Our residents at Ivan Shapiro House now have a beautiful, peaceful outdoor oasis—a rarity in midtown Manhattan. And the renovated indoor areas are a welcoming and inviting area for residents to socialize and come together as a community.
NEW YORK (PRWEB) May 18, 2018
On Tuesday, May 15, 2018 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Urban Pathways hosted a ribbon-cutting at its Ivan Shapiro House in midtown Manhattan to celebrate the completion of the New York Junior League (NYJL) 2017-2018 Community Improvement Project. The ribbon-cutting showcased the results of the collaboration between Urban Pathways and the NYJL to renovate the outdoor courtyard area of the Ivan Shapiro House, as well as a complete renovation of an indoor community room at the residence. The Ivan Shapiro House, opened in 1997, provides housing and a full range of supportive services to formerly homeless men and women.
Outdoor renovations, designed by Red Fern Brooklyn, included pruning of trees and planting new flower beds, replacing hardscape, updating lighting, and creating areas for socializing and meditation. Indoor renovations by Wolf & Wing Design includes repainting, replacing ceiling lighting fixtures, upgrading furniture and furnishings, and creating a workspace for Career Development participants. All renovative work was completed by NYJL volunteers, to ensure that residents of Ivan Shapiro House would be able to enjoy newly-renovated, welcoming areas of their home, both individually and as a group.
Suzanne E. Manning, NYJL President, stated, “Our volunteers were energized by the project itself and by the enthusiasm and support that the staff and residents at Ivan Shapiro House showed throughout the project. The partnership with Urban Pathways in the renovation project helped to make this an incredibly rewarding volunteer experience. We are very excited for the residents to enjoy their new community room and garden. We hope it will foster an even greater sense of community.”
These sentiments were echoed by Frederick Shack, Chief Executive Officer of Urban Pathways. “Our residents at Ivan Shapiro House now have a beautiful, peaceful outdoor oasis—a rarity in midtown Manhattan. And the renovated indoor areas are a welcoming and inviting area for residents to socialize and come together as a community. We are honored to have been chosen as the partner in this important Junior League initiative. As a sign of our appreciation, we were delighted to present the NYJL with our “Way Home Award for Humanitarian Service” at our recent annual gala to showcase the NYJL’s work at Ivan Shapiro House and to indicate the beginning of what promises to be a long and fruitful partnership.”
About Urban Pathways: Since 1975, Urban Pathways has engaged New York City’s most vulnerable residents—people living on the streets or in areas unfit for human habitation, many of whom live with mental illness—and has provided them with comprehensive housing and services to meet their immediate and long-term needs. By utilizing a low-demand, “housing first” approach and consistent engagement, assessment, and rehabilitative and supportive services, Urban Pathways ensures that homeless men and women can create a future of hope, in their own home.
Urban Pathways’ continuum of service engages homeless men and women where they are in the cycle of homelessness by providing outreach, drop-in center services, transitional housing, and extended-stay and permanent supportive housing. Housing is complemented by intensive case management, referrals for medical and psychiatric treatment, and assistance in maximizing socialization and daily living skills. Urban Pathways’ goal is to provide each program participant with housing and support, tailored to their needs, so that they can achieve self-sufficiency and independence.
About the New York Junior League: The New York Junior League (NYJL) is an organization of women committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Since 1901, the NYJL has been a leader in identifying and responding to unmet community needs. Through direct service, collaborations with other community organizations, and advocacy, the NYJL provides a positive force for change within the communities it serves.
Each year more than 2,800 trained volunteers donate more than 250,000 hours of their time to better the lives of women and children in New York City. The NYJL works with more than 50 community-based organizations and public agencies to deliver services and assistance directly to women and children in need.
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