WHDC Provides $9 Million in Grants to Provide Services to West Harlem Residents
April 28, 2016
WHDC’s principal activities are grant-making to local and other nonprofits to address the priority areas of economic and workforce development, education and affordable housing.
To date, WHDC has provided $9 million in grants to support nonprofit organizations in providing services to the residents of West Harlem, also known as Manhattan Community District 9. The services have included summer youth employment and summer senior employment (55+). Below are examples of just some of the important work are grantees are doing to further our mission of promoting increased economic opportunities and quality of life to sustain a vibrant West Harlem community.
WORKFORCE and ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANTEES
Creative Art Works (CAW)
CAW employed 30 youth from West Harlem (CD9) during the spring and 12 West Harlem youth during the summer.
The youth, ages 16 through 24, gained employable skills by crafting, planning and painting murals in several sites in Manhattan and the Bronx. The youth also made gains in their social and emotional development.
Madison Strategies Group
Madison Strategies Group trained 39 West Harlem residents. Ten found full-time, well-paying jobs with benefits.
The organization secured relationships with employers like Mount Sinai Health System to create a pipeline for jobs in administrative, housekeeping, kitchen service and patient transport positions. The average wage was over $13 an hour.
EDUCATION GRANTEES
The Digital Media Training Program in Harlem
The Digital Media Training Program in Harlem’s Green Ready Alternative Energy Program (GRAEP) is teaching 5th and 6th graders at the Ulysses S. Grant Houses’ Community Center about solar energy in a hands-on engineering course.
GRAEP’s class for older students at the A. Philip Randolph Campus High School at City College teaches teens how to build wind turbines, fuel cells, solar cars as well as 3D printing in a class taught by Professor Brett Sims.
Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics
Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics sent their Harlem Team to the National Championships in Texas. Six gymnasts placed in their events, which included trampoline and tumbling. Four gymnasts earned medals, including two from West Harlem. Pictured above on the right, is Bailey Mensah, who received a gold medal in tumbling.
HOUSING GRANTEES
One Stop at JASA
Housing organizations such as One Stop at JASA help stem the tide of gentrification that pushes longtime Harlem residents out of their homes. This organization helps stabilize seniors’ living situations by finding programs that help to keep their rent at manageable levels as well as offer holistic solutions that assist seniors with food stamps and other government services.
P.A.’L.A.N.T.E. Harlem
P.A’L.A.N.T.E. empowers residents of New York City to hold landlords and property managers accountable for unsafe living conditions through community advocacy, outreach, organizing effective tenant associations, providing long-term technical assistance, and connecting individuals and tenant groups to free or reduced-rate legal services and housing benefits.
The organization has been instrumental in the refunds of hundreds of thousands of dollars in overpaid rent to low-income West Harlem tenants.
For a complete list of WHDC grantees, please see our Grants Page.