Community Advocacy
Community advocacy organizations in East Harlem are involved in a variety of activities that all aim to improve the lives of community residents through policy, activism, and community empowerment. Several East Harlem non-profits have implemented efforts focused on improving food affordability and accessibility to better the health and lives of individuals living in the community.
- East Harlem Preservation – A volunteer advocacy organization founded in 2005 that seeks to preserve and promote the neighborhood’s diverse culture and history.
- Union Settlement Association – Established in 1895, US is an on-the-ground resource for East Harlem residents of all ages with has programs in education, childcare, youth development, senior services, job training, the arts, nutrition, counseling and community development.
- East Harlem Neighborhood-Based Alliance Corporation – A nonprofit whose mission is to stabilize and preserve families through the delivery of housing advocacy, HIV/AIDS prevention, and victim services.
- East Harlem Council for Community Improvement
- Community Voices Heard – Established in 1994, Community Voices Heard (CVH) is an organization of low-income people, predominantly women with experience on welfare, working to build power in New York City and State to improve the lives of families and communities. CVH has implemented programs in East Harlem including the Participatory Budgeting Project.
- Hope Community Inc. – Hope Community, Inc. is a nonprofit community development corporation founded in 1968 that seeks to rebuild the physical infrastructure of East Harlem by creating attractive, high-quality affordable rental and owner-occupied housing. Hope seeks to strengthen the neighborhood’s social fabric by assisting in the growth and success of local businesses, by assisting residents to enhance their lives and incomes, and by sponsoring community programs.
- Harlem4 Center for Change – The Harlem4 Center for Change (Harlem4) is a multicultural, multi-generational, non-partisan research and advocacy organization dedicated to providing a community forum to generate bold new ideas and policy proposals for the village of Harlem. Harlem4 also seeks to reverse Harlem’s status as a food desert by putting in place a sustainable food model that serves the community through policy, action, community organizing and education.
- Casa Mexico – Casa Mexico is a non-profit community organization that advocates particularly on behalf of the Mexican immigrant community and also the Hispanic community at large. It offers educational, health, art and cultural programs and participates in labor advocacy work in East Harlem.
- East Harlem Anti-Displacement Taskforce – Established by Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito’s Office, the Task Force is a body comprised of community based organizations, tenants, activists, advocates and elected officials who collectively work, as a community, to confront ruthless landlords, investors, and developers that are attempting to displace members of our community. Their work brings visibility to the housing crisis through community forums, marches, rallies and other initiatives.
- New Yorkers for Parks – New Yorkers for Parks (NY4P) is the citywide independent organization championing quality parks and open spaces for all New Yorkers in all neighborhoods. NY4P conducts research and develops tangible policy recommendations around our findings related to park development, management and sustainability. Using this research as a foundation for our advocacy campaigns, NY4P drives both immediate actions and long-term policies that protect and enhance the city’s vast network of parks, ensure adequate and equitable distribution of open space resources to all neighborhoods, and inform and empower communities throughout New York City to advocate for their open space needs.
