South End Neighborhood Watch Started

Community members kicked off the new South End Neighborhood Watch Tuesday at the Six Blocks meeting at the Howe Library, with Mayor Kathy Sheehan, Common Council member Vivian Kornegay and Albany Police Chief Steven Krokoff as guests.


Mayor Sheehan reiterated her commitment to making Albany a great place to live, with safe neighborhoods throughout the city. Chief Krokoff complemented the new Neighborhood Watch leaders on their commitment, talked about how the watch program works with the Albany Police Department and led a lively question and answer session.

At last count, more than 15 people has signed on as Watch Leaders, and they are being equipped with information cards and training, as well as support as needed to make sure they can stay in touch.

 

This program started in the Six Blocks area around South Pearl and Broad Streets, but is spreading to many other blocks in the South End. Watch leaders will meet regularly and will be able to pass information on to the police and also to other city departments, or work through our two “beat cops".

Officer Ben Sturges, our longtime community engagement officer, is the person to contact if you want to see Neighborhood Watch on your street. You can reach him at (518) 542-1311, or bsturges@albany-ny.org.

City responded to AVillage's petition on Lincoln stairs

AVillage members first became aware of the dangerous condition of the stairs to the Lincoln Park Bowl during the first Mississippi Day celebration there in 2012. Over the next several years we wrote letters, talked to our elected officials and sent members to speak to the Albany City Council. On October 21, our voices were heard! 

In short, the city government promised that a new ramp and staircase connecting the Lincoln Park's roadways to the lower grassy bowl will be built next year. The park will then be more accessible to people with disabilities. More information on Times Union news Ramp to replace staircase reported by Jordan Carleo-Evangelist on Tuesday, October 21, 2014. 

However, it is too early to claim success. AVillage will continue to follow up on this issue and ensure the ramp and stairs will be constructed as residents’ needs.

Please feel free to email or call AVillage with any questions you may have, or any suggestions or ideas about how we can make our community a better place, together.

My Brother's Keeper

AVillage New Initiative is a long time coming but it's never too late to help our young brothers in their effort to become men of honor in their communities. This new initiative will need all of us to lend a helping hand. 

If you would like to get involved with AVillage and this great effort, please contact me and I will gladly give you more details as to how we can all make a difference in these young men lives. My number is 518-859-4305, email is avillage5@aol.com, thank you.

More information about My Brother's Keeper: http://mbkchallenge.org

Save the Ladder 1

Our Ladder Truck has been SAVED!!!~ Thank You Mayor Sheehan and the Common Council, Lead by Common Council President Carolyn McLaughlin. Our Leaders are the Best!

AVillage's Weekly Meetings

AVillage's Weekly Meetings...Please Join Us Every Thursday From 5:30pm-7:30pm...It's exciting!!! Lot's of Great Planning. Where Your opinion matters. We have a new meeting location, we now meet at the new Capital South Campus Center, located at 20 Warren Street Room 302A

Hope to see you there! Today and every Thursday!

Let’s March In Protest of a Neighborhood DANGER!

Residents of the South End will protest the failure of CSX Railroad and its subsidiaries to fix the gaping hole in the fence that separates Dongan Avenue at Bassett Street, behind the massive public housing projects on Green Street, from the busy rail lines that run to the Port of Albany. Residents have tried in vain for months to get either the city or the rail company to fix the fence, but have been informed by city officials that the fence is railroad property.

“This is a clear hazard, especially to the many children who live in this part of the South End,” said Willie J. White, executive director of AVillage…, Inc. “It’s another example of the railroads not paying attention to the desires of their neighbors and actually putting us in harm’s way.”

Numerous attempts have been made to get the city and/or the RailRoad to fix this horribly hazardous and hideous hole in the fence that leads directly to the Bomb Train rail lines, but to no avail. Do we wait until some one is killed on the tracks or until someone walks into the rail yard and damages an oil-filled, toxic, contaminating oil tanker car?

Let’s MARCH! And let the city and the RR know we protest this infringement on our right to safety where we live and work! Now is the time!

Saturday, September 27th starting at the Hole in the Fence at 9:00 AM. Join us and let your voice be heard above the financial din of clinking money that works to ignore what WE THE PEOPLE have as an inalienable right: SAFETY!

 

3rd Annual Mississippi Day Celebration

Thank you Albany for your support of our 3rd annual Mississippi Day Celebration. Your dedication and support made it all possible in-spite of the Rain. We had a great time. 

 

I went to church this morning and ask God to give us a great day for next year, thanks to all the elected officials who came out to celebrate with us, Albany Mayor Kathy Moran Sheehan, congressman Paul Tonko, common council president Carolyn Mclaughlin, councilwoman Vivian Kornegay, family court judge Peggy Walsh, assemblyman Assemblymember John McDonald, sheriff Craig Apple, and many more. Can't for get the clergy, but most of all thank God for the blessings he bestowed upon us all!

AVillage Farmers Market with Albany Med.

Thank you, Albany Medical Center volunteers for helping our South End Famers Market.

HAPPY 5TH ANNIVERSARY TO AVILLAGE

Since it was found on August 6, 2009, AVillage members have been working hard to create new programs and hopes in the South End and beyond. We’ve worked on many different projects in our communities. We fought very hard to bring public transportation to our community and will continue to fight on many different fronts to make sure that resources are in our communities.

Some of our accomplishments are: our 3rd. annual “Mississippi Day Celebration,” A vacant lot project called “Our Children’s Garden”, AVillage South End Farmer’s Market, our 4th annual (SEED) South End Earth Day, just to name a few. One new tradition we started in 2014 is an annual Celebration of Progress fundraiser, to thank all of our friends and supporters and a way to build our ability to do more.

