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In This Issue:
- End of
the Year Note
- 2023 Highlights
- Celebrating New
Light
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Dear
Neighbors,
Now
lasting over 10 years,
the effort to save
Elizabeth Street
Garden has called for
outstanding
perseverance from our
community. Reflecting
on each passing year
presents an
opportunity to
recognize every shared
moment in this oasis.
The
Garden has grown into
an iconic New York
City place, known
throughout the five
boroughs and the world
not just as a vital
community green space
but as a work of art
in its own right. That
so many people from
all
different backgrounds
have continued to
invest so much, with
no guarantee of what
the future holds, is a
testament to how
special the garden
truly is.
When
the Appellate
Division of the NY
State Supreme
Court overturned
the previous
ruling in our
favor, the Housing
Department, the
developers, and
the
Real-estate-influenced
media all
attempted
to mislead the
public into
thinking the fight
for the garden was
over. But
our fight is not
over. Despite
their own
unanimous
decision, the same
judges granted us
leave to appeal to
the highest court
in the state,
validating the
importance of our
arguments. The
outcome of this
case will set a
legal precedent
that either
weakens or upholds
environmental
review at a city
and statewide
level.
We are
in the midst of
both a housing
crisis and a
climate
crisis. Such
critical issues
call for solutions
of a higher
standard that
achieve
much-needed affordable
housing at no
expense to equally
important green
space. Preserving
Elizabeth Street
Garden as a
Conservation Land
Trust and building
housing at
alternative sites
within the
district addresses
both pressing
needs without any
loss whatsoever.
So as
we look forward,
our work continues
and with it the
magic of each day
and every year
shared in the
garden.
Sincerely,
Joseph Reiver
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Proposal to Mayor Adams
We
handed Mayor
Adams our
proposal that
saves
Elizabeth
Street Garden
in its
entirety as a
Conservation
Land Trust and
achieves the
administration's
affordable
housing goals
for the
district using
alternative
sites.
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New Volunteers
We
welcomed new
people into
the community
with now over
370 volunteers maintaining the grounds, providing free programs, and
keeping the
garden
open all year
long.
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Food
& Clothing
Drive
We
started a
monthly food
& clothing
drive for our
neighbors at
The Bowery
Mission,
collecting
over 600
pounds of
donated
goods.
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Public
School Classes
We
continued our
educational
workshop
series with
the
students from
PS 130 who
learned about
gardening,
sustainable
stewardship, and
more!
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Equinox
Celebrations
We held our first Spring & Autumn Equinox
Celebrations
with
performances
by Tenzin
Choegyal and
Jesse &
Patti Smith!
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Easter Egg Hunt
We held
our Annual
Easter Egg
Hunt with over
1000 eggs
hidden and our
biggest
turnout yet!
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Wellness
Programs
Our weekly wellness programs with Sky Ting
Yoga & Tai
Chi Solutions
were more
popular than
ever before!
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Free Public Events
We
continued to
expand our
public
programs
including
Movie Nights,
Live Music
Sundays, and
Poetry along
with comedy
shows, sound
experiences,
and holiday
celebrations.
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A Center For Art
We featured
over
150 poets,
musicians,
authors, and
fine artists
as part of our
live music
& poetry
series and
ongoing Call
to Artists.
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4th
Annual
Halloween Pet
Parade
We
celebrated
our 4th Annual Halloween Pet Parade featuring the cutest
costume runway
competition
and prizes
from
supporting
local
businesses.
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Legal
Progress
We
were granted
leave to
appeal to the
Court of
Appeals after
our first
victory in the
State Supreme
Court was
overturned. At
the same
time, our
community
showed up
again &
again for the
eviction trial
hearings in
Housing Court.
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Solstice
Celebrations
We
gathered in
July to
celebrate the
Summer
Solstice and
in December to
celebrate the
Winter
Solstice.
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We are
forever grateful to
all of our many
supporters,
neighbors, and
volunteers who help
make the garden such
a special place for
our community. With
your continued
support, we will
keep going in our
work to protect
& preserve
Elizabeth Street
Garden in the new
year and forever.
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Contribute online, or mail a check to:
Elizabeth Street
Garden, Inc
209 Elizabeth Street
New York, NY 10012
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On
the longest night,
we celebrated new
light.
Thanks to everyone
who was a part of
our biggest Winter
Solstice Celebration
yet! Ringing in the
new year,
experiencing a
beautiful live
performance, and
gathering around the
fire made for a
truly special
evening.
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Special Thanks to...
Luminae
Productions
for the beautiful
lighting of the
garden.
The Alchemist's Kitchen, Lisa Keenan,
Little Cupcake
Bakeshop,
and Baked By
Melissa
for the yummy
treats.
Ellena
Phillips &
Erica Mancini
for the enchanting
sounds.
And last but
not least a
special thanks to
all of our
wonderful
volunteers who
decorated and made
the night so
charming.
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The
garden will remain
lit for the
remainder of the
season so be sure
to walk by and see
the sparkle!
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Happy Solstice and Happy New Year from Elizabeth
Street Garden!
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Contribute online, or mail a check to:
Elizabeth Street
Garden, Inc
209 Elizabeth Street
New York, NY 10012
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#ElizabethStreetGarden
#SaveESG
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Elizabeth
Street Garden, Inc.
(ESG) is a 501(c)(3)
nonprofit
organization
incorporated in 2016
in New York with the
mission to
protect &
preserve the magic
of Elizabeth
Street Garden as a
public community
green space and to
determine how the
City together with
the community can
protect the Garden
for generations to
enjoy. Contributions
made for the
charitable purposes
of Elizabeth Street
Garden are
tax-deductible to
the extent allowed
by law.
Copyright
© 2023 *Elizabeth
Street Garden Inc,
All rights
reserved.
Our mailing
address is:
Elizabeth Street
Garden
209 Elizabeth St.
New York, NY 10012
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