South Bronx Residents Are Getting To Know Their Neighbors
It's hard meeting new people, especially during a global pandemic, which is why Banana Kelly staff and resident leaders have launched the Know Your Neighbor Campaign! In partnership with the Banana Kelly Data Team, BK tenants and staff have designed a new needs assessment survey to help us listen to tenants in 14 targeted buildings across the South Bronx. By better understanding what people are going through right now and what they need, resident leaders will be able to organize follow-up tenant association meetings customized to their building's needs in order to discuss priorities and possible solutions. Not only that, but the data we collect through this campaign will help Banana Kelly improve it's services going forward! After a three-part training series, our team is ready to start surveying their neighbors so stay tuned for what we find out in the next two months!
Forest Avenue Open Streets Walking Tour
Did you know that the part of Forest Avenue stretching between Westchester Avenue and East 156th Street is designated as an NYC Open Street? Did you know that the street should be closed to traffic everyday and their should be regular community programming happening? Did you know none of that is happening? This is why Banana Kelly residents and staff are taking matters into their own hands by conducting community visioning sessions, identifying community partners, and designing their own weekly programming. Recently, staff and resident leaders toured the area in order to not only savor the warm sunshine, but also visualize the great ideas that we've been hearing! If we want to see ideas like the youth programming, arts workshops, yoga classes, small business vendors, and healthy cooking demonstrations (to name a few) become reality, then we have a lot of work to do. If you are interested in helping us put together the summer calendar, conduct community outreach, and coordinate weekly events, please write igraystack@bkcianyc.org
Hunts Point Residents Bring 182 Urgent Repair Issues to HPD Deputy Commissioner AnneMarie Santiago
On March 29th, Hunts Point residents met with the Deputy Commissioner for the Office of Enforcement and Neighborhood Services at the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, AnnMarie Santiago and two of her other staff members! The tenants presented her with a spreadsheet of 182 repair issues across 54 apartments in 4 different buildings, all owned by the same landlord.The meeting was a success and Deputy Commissioner Santiago agreed to arrange inspections in all four buildings. She also agreed to join our team and report back on the results of the inspections at our next tenant meeting!
Recipe: Grandma’s Banana Pudding & Aunties Cheesecake in One
By Aniyah
Ingredients:
- Vanilla Wafer (2 ¼ Cups)
- Sugar (measure with heart)
- Ten Tablespoons of Butter
- Three Bars of Cream Cheese (can be vegan options)
- 1 ½ cup of sugar
- Three tablespoons of flour
- One box of Banana Pudding
- Half a cup of sour cream
- Three eggs at room temperature
- Measure vanilla with heart
- Two cups of mashed ripe bananas
Tools Needed:
(Note: The recipe can be tweaked depending on the size of the pan.)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- Crush up wafers and mix together melted butter.
- Press mixture into pan and bake for 15-20 minutes let cool at room temperature.
- Combine in a bowl, cream cheese, sugar, flour, and pudding until smooth.
- Add sour cream.
- Add one egg at a time and beat one egg at a time.
- Add mushy banana
- Add vanilla
- Pour the mixture into the pan with the crust.
- Bake for one hour 35 minutes in a water bath.
- Cut the heat and leave the door closed for 30 minutes.
- Chill overnight.
- Decorate how you choose.
|
