conflicts 61 (25%)

Noise complaints 35 (14%)

Harassments 34 (14%)

Non-payment of monies 13 ( 5%)

Other disputes` 15 ( 6%)

DISPOSITION OF CASE

Mediated, agreement reached144 (58%)

Mediated, no agreement reached 1 ( 0%)

Conciliated without a mediation session 64 (26%)

Referred to court or a more appropriate agency 19 ( 8%)

Other (case dropped by complainant, disputant(s) 20 ( 8%)

did not appear at mediation session, etc.)

•20 student leaders from Gregorio Luperon High School completed a 30-hour peer mediation training, then worked with an experienced adult mediator to settle 27 disputes among their fellow students, between pupils and staff, and within students’ families. The peer mediators began a video about mediation, engaged in a poetry project with members of STAR senior center, and visited the United Nations.

•Peer mediation trainings were delivered to 20 pupils each at Harbor Heights Middle School and Heritage (High) School.

•Our mediators resolved 23 disputes at Public Schools 28 and 48 and Harbor Heights Middle School.

•At the request of the State Department, met with representatives of Haiti and the Dominican Republic to discuss community conflict resolution.

YOUTH

•100 elementary and intermediate school students enjoyed our eight-week summer day camp at Public School 189. They took trips throughout the city and engaged in a variety of recreational and cultural activities.

•590 pupils in kindergarten through eighth grade enrolled in our after-school centers at Public Schools 28, 48, and 189 and Public School/Intermediate School 18. Participants received help with homework every day, benefited from academic enrichments, produced a comic book selected for publication by an arts organization, played in a citywide basketball league, and pursued other cultural and recreational activities. Each site sponsored one or two schoolwide celebrations showcasing students’ talents and achievements. The center at Public School 189 also opened on 20 school holidays.

•Our after-school centers at Public Schools 28 and 48 delivered science-based life skills training to 100 pupils.

•At Public School 325 159 third-, fourth-, and fifth-graders attended Saturday tutoring sessions in preparation for standardized English and math tests. 81 percent of the participants improved their test scores compared to those from 2008.

•Group counseling was extended to 28 chronic truants at Public School 28. Their families benefited from support services. Virtually all participants reduced their absences significantly; two had perfect attendance after the program started.

•Four editions of school newspapers were published at Public Schools 28, 48, and 189. Pupils at Public School 189 developed a web site.

•25 youths and 15 parents attended arts and crafts classes on Saturdays and exhibited their creations in two community events. Enrollment was 48 percent above the previous year.

•18 teenagers joined in after-school coaching and officiating classes, then earned stipends for refereeing and coaching in local sports leagues.

•12 students from Public School 28 enjoyed after-school dance and theater classes.

PARENT EDUCATION AND COUNSELING

•23 workshops in English and Spanish educated parents about constructive child-rearing. Attendance totaled 445. Presentations were hosted by Public School 48, Intermediate School 218, Mercy College Middle School, and Fort George Community Enrichment Center.

•120 parents and children benefited from bilingual counseling. A duplicated count of 496 mothers and fathers participated in 38 group counseling sessions; 40 parents and children received family counseling on 17 occasions; and 44 individual sessions were held. The number of fathers and couples participating increased significantly.

•The Coalition and Cornell Cooperative Extension co-sponsored two 10-session nutrition classes, one for 17 adults and one for 10 parents and their 10 children.

•Twelve parents attended three trainings in preparation for teaching other adults how to discuss sexuality with their daughters and sons. A video of the trainings aired throughout the nation.

•We organized a career day at Public School 192 during which successful Latino immigrants discussed their experiences with elementary school pupils.

•150 family members attended a Three Kings Day celebration during which parents from different countries discussed how they commemorated the holiday as children.

•We conducted General Education Diploma classes in Spanish for parents of children at Public School 128.

•Families enjoyed trips to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a Mets game, and similar sites.

•A community service fair was held at City College Middle School.

FAMILY LITERACY

•12 families with children attending Public School 189 took part in a summer program involving trips throughout the city.

•During the school year 22 families from Public School 189 shared enjoyable family literacy activities. 55 children benefited from after-school tutoring; 22 adults attended English, parenting, and computer classes; and participants of all ages enjoyed intergenerational literacy activities.

•All children in the program received above average grades on their June report cards and virtually all parents raised their scores on standardized English tests.

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS

•A staff person from another agency visited our office once a week to help families apply for food stamps. More than 300 residents took advantage of this service.

•We served as fiscal conduit for Discovery Rooms for Children, Friends of Payson Avenue, Moose Hall Theatre Company, Riverside Edgecombe Neighborhood Association, Riverside Oval Fund, South Washington Heights Neighborhood Association, 280 Dreamers, Washington Heights Neighborhood Association, and We Care Neighborhood Arts.

•We held our eighth fund-raising reception honoring State Senator Eric Schneiderman.

•We assisted in the publication of a book about Dominican women’s experience with immigration.