Welcome to the Harbor: Celebrating 67 Years of Excellence in Serving Children and Families Open House Event Showcases a Safe Harbor in Uncertain Times (Congressman Charles Rangel and State Senator David Patterson to Attend)

On Wednesday, November 12th from 4:00 p. m until 7:00 p.m. Boys & Girls Harbor located at One East 104th Street and Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, will open its doors for a community event entitled, " Welcome to the Harbor: Celebrating 67 Years of Excellence In Serving Children and Families".

Open House Event Showcases a Safe Harbor in Uncertain Times
(Congressman Charles Rangel and State Senator David Patterson to Attend)

East Harlem, NY -- On Wednesday, November 12th from 4:00 p. m until 7:00 p.m. Boys & Girls Harbor located at One East 104th Street and Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, will open its doors for a community event entitled, " Welcome to the Harbor: Celebrating 67 Years of Excellence In Serving Children and Families". "Welcome to the Harbor" will showcase the programs and services the Harbor provides to children and families of East Harlem and Greater Harlem. The event pays tribute to the enduring spirit of generosity and concern that has flourished for 67 years, providing a safe harbor in which children can learn and grow.

A small reception is scheduled for public officials (attending will be: Congressman Charles Rangel, State Senator David Patterson, David Givens, Community Board 11 Chairman, Jimmy Vasquez, Chief of Staff Senator Olga Mendez, Daniel Serrano, Chief of Staff Assemblyman Adam Clayton Powell, IV) and Harbor Board of Directors where Harbor Founder Anthony Duke will be honored and presented with an award in recognition of his tireless efforts on behalf of the Harlem community and its citizens. Press is invited to attend the reception. If interested, please call 212/427-2244 ext. 577.

"Welcome to the Harbor" will offer a short tour allowing visitors to see student dance, theater and music performances, karate displays, and a full exhibition of student art work. There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Harbor's renovated pool and fitness area. The Harbor's academic and social-based programs will also be highlighted, such as the Micro Society Program, an economic-based program which stresses work ethnic and productive citizenship; the Urban Princess Program, a program that helps young women overcome urban challenges and maintain high levels of self esteem; and Project Tolerance, a program which teaches students how to live and productively work.

The 5th Floor Gymnasium will showcase all twenty-two programs the Harbor offers each with a table full of current information, a student/parent representative and recently completed projects created by Harbor children. For children who attend this event, but do not attend the Harbor, there will be face painting and other exciting activities. The Harbor is dedicated to working to ensure that Harlem community members are healthy, educated and productive individuals. There will be tables for Voter Registration, Enrollment into the Children Health Insurance Program (CHIP), the Family Health Plus, and Medicaid for citizens in this community who are not registered either to vote or lack health insurance for their children or themselves.

Boys & Girls Harbor was founded by Anthony Duke in l937 and began as a summer camp in East Hampton for 12 disadvantaged young men from New York City. It has since grown substantially; and now serves over 6,000 children their families annually. The Harbor in its holistic approach is a modern day one-stop educational and youth development institution. It includes the Harbor Charter School for the Arts and Sciences, the Harbor Conservatory for the Performing Arts, the Harbor Pre-School/After School Program, Upward Bound (College Preparation Services) a Literacy Center, the Harbor Environmental Camp, and the Harbor Behavioral Health Department. In addition to developing programs that address the individual needs of young people, the Harbor strives to broaden its students' awareness of their own civic responsibilities to their community and the world at large.

"Welcome to the Harbor" was made possible in part with support from Jonathan Rose.