A photograph published in Town & Village on December 14, 1995 shows the Gramercy Park Block Association’s president Arlene Harrison with staff and residents at the Young Adult Institute’s annual Christmas party. The accompanying caption says the gathering had taken place the previous week.
The image is an early record of the Block Association’s connection with YAI and the people it served.
The party was YAI’s event. Harrison attended as a neighbor and supporter.
The Block Association’s Neighbors Helping Neighbors work includes support for people with disabilities, homebound residents and people facing housing insecurity. This early photograph sits within that longer history of taking part in the life of the broader community.