New York Restoration Project

I founded the New York Restoration Project (NYRP) in 1995 as a non-profit organization dedicated to reclaiming and restoring New York City parks, community gardens and open space. In partnership with the City of New York, NYRP is also leading MillionTreesNYC – an initiative to plant and care for one million new trees throughout New York City’s five boroughs by 2017.

NYRP has achieved dramatic results by investing in the greening and beautification of underserved communities throughout New York City.

Working in partnership with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, NYRP staff, AmeriCorps members, and community and corporate volunteers have planted hundreds of thousands of trees, shrubs and flowers to support the restoration of public parks and community gardens; restored and help maintain six New York City parks; and removed more than 2,000 tons of garbage from the City’s green spaces. In 1999, NYRP saved 114 community gardens from commercial development and established the New York Garden Trust to ensure NYRP’s precious plots of land remain public gardens in perpetuity.

http://www.nyrp.org

New Leaf Restaurant & Bar

New Leaf, constructed in the 1930’s, was envisioned by the Olmsted brothers – heirs of the designer of New York City’s Central Park – as a concession building that would house a public cafeteria and park administration offices. The structure’s cobblestone exterior, slate roof and granite archways were carried through in the main dining room and enhanced by massive oak trusses to support the space’s 18-foot-high ceiling.

Falling into disrepair over the decades, Bette Midler stumbled upon the dilapidated building in 1995 during her and her friends’ cleanup of then-neglected Fort Tryon Park – efforts which served as the catalyst for Midler’s founding of New York Restoration Project (NYRP). With Midler’s support, vision and effort to revitalize New Leaf, NYRP was awarded the honor of operating the site in 2000.

After extensive renovations, the originally named New Leaf Café – since rechristened New Leaf Restaurant & Bar – opened in December 2001. Interior re-design was provided by Fernando Santangelo, architect and artist; exterior re-design was provided by Armand LeGuardeur Architect. Together, Ms. Midler, NYRP and these talented individuals transformed a park concessions operation into a celebrated fine-dining establishment.

http://newleafrestaurant.com/

Midori & Friends

I have supported Midori & Friends over eight years. They do tremendous work by providing high quality music education programs to underserved children in New York City's public school system; providing musical opportunities for children, regardless of their ability, education, or economic background. They don’t just send musicians to demonstrate, they actually put instruments in the children’s hands and send dedicated musicians to teach them to play. It’s a fantastic program. In 2009-10 approximately 13,000 children citywide participated through in-school and after-school music instruction programs, family/community workshops at schools and community sites, an annual Children's Music Festival, and other special events.

http://www.midoriandfriends.org

Young Women's Leadership Foundation

TYWLS was established to nurture the intellectual curiosity and creativity of young women and to address their developmental needs. Learning is dynamic and participatory, enabling students to experience great success on many levels, especially in science, mathematics and technology. Students are encouraged to achieve their personal best in and out of the classroom. TYWLS strives to work with families to instill in the students a sense of community, responsibility, and ethical principles of behavior - characteristics that will help make them leaders of the next generation.

http://www.tywls.org

City Meals On Wheels

I am new to Citymeals on Wheels. They serve a population that is practically invisible in New York City, the homebound and elderly.

One of the largest meals on wheels programs in the U.S., Citymeals raises private funds to make sure this population will not go a day without food or human company. I sometimes think the company is more important than the food. Last year, contributors helped bring over 2 million nutritious meals to over 16,000 frail aged in every borough of New York City. Along with delivering nutritionally balanced senior meals, Citymeals coordinates thousands of devoted volunteers to provide human companionship.

http://www.citymeals.org