The Friends of Van Cortlandt Park is a not-for-profit organization that in partnership with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation is committed to supporting the conservation and improvement of Van Cortlandt Park.

Description:
The Friends of Van Cortlandt Park was founded in 1992 in response to dramatic cuts in the City's Parks and Recreation budget that created a growing need for community stewardship and private sector funding. Originally, FVCP was a small, informal group of Bronx residents interested in collectively sponsoring a park-based teen program. The Summer Teen Program had such a positive effect on both the Park and the teen participants that FVCP was encouraged by the Parks Department to assume a leadership role in broader park issues.

There is a clear distinction between the goals and activities of FVCP and those of the NYC Parks Department. While bringing resources to bear in maintaining Van Cortlandt Park as the City’s forth largest park, the Parks Department serves all public park facilities while FVCP focuses solely on serving Van Cortlandt Park. The Parks Department has the infrastructure and manpower to maintain the grounds, landscape and facilities; FVCP works to provide ongoing high-quality education and stewardship programs along with identifying community needs and working with residents to improve park conditions.

All programs and projects sponsored by the Friends are funded by individual donations, grants from businesses, agencies, institutions and foundations. The Friends are non-partisan, non-profit and tax-exempt. The Friends left their fiscal agent, City Parks Foundation, on March 31st, 2002. The Friends is governed by a 14 member Steering Committee and employs an Executive Director, an Education Coordinator and a part-time Program Assistant. This past year, the Friends have had several accomplishments: we planted 725 trees and shrubs in the park with the help of 426 volunteers, trained 155 teachers on how to use the park to teach about the environment, had 106 children participate in our out of school time programming and had 1,600 students attend our school programs.

History:
The Friends of Van Cortlandt Park was formed in 1992 as concerned Bronx citizens responded to the devastating budget cuts affecting budget cuts affecting all New York City Parks, Van Cortlandt in particular. The Friends flagship project was the Teen Park Employment Program- hiring teens from the Bronx to work and learn in Van Cortlandt Park during the summers. Since its inception this program has accomplished its goal: providing teens with a valuable paid work and educational experience while contributing to overall improved conditions in the park. In 1996, the Friends teamed up with the Riverdale Neighborhood House to develop a year round Environmental Internship program where teens work every Friday and alternating Saturdays in the park to learn about local environmental issues and to gain a sense of park stewardship.

Current Friends of Van Cortlandt Park programs include trail maintenance volunteer programs, Environmental Internship for High School Students, Summer Teen Program, Van Cortlandt OUTDOORS: Teacher Workshops Series, Van Cortlandt Adventures school programs, Junior Naturalists afterschool program and raising funds for capital projects with the Parks Department.

Contact people:

Christina Taylor, Chief Executive Officer, (718) 601-1460, (email) Sara Kempton, Program Director, (718) 601-1553, (email)

Address:

124 Gale Place Apt. GrA Bronx, NY 10463 (See a map)

Directions:

Take the 10 bus to Orloff Avenue and Van Cortlandt Park South. Walk north on Orloff and make first left onto Gale Place.   Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: 1 and 4 train,   Walk distance (in minutes): 15   Nearest Bus Stop: 10, 5 minute walk