REV LINNETTE C WILLIAMSON MEMORIAL PARK ASSOCIATION INC

Homeless Families in Harlem Domestic Violence Shelter: We supported single-parent families and their children in the Rose House shelter operated by the Safe Horizon nonprofit organization. It is the largest victim services nonprofit organization in the United States. Safe Horizon staff provide services to victims of abuse and violent crime. The Rev. Williamson Park Association supplemented the shelter services by assigning a spending budget for each of the maximum 53 shelter families with 3 or less children. The families shopped in a department store for new clothes, shoes, sweaters, jackets, etc., as well as school supplies and merchandise for the bedroom, bath, kitchen, etc., while living in one of the apartments in the shelter. The range of merchandise provided much needed assistance to the families when making the transition to life without violence in the home or elsewhere.

Operation of Harlem Parks, Playground, and Big-City Farming Program: The volunteers in The Rev. Williamson Park Association built in the 1990's and have stewarded ever since three vest-pocket parks and one playground of grass for preschool children and community activities. These four open-space properties are named as follows and located at the indicated addresses: Edward P. Bowman Park at 52 West 129th Street; Unity Park at 53-57 West 128th Street; Linnette C. Williamson Park at 65 West 128th Street; and the Harlem Village Green playground at 54 West 129th Street. Our first accomplishments as a Harlem land trust were to build these properties in a neighborhood that had an insufficient number and quality of parks and playgrounds. Many Harlem residents have a cultural and family heritage of farming. All four of the properties we built have opportunities for agricultural and horticultural activities. There are close to 50 families that grow their own vegetables and herbs. The families also take an active role, as volunteers, in contributing to the maintenance of the parks and playground as well as keeping the parks accessible for community use.