New York, NY, December 31, 2023 - The New York Junior League's (NYJL) Community Improvement Project (CIP) is proud to announce the completion of its site renovations with SCAN-Harbor at the Eisman Day Nursery, which they officially unveiled with a ribbon cutting ceremony on December 12. The ceremony was led by NYJL President Serra Eken and Eisman Day Nursery Program Director Ivelize Eatman. CIP dedicated over 200 hours of volunteer work and invested approximately $18,000, transforming an underutilized storage space into a library, creating a welcoming, functional space for students and staff.
“The NYJL is proud to support SCAN-Harbor’s Eisman Day Nursery through the renovation of its library,” NYJL President Serra Eken remarked. “We are thrilled that as a result of our collaboration with SCAN-Harbor, the nursery school students at Eisman have a new library where they will develop early reading skills critical to lifelong success and build a love of learning.”
Over November and December, CIP redesigned and beautified the children’s library at the Eisman Day Nursery, an early learning center in East Harlem. CIP volunteers primed and painted walls, installed new flooring, added lighting, assembled furniture, and hung art. Additionally, volunteers sorted through the book collection to curate the most appropriate and engaging selection for the students.
“It has been incredibly easy and efficient working with the New York Junior League volunteers,” said Ivelize Eatman, Program Director at the Eisman Day Nursery. “This project will be very important to our young students who will have a great place to call their home for reading!”
For nearly 20 years, the NYJL has been a proud partner of SCAN-Harbor, developing programming centered around critical areas such as childhood literacy and leadership skills development for teenage girls. SCAN-Harbor’s mission is to provide the highest risk families and children with integrated family-focused programming that uses a positive approach, harnesses individual strengths and fosters responsibility, self-esteem, initiative, and the development of life skills. The new library at Eisman Day Nursery creates a warm, welcoming environment for students to develop reading skills and meet one-on-one with speech pathologists and counselors. The library will also serve as a space for staff to meet and collaborate to better serve their students.
Each year, the New York Junior League establishes a one-year partnership with one to two New York City organizations to renovate a community space(s) that supports the organization’s mission and increases their impact. Applications for the 2024-2025 partnership will open in Spring 2024.
About the New York Junior League
Since 1901, the New York Junior League (NYJL) has responded to New York City’s most pressing socioeconomic challenges. Powered by more than 2,400 women volunteers, the NYJL works with nearly 60 community-based organizations to advance children’s social-emotional learning and to provide life skills programs to youth and adults who are navigating periods of difficult transition. Bringing their diverse experiences and talents, trained NYJL volunteers engage women and children in health, education, and arts workshops specially customized to their needs. The NYJL also advocates with state and city government for women- and children-centered policies and develops volunteers’ leadership skills for service in the NYJL and on other nonprofit boards, all while cultivating a community that reinforces women’s personal relationships and collective power as drivers of positive change.
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About SCAN-Harbor
Founded in 1977, SCAN-Harbor is the largest youth services provider for Harlem, East Harlem, and the South Bronx. With programs across 23 program sites, and as diverse as early childhood education, substance abuse treatment, violence prevention, performing arts, literacy programs, LGBTQ support, after school activities and events, employment skills training, and youth leadership, SCAN-Harbor’s positive approach builds on individual, family, and group strengths.
Contact
New York Junior League
Megan Zuckerman
848-448-2728
www.nyjl.org
press@nyjl.org
