The Paw Print

A news publication created by Baruch's College Now high school journalism class

Main Content

Recent Posts

Brooklyn Bridge Park: The Place to be This Summer!

by

 

Brooklyn+Bridge+Park

 

Brooklyn Bridge Park opened in March of 2010, transforming piers for unloading cargo into a  family park. The park is broken into six long piers,and five years later the construction and add ons are still in process. Currently Brooklyn Bridge Park offers a community pool, hockey rink, soccer field, basketball court, movie showings, and smorgasburg on Sundays! Smorgasburg is a gathering of 100 vendors, with samples of their food  for all to enjoy (with a view!).

 

Kevin Sayer and his daughter were headed to the pool with two towels in hand on a sunny Saturday afternoon. “I love how they turned nothing into something. Instead of taking my family on vacation we can enjoy any activity here without the cost of an expensive vacation.” Kevin enjoyed kayaking and sailing with his family later that day and added, “I can’t believe I get to do this all in Brooklyn!”

 

Elizabeth Davis, a mother of two in the park with her son Elven and his friend Sebastian, enjoyed the Hockey rink as a play date activity. “I think this park has saved my son’s summer to be honest,” she said as she watched the boys play, Davis added “It’s fun for all ages, when I want I can even have date night here with my husband.”

 

Although the park  is a great summer hangout spot, it also has its critics. Many Brooklyn residents are complaining about the gentrification to the neighborhood. Bernie Griffith, a Brooklyn native, who has been living there for 33 years, says the neighborhood is almost unrecognizable and it feels like Brooklyn as he knows it is being taken away from him. “If I wanted a park, i’ll go to Central Park, I just want my neighborhood back. Trust me when I say i’m not the only one who feels like this!” Bernie asserted.

Overall, although some see brooklyn Bridge Park as a negative gentrification in the neighborhood they know and love, many see it as a fun new place to spend their summer without  going very far. See for yourself and make your way down to piers 1-6 for a day to see for yourself!

National Night Out Against Crime: Harmony for a Day?

by

Come on, it is a summer event in New York City. Try not to steal or rob on this day, because police officers are everywhere.

Tuesday Aug. 4,  the 32nd National Night Out Against Crime once again starts in NYC. About 22 police precincts in Manhattan host this “against crime and danger party” around neighborhood.

At 4 P.M. in Columbus Park, there are about 5 to 8 police officers setting up booths. Some are preparing free snacks and free drinks for parents and their children. Others are preparing to hand out safety flyers. Also, there are two inflatable facilities which children could play and jump inside there.  

Less than half an hour later, many parents, children and citizens gather around the park to enjoy the party that NY police officers prepare for them.

The purpose of this activity is to promote the relationship between the police and citizens. To show that police officers are not always serious, they can also be social and communicable.

A police in a white shirt says, “The purpose of this is to let us come together with the community, to let citizens know about our job.”

In the park, police officers are talkative and friendly. They play with children and discuss the NY police duty with parents. Many police officers believe people’s lives are their priority, and it is their responsibility to protect them.

They think their main duty is to create a “peaceful New York City” where less accidents may happen. And this is why police patrol every street of NYC everyday from morning to night. 

Flyers they hand out in the park are about NYC Biking Laws and the safety procedure of driving. They are translated into several languages, such as Chinese and Spanish. Since most citizens live in Chinatown speak Mandarin and Cantonese, there are several bilingual police officers who translate for them.

On the driving flyers, it says: “in a city with 8 millions, accidents are everywhere. But car accidents can be prevented”. To reduce the risk of car accidents, citizens should be careful of a car that is about to do a U-turn. Drivers should slow down when they see people across the street.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio wrote on Twitter that the event is: “A promising symbol of how we can come together for the common good.”

However, some citizens think this event is just a temporary “harmony.”

On the Town hall website, “NYC ‘National Night out’ Seeks to Strengthen Police, Citizen Relationship” article by Cortney O’Brien points out many skeptical concerns about whether the police can truly protect communities.

Perhaps police can only be nice for certain period and then bring the fear back again after this party.

Such as in the past years, O’Brien mentions “the controversial and deadly altercations in Ferguson, Missouri, New York City, and Baltimore.” These cases are familiar to all in the United States.

