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NEW YORK CITY MISSION SOCIETY PRESENTS GET CONNECTED UPTOWN YOUTH CONFERENCE & LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE FAIR
New York (April 12, 2013) — New York City Mission Society, a multi-service community-based organization that takes a comprehensive approach to helping New York City’s children and families break the cycle of poverty, is excited to announce its Get Connected Uptown Youth Conference & Leadership Service Fair. The two-day event will kick off with a youth march and rally against violence on Friday, April 26 at 5:30 PM from the Minisink Townhouse, 646 Malcolm X Boulevard to Harlem Hospital, 506 Lenox Avenue. The march will culminate with a screening at Harlem Hospital of independent documentary film Triggering Wounds, the real life story of a young man from Harlem coming to terms with the impact of gun violence on his life and his community.
The annual Get Connected Uptown Youth Conference & Leadership Service Fair began in 2003 as a partnership between New York City Mission Society and Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, as a way to connect youth ages 13-24 to resources such as youth development and adolescent health. This year the conference is expected to attract over 300 children and young adults with a specific focus on leadership and community service.
As gun and gang violence continue to plague the community, the youth conference serves as an outlet for positive change and is New York City Mission Society’s response to empowering young people to bring about transformation. “We believe that the voice of an organized youth is a powerful instrument for reaching disconnected peers with a message of hope and a call for peace in Harlem,” said Courtney Bennett, Director of Minisink Townhouse.
The conference and fair will also include workshops, health screenings, theatre repertoire, raffles, food and games and is a partnership with various local organizations such as Harlem Hospital, New York Department of Youth & Community Development, Impact Theatre, Hip-Hop Culture Center in Harlem, Harlem United, and Public Allies.
Spend Your Summer with NYCMS!
Friends and Family,
Are you ready for the summer?
New York City Mission Society has big things in store for summer 2013! Over 1,200 children from Harlem and the Bronx are getting ready to participate in a variety of very special summer experiences as a part of the New York City Mission Society’s Summer of Safety, Learning and Fun Campaign!
Learning while Playing!
From the early morning breakfast to the after work pick-up, over 800 children, ages 6-12, will build skills, make friends and explore new things in New York City Mission Society’s Power Academy program. Power Academy offers arts and recreation, academic support and enrichment, civic engagement, and community service opportunities in a safe, fun and nurturing environment. During this six-week program, children will go on exciting bus trips and community walking tours, engage in academic enrichment to stem learning loss, star in onstage productions, march in parades, paint murals, provide services to seniors and the homeless and much, much more! New York City Mission Society Power Academy sites include PS 175, the Minisink Beacon at Wadleigh School for the Performing Arts and Minisink Townhouse in Harlem, and PS 85 and PS 33 in the Bronx. Power Academy receives funding from the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development and private donors.
Learning while working!
In addition to the academic and experiential learning of Power Academy, 300 youth ages 14-24 will receive real-life work experience through our Summer Youth Employment and Community Services Program (SYEP) funded by the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development. Over 50 local non-profit and for profit businesses will open their doors to teach our young people how to work! This six-week experience of learning to work will give youth an opportunity to build a resume, learn new skills, understand the world of work and provide service to their communities.
Summer of Safety!
The Harlem Cure Violence Initiative provides wraparound services to 90 young people who are at the highest risk for shooting and being shot. During the summer there will be two main components: Operation SNUG and the KEYS (Keeping Every Youth Successful) program. Operation SNUG uses a public health approach to stop the epidemic of summer gun violence. This program uses violence interruption, counseling, conflict/resolution and mediation, and mental health services to keep the guns out of the hands of our children and off of the streets of Harlem. Many of the young people from Harlem Cure Violence Initiative will be able to receive summer jobs while others will participate in variety of academic, mentoring and community service programs. These programs are funded by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Department of Probation, New York Community Trust and private donors.
Please join us at the Get Connected Uptown Youth Conference on April 26th and 27th at Minisink Townhouse to hear more about New York City Mission Society’s summer programming.
See you in the summer!
Maria Orengo
Interim Executive Director
