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Advocacy Archives
December 11, 2006 -- Advocacy Report - December 2006
The Advocacy Department is collaborating with the New York State Campaign for Mental Health Housing, a coalition of organizations including mental health providers, consumers, family members, social service agencies, advocates, and experts working to ensure that all New Yorkers with mental illness have access to safe and affordable community based housing and support services. As part of their Executive Steering Committee, we are helping organize a lobby day in Albany for the end of January, in which our residents and staff will participate. In preparation for this lobby day, Covenant House New York will be hosting an organizing rally with the Campaign on Thursday, December 7th. Continuing with our work in the communities, the Advocacy Department along with representatives from the Community Programs, attended a Staten Island Chamber of Commerce Mix and Mingle, a Staten Island Community Board 1 meeting, and their Youth Services Committee meeting. At the Community Board meeting, we had the opportunity to say a few words about our agency and what services we provide to the Staten Island community. We were also introduced to the producer of the cable show Staten Island Viewpoint, and have been asked to appear on the show at the end of December. The Youth Services Committee was very excited about reinstating a relationship with us, and will be visiting the Staten Island storefront to learn more about our services and talk about more ways we can collaborate. In conjunction with Covenant House Corporate and Montalbano Initiatives Inc, invitations were sent out to New York City public and elected officials to attend our 16th Annual Candle Light Vigil for Homeless Youth. As a result, Councilman Lewis A. Fidler, Chairman of the City’s Youth Services Committee, and Councilman David I. Weprin, Chairman of the City’s Finance Committee, both attended and spoke at the Vigil. In their speeches, Councilman Fidler declared war on youth homelessness in New York City, and Councilman Weprin expressed the Finance Committee’s commitment in assisting the fight against youth homelessness. The Director of Advocacy, along with Montalbano Initiatives Inc, attended a City Council meeting at which the Director was introduced to several Council Members including Leroy G. Comrie Jr, Sara M. Gonzalez, Michael E. McMahon, Diana Reyna, Joel Rivera, and Albert Vann. Both Councilman Comrie of Queens and Councilwoman Reyna of Brooklyn have expressed an interest in meeting with us to discuss our services to the community and how to build further partnerships. The Advocacy team attended a Child Welfare Symposium hosted by the Child Advocacy Clinic at St. John’s University School of Law. At the symposium, we had the opportunity to meet Commissioner John Mattingly of the Administration for Children’s Services of New York, and Commissioner Kevin Ryan of the Division of Youth and Family Services of New Jersey. Commissioner Mattingly expressed an interest in learning more about our Minor’s Program, and has scheduled a visit with us for early March. Other activities the Advocacy Department has been a part of include a town hall meeting with Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer to discuss the issues facing the Greenwich Village community, as well as the homeless youth situation at the Christopher Street Pier. We also attended Community Council meetings for the 81st precinct in Brooklyn and the 120 precinct in Staten Island.
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