Whether the National Night Out Against Crime is a “one day harmony” or a relationship bridge between police and citizen, we will see the result in the future.

Celebrate Brooklyn Takes Stage Again

by


concert-340989_1280

What do Childish Gambino, Willie Nelson, and Ladysmith Black Mambazo have in common? All of these performers have performed on the same stage in the most unlikely of places, Prospect Park.

Celebrate Brooklyn is an annual music festival located in Prospect Park, it has become a staple for the communities surrounding Prospect Park. The festival started in Prospect Park in 1979- in order to make the park an epicenter for the the community once again. Prospect Park, like many urban communities, had fallen into disorder during the 1960’s and ‘70’s.

In its early years, Celebrate Brooklyn couldn’t use the Prospect Park bandshell (at 9th street). Which had been deemed unsafe in 1978. After 1983, when the bandshell re-opened, Celebrate Brooklyn grew in its programing. Celebrate Brooklyn has called the bandshell home since.

The 2015 season started June 3rd to a thunderous opening night. Chaka Khan, winner of 10 Grammy awards (two as a member of the band Rufus), was the opening act. Last year the opening act was Janelle Monae, a Grammy nominated artist.

The season isn’t over yet. Upcoming shows include the Willie Nelson benefit concert and numerous free shows. The free shows include acts like tUnE-yArDs, Awa Sangho, and an assortment of other performers.

Celebrate Brooklyn doesn’t just have concerts. Earlier in the season there was dance performances and activities for children.

Celebrate Brooklyn offers amazing opportunities for Park Slope, and its surrounding communities. Celebrate Brooklyn is a showcase of amazing artist and activities, and it offers it all for free. Except for the benefit shows- which are 48 dollars for general admission. However, benefit shows are few in number. Celebrate Brooklyn creates opportunities to see world class performances for free.

Ava, 16, from Carroll Gardens says that she likes going to the shows because they’re “free”, and there are food and beverages that make it a “nice place to escape the heat of summer”. She also likes that “the show goes on, it doesn’t matter if it’s raining!”

Layla, 18, says that all the events she has gone to for Celebrate Brooklyn have been amazingly “organized”, and everything “runs effortlessly. Everyone there seems trained, intelligent, and efficient.” She commends the operation’s dedication, and the large scale productions seem to happen with such apparent ease.

Opportunities to get involved in Celebrate Brooklyn are anything but limited.

If one is eager for a new experience, then they should volunteer. Celebrate Brooklyn makes volunteering easy. Volunteers have flexible hours and a simple orientation, it is a way to pad any sort of resume, and to help the community! Duties for volunteers include; set up, clean up, and attendee assistance. Wearing colorful shirts, volunteers can be seen running around the venue, playing “gatekeeper” to the Brooklyn Friends (Prospect Park members) section of the shows, or doing surveys.

Volunteers also receive benefits. The number of shifts (a typical show is usually 1 – 4 shifts) equates to perks, such as reserved seats to free shows or benefit shows.

Besides being a volunteer, one can also donate to BRIC. BRIC is a nonprofit organization that organizes the shows- a media and arts programmer, they pride themselves on being able to make music and art accessible to everyone.

The final, and probably easiest, way to get involved is to simply attend the shows.  These events are meant to bring everyone from all over Brooklyn, and the city, to a common realm. People from all walks of life are welcome, and it’s ultimately a way to meet new people and to have fun.

Chinatown Residents Angered by the Sale of Counterfeits

by

“Get off the damn sidewalk! Beep, Beep! Go somewhere else!”

This is one of the many angry comments made by people of Chinatown on a daily basis about the lack of sidewalk space. The presence of sellers who sell counterfeit bags to tourists overcrowds the sidewalk and residents are fed up.

The sellers are usually women who wear fanny packs and loiter in front of areas where tourists tend to frequent. With an earpiece in one ear, the seller’s eyes shift from potential customers to the end of the block, making sure the police is nowhere in sight. If one gets close enough, one could hear them mumble names of several brands such as Gucci and Prada.

They have potentials customers meet them in an area without many police officers and give the latter a piece of papers with pictures of products they offer. Once the customers make their choice, the vendors contact the supplier to deliver the goods.