Happy 5th Anniversary to AVillage!!

My Brothers Keepers is about to start!

AVillage is proud to announce that it will undertake it's own model of the "My Brothers Keeper" Program, AVillage is a work-site for the summer youth employment program "A-Light" our work-site has 9 students, five young men and four young ladies. AVillage has decided to take the five young men and start the "My Brothers Keepers Program" I'm sure this program will grow.

After working the last 3 weeks with these young men my heart goes out to them. I can't let them fail. I feel obligated to help them succeed. I'm proud of them, for three week we've been work on a history project and these young people has did an awesome job, they are blessed to have the opportunity to work with a historian from Siena College, Mr. Francis Butler, studying African American History. 

Because of the odds facing our young men of color, AVillage will work hard to lead our young men down a different path, it's going to take all of us to make this program a success, nothing else is acceptable, failure is not an option. 

Learn about My Brothers Keeper:

http://m.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/02/27/my-brother-s-keeper-new-white-house-initiative-empower-boys-and-young-men-color

Summer Youth with Jennifer Lemax

Our summer youth students posing with Jennifer Lemax, she wrote the book on Rapp Road, which is the history project the students are working on.

South End Farmers Market

AVillage Farmers Market Today at Lincoln Park Basketball Court, we also have ZUMBA and NUTRITIONAL CLASSES...LOTS OF FUN AT THE MARKET...COME OUT AND GET YOUR FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AND GET YOUR DANCE ON 1:00pm-5:00pm. 

If you attend the nutritional classes you will receive a 5.00 coupon to spend at the market, don't forget to bring your kids! We accept food stamp and farmers market vouchers. 

AVillage, serving our communities.

Meeting at "Our Children's Garden"!

Nice weather today!! We had our weekly meeting at "Our Children's Garden"! Welcome all community members to talk with us and share your stories.

"Our Children's Garden" Keller Williams and AVillage

Thank you, Keller Williams for transforming "Our Children's Garden" and our communities!

Community Police Officer Ben Sturges

Officer Benjamin Sturges is a 20-year veteran of the Albany Police Department and a long-time Community Engagement Officer for the South End. Since 2013 AVillage participated in the Youth-Police Initiative programl, Officer Ben has becomed a member of AVillage and reports at weekly meetings. 

AVillage with our kids and our favorite community police officer Ben Sturges.

HAPPY FATHERS DAY TO ALL THE GREAT FATHERS OUT THERE!

AVillage Fathers Day partnered with Albany Housing Authority.

Albany City School District Budget

Hello all, please join AVillage Tomorrow at 200 South Pearl Street which is the Albany Housing Building. We will host Dr. V., superintendent of Albany City School District, Dr. V. Will come to AVillage Weekly Meeting to present the School Budget.

You will have an opportunity to ask your questions about the budget and learn more about the process, hopefully after you hear Dr. V's presentation you will be better informed when you go to the polls on May 20th to VOTE. So please come hear this very important presentation.

5:30pm-7:30pm, we will have food for everyone.

If you need more information please call me and I will try my best to answer your questions, my number is 518-859-4305 or email me at avillage5@aol.com

THANKS, hope to see you there

Happy for AVillage, Receiving the "Ripple of Hope Award"

 AVillage Was Awarded by Robert F Kennedy Democratic Club

Ripple of Hope Award:
A Village Inc., Bestowed upon an organization that has made significant contributions to their community; engendering hope, opportunity, and positive change.

Honorable Vivian Kornegay introduces AVillage Willie White

South End Earth Day 2014

Earth Day Clean-Up! Food, Fun and Entertainment, With DJ TRUEMASTER!!!!
If You Come and Help Us, When The Entertainment Starts, I Will Sing "Happy" LOL..."Clap Along If You Feel Like A Room Without A Roof"...Cause I'M Happy!!!!

 

Earth Day 2014 Lincoln Park...Councilwoman Kornegay

 

ALight Summer Youth Employment

"Summer Youth Employment" Ages, 14-18 JOBS, JOBS, JOBS...

ALight= "Albany Learning Initiative Gaining Headway Together"

Our Youth Will Let Their Light Shine This Summer, "Our Summer Youth Employment Program Is Ready To Take Off!!!" Our Last Registration Is This Saturday April 5th at Lincoln Park Bath House. Please Spread The Word.

"We Really Want All of Our Children Working This Summer"

Do You Know A Child Who Need/Want A Job? If So, They Will Have The Opportunity To Work This Summer, Tell Everyone That We Are In Lincoln Park This Saturday From 9:00am-12:00Noon, Please Bring Your Completed Application To The Registration and Get Your Job. If You Need Help Please Let Us Know.

We Are Here To Help!! Please Call Willie White At 518-859-4305.

See You On Saturday, 03/05/2014...If You Are My FaceBook Friend, Please Share This Information, "It Takes AVillage", All of Us Working Together for The Success of Our Children/Communities!!! Thank You.

2014 Celeration of Community Action

Join us as we celebrate four years of grass-roots community accomplishments in the South End, honor some of our friends and AVillage members, and look ahead to another challenging year.

AVillage members meet every Thursday. From those grass-roots meetings have come the
successful fight for bus service on Morton Avenue, advocacy to improve the city’s summer youth programs and address vacant buildings, among many other issues.

But AVillage members also roll up their sleeves. We’re restored vacant lots, partners on three successful South End Earth Day events, created the much-loved Mississippi Day celebration in Lincoln Park, and raised funds for community members in need.

We are grateful for all your support, and look forward to celebrating with you.

Celebration of Community Action
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Reigning Life Family Church, 33 Rensselaer St., Albany, NY 12202