Vol. 37, No. 2 www.nyc.gov/nycha FEBRUARY 2007 FREE BEAR JACKETS FOR 4,000 NYCHA YOUTH THROUGHOUT CITY THANKSTOADONATIONBYTHEAPPARELGIANTBEAR U.S.A., INC., 4,000 YOUNG NEW YORK CITY HOUSING AUTHORITY (NYCHA) RESIDENTS HAVE BRAND NEW BEAR DOWN JACKETS TO KEEP THEM WARM THIS WINTER. NYCHA staff joined Bear’s founders, the Hong family, along with representatives from the Korean American Community Foundation (KACF) to kick off the jacket donation/distribution at the Williamsburg Community Center in Brooklyn on December 5th. Approximately 100 children received the jackets at the event in recog- nition of their participation in NYCHA’s extracurricular activities. The remaining 3,900 jackets were distributed at NYCHA community centers around the City during the following two weeks. As various members of the Hong family made clear, the jacket giveaway is their way of repaying the kindness that was shown to NAVIGATORS The new Community Health Navigators with Resident Support Services Director Richard them after the family’s sneaker business was destroyed during riots Greene (far right), Healthy Families Executive Director Dr. Rev. Paul Smith (center), Program Director in Washington Heights in 1992. Because of an outpouring of help Necole Brown (standing, third from left), additional staff, and Wyckoff Resident Association President from the community and a special $25,000 check from an anony- Marguerite Scott (in red) and Gowanus RA Charlene Nimmons (standing, second from left), both of mous donor, presented to the family by then-Mayor David Dinkins, whom are also Health Navigators, at Gowanus Houses on January 11th. the family was able to reestablish its business and launch the Bear, U.S.A. clothing brand in 1994. New ‘Healthy Families’ Program In Brooklyn Standing in the beautiful, glass-enclosed community center, NYCHA Vice-Chairman Earl Andrews, Jr. thanked Thomas Hong of By Eileen Elliott Bear and Bomsinae Kim of the KACF. The Vice-Chairman pointed WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR HEALTH THE RESIDENTS OF GOWANUS HOUSES AND WYCKOFF GARDENS, LOCATED IN THE BOERUM out that the giveaway, “...rewards thousands of young people who live HILL SECTION OF BROOKLYN, ARE IN GOOD HANDS — THE HANDS OF 12 NEWLY HIRED “COMMUNITY HEALTH NAVIGATORS,” WHO in public housing for their extra special work after school in NYCHA’s ARE ALSO RESIDENTS THEMSELVES. Under supervision from a newly created nonprofit organization called many educational and athletic programs.” Healthy Families, the Community Health Navigators will conduct surveys in the two developments to deter- Bear formed a partnership with the nonprofit KACF to promote mine what health issues residents are dealing with and what barriers are preventing residents from inter-community relations. Last year, Bear also donated jackets to getting the health care they need — for example, lack of health insurance or available transportation, or 2,000 children who live in NYCHA developments. limited proficiency in English. The Navigators will then work with the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), Healthy Families, and the nearby Long Island College Hospital (LICH) to overcome those bar- riers. “Our main focus is to get people connected to a primary care physician to prevent disease,” said Healthy Families’ Program Director Necole Brown. One of the new Navigators, dent and CEO of the Omnicom six years. As announced in a Marguerite Scott, who has been Group, is also on the Board of press conference about the pro- the Resident Association Presi- Directors of LICH. If all goes well gram last October, Mr. Wren dent of Gowanus Houses for nine with the Gowanus/Wyckoff pilot, sees Healthy Families as his way years, said she was “overjoyed” the grant will also fund Healthy of giving back to the community when she first learned of the pro- Families programs at other he grew up in. gram. Why? Because neighbors Brooklyn sites over the course of (Continued on page 6) would often tell her about the dif- ficulties they had getting health care. “I never did have all the A Window Guard In Every Window answers,” Ms. Scott said at the NEW YORK CITY LAW REQUIRES LANDLORDS TO INSTALL WINDOW GUARDS IN EVERY first training session for the Com- APARTMENT WHERE A CHILD AGED 10 OR UNDER RESIDES, OR WHEN A RESIDENT munity Health Navigators on Jan- REQUESTS THEM. To enhance the safety of residents NYCHA is going uary 11th. “Now with Healthy above and beyond the law and will install window guards in all apart- Families, the answers are all right ment windows that do not have permanently installed air condition- at my fingertips.” ers or security gates, starting this “It’s a very exciting program,” year. To schedule an appointment said NYCHA’s Resident Support for the installation of window