Organization Details:

The Lower Eastside Girls Club provides a place where girls and young women 8-23 can grow, learn, have fun, and develop confidence in themselves and their ability to make a difference in the world. By delivering strong arts, literacy, science, health and leadership programs we provide girls with the vision to plan - and the tools to build - their future.

Description and/or History:
The Lower Eastside Girls Club was founded in 1996 to address the historic lack of services available to girls and young women on the Lower East Side. The effects of inner-city social turmoil which took place in the 1960’s and 70’s throughout the nation hit the Lower East Side community in Manhattan very hard. Our neighborhood experienced unprecedented real estate abandonment and disinvestment as riots flared, buildings burned and drugs were rampant. Many social service agencies closed their doors and moved during these years, including a branch of The Children’s Aid Society and a chapter of what is now Girls Inc.

One of the few agencies to remain open and "tough it out" was the Boys Club of New York, operating two full-service facilities for boys. Yet, when boys and girls clubs nationwide merged in 1986, becoming the agency now known as Boys & Girls Clubs of America, few noticed that The Boys Club of New York, over 100 years old and operating a large facility on the Lower East Side, opted out of the merger. By 1990 the Lower East Side had become the last neighborhood in the United States with the "boys only" Boys Club distinction. A diverse group of Lower East Side women consisting of mothers, workers, artists, educators, scientists, athletes, business women and community activists organized in 1996 to address this obvious inequity. Soon thereafter, The Lower Eastside Girls Club was founded.

Girls Club programs fall into three overlapping categories that work to build Ethical, Entrepreneurial and Environmental awareness and leadership. Through an ever changing and age appropriate menu of activities and workshops in the arts, science and technology, health and wellness, literacy, world of work and civic engagement, we help girls discover what their individual skills and passions are, and then work with them to develop these interests to their full potential.
The Girls Club is committed to a project-based experiential learning model of education. For grammar school girls (grades 4-6) this means programs in schools that compliment, rather than duplicate, the work of the educational community—providing activities focused on science, wellness and nutrition and managing mentoring programs.
For middle school girls (grades 7-9) we run programs that require individualized and small group settings—digital filmmaking, poetry, writing and nutrition workshops for example—that help focus the girls during these particularly ‘distracting’ years.
Middle school girls are also involved with our high school girls (grades 10-12) in a wide variety of workshop offerings and ongoing programs held at the Girls Club’s literacy center, digital film, photography and technology lab, our community radio station, art gallery, and bakery. High school girls are also involved in leadership development, entrepreneurial training, financial planning and civic engagement programs.
This year we launched a special career-training program, Cascading Leadership, for older high school and college students, and Girls Club alumni.
Until our new Center for Community opens in 2011, we will continue operating programs in multiple local rental locations and partner schools. Moving into our own consolidated space will allow us to expand our programs, providing more intergenerational services, job training, academic, health, and community support.

Contact person: Adriana Pezzulli, Communications Director, (212) 982-1633, (email)

Address:

56 East 1st Street NYC, NY 10003 (See a map)

Directions:

Take the F train to 2nd Avenue or the 6 train to Bleecker. The Girls Club is at 56 East 1st Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues.   Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: F,   Walk distance (in minutes): 1   Nearest Bus Stop: M15, 1 minute walk