Services Director Richard Greene. guards in your apartment: Resi- “I’ve been very impressed with dents of the Bronx and Brooklyn the quality and commitment of should call your Management the residents hired as Commu- Office, and residents of Queens, nity Health Navigators; many Staten Island and Manhattan already have a background in the should call the Centralized MAKING WINTER BEARABLE Approximately 100 young NYCHA health field.” Call Center at (718) 707-7771. residents came to the Williamsburg Community Center to receive The creation of Healthy Fami- NYCHA will make every effort to free down jackets made possible by a donation from Bear USA, Inc. lies was made possible by a sub- install the window guards quickly, Bear donated a total of 4,000 jackets to NYCHA youth as a way of stantial grant from John Wren, and at your convenience. Please “giving back” to the community. who, in addition to being presi- call by March 30th. PAGE 2 PAGE 6 PAGE 6 TAKING STEPS TOWARDS GATEWAY TECHNOLOGY FEBRUARY IS HEALTHY A BRIGHTER FUTURE GRADUATION HEART MONTH! THE HOUSING AUTHORITY JOURNAL 2 FEBRUARY 2007 MAYOR’S MESSAGE Patrick Cimino: A Maintenance Worker with Heart Building on the Successes of the Past to Take By Heidi Morales Next Steps Towards a Brighter Future SOME MAY KNOW HIM AS M-1, MAINTENANCE #1, OR AS PATRICK NEW YORK IS A SUCCESS STORY, WITH “THE GO-TO GUY.” His name is PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD Patrick Cimino, Resident/Mainte- WANTING TO COME HERE. Our streets are cleaner and safer, our schools are nance Worker for the New York better, and everywhere you look, you City Housing Authority’s can see a renewed sense of hope in (NYCHA) Isaacs Houses, which the projects that will transform our means that he resides in the same City in the future. development where he works. A In my annual State of the City blessing or a burden? It depends address, delivered last month, I out- who you ask. His wife might opt lined a far reaching and ambitious for the latter but the reality is that agenda that takes advantage of the as part of his “residency” Mr. unique position of strength the City Cimino is on call 24 hours a day, finds itself in as a result of five years seven days a week and he doesn’t of innovation, accountability and fis- seem to mind one bit. cal responsibility to prepare New Mr. Cimino has been an employee of NYCHA for 15 years York for its strongest future. Our chief new initiatives are tax relief for AWARDEE Patrick Cimino at Stanley Isaacs Houses. Mr. Cimino and has lived in the Stanley Isaacs homeowners and small businesses, a program designed to help low- received an Isaac Liberman Public Service Award from the Hundred Houses in upper Manhattan for income New Yorkers fully realize the Earned Income Tax Credit, elim- Year Association of New York. ination of the sales tax on clothing and shoes, and a package of nine of those years. But he has educational reforms designed to foster innovation and continually stood out for more than the up- family when he’s been called in to “No matter what you need—I increase accountability. I also unveiled proposals to fight poverty, keep of the development; he has take care of an emergency situa- don’t care what it is—we always increase government integrity and accountability, and further fight proven himself to be a caring tion at the development and with- say find Patrick, literally.” illegal guns and reduce crime. Here are some highlights: human being, an exemplary citi- out hesitation he has responded Mr. Cimino has received zen, a distinguished civil servant with a smile on his face and his awards from the City Council, a Creating Great Public Schools and a respectable family man. tools in his hands. “If I’m around I Certificate of Merit from the Since securing the responsibility and authority to reform and run So much so that on December will come out even [while] on New York State Assembly, and the City’s public school system, this administration has brought sta- 20th of last year Mr. Cimino vacation because that’s my job,” Special Congressional Recogni- bility, accountability, and coherent standards to a system that had became one of the recipients of the he added. tion for his “outstanding and failed generations of children. Today, on-time graduation rates are the 2006 Isaac Liberman Public Ser- Mr. Cimino describes himself as invaluable service to the Stanley highest they have been in 20 years and reading and math scores have vice Awards, sponsored by the “useful.” However, Mrs. Bergin Isaacs Community during the increased significantly. Hundred Year Association of New describes him as knowledgeable Blackout of 2003.” In 2007, we will build on these gains by giving more decision-mak- York, an organization which recog- and humble. “He’s a very dedi- Overall, Mr.