However, many residents of Chinatown start to find it a burden on their daily lives especially as the number of vendors and tourists grows. Some sellers harass people who simply walked pass them.

Ying, a former Chinatown inhabitant, commented, “My cousin told me that one day he would just gather a bunch of them [the sellers] and claim he is going to buy a lot of stuff…then call the police on them cause they block…the sidewalk.”

It seems a little harsh but illustrates the frustration among Chinatown residents.

Amy, a teenager, commented “I don’t mind the sellers…it is actually fun to watch them try to argue with the tourists about prices….but it does make it hard to walk.” She later added that the situation is caused by increased tourism in Chinatown. Some vendors even made alliances with tourist companies so the latter would bring tourists into certain areas of Chinatown that are known for counterfeit sales.

According to the American Bar Association, New York City Council Member Margaret Chin, who represents Manhattan District 1, is working to reduce the demand of counterfeit goods especially on Canal Street. The street is known internationally as the destination for purchasing counterfeit handbags and watches.

Chin introduced a bill that would provide stricter punishments for people involve in the the illegal sale of counterfeit goods. The bill, Title 18 United States Code Section 2320, punishes vendors with a fine up to $2,000,000 or 10 years of imprisonment.

Despite city crackdowns and City Councilwoman Margaret Chin’s effort to pass a bill, many people continue to break the law. In recent years, some residents notice that the initial business has moved away from Canal Street and has spread to other areas of Chinatown to avoid detection by the police. The new places include Elizabeth Street and Mulberry Street.

Police are even going undercover, using civilian vehicles to smoke out several operations in the aforementioned areas but this has only caused more disturbances.

On August 1st, police and vendors clashed on Mulberry Street. A street filled with both tourists and Chinatown residents as they watched an officer in a brown civilian car calling out to the group of vendors, causing the latter to drop their goods and break into a run. However, instead of chasing them, the officer stepped out of the car, picked up the goods and left.

These chaotic events are becoming more common in this area and civilians are tired of the continuous chaos.

“Sometimes, I just wish it was happening in some other place…you know?” said Henry, a teenager who lives in Chinatown.

 

Coney Island Beach Unsanitary Conditions Not Noticed by the Public

by

coney-island-new-yorkThe light brown sand is covered with women laid on multicolor towels tanning in the bright sun. Men in groups toss volleyballs back and forth across the beach. Families share laughs and in between probably take selfies with the hashtag “Coney Island.” In the distance, the water is dark blue and cold as ice. Pathways are uneasy to walk on and  trash cans are overfilled causing litter to be buried in the sand or thrown in the water.

Coney Island Beach has been reported in several sources to be in unsatisfactory condition. It has excessive amounts of litter, pathways that can cause potential trip hazards and an abundance amount of maintenance issues. However, Coney Island visitors enjoy the sunbathing weather on the sand claiming that the beach is actually better than others in the NYC area.

The area’s history as a seaside resort and amusement park is legendary and whether the beach is unsanitary or not, hasn’t stopped the public from enjoying the location.

The NYC Report Card was designed to be an easy-to-use tool for communities and public officials to assess their local beaches.

The 2015 report does not show any improvement as the status is still considered “unsatisfactory.” Almost a third of fountains failed inspection as the reasons for failure were insufficient pressure to take a drink, algae, weeds, or other unsanitary substance at the fountain’s foot.  Pathway maintenance at the beach also remains a challenge as they fell from a score of 99 in 2011 to a score of 78 in 2015. A third of surveyed areas on the boardwalk suffered from trip hazards in the form of missing, raised or sunken sections.

Little has changed since  the 2007 report, where “excessive broken glass was found at 40 percent of transects and excessive litter also impacted 40 percent of surveyed areas.” One quarter of the pathways suffered from wooden boards that were raised or missing, causing potential trip hazards and maintenance issues include spilled paint and loose nails. These unsafe conditions can end in injuries for Coney Island visitors, especially with 15 million visitors in 2006.

However, Coney Island visitors are not alarmed by these unsanitary conditions. The legendary experience the resort is known for still attracts then.

Coney Island is well known as the site of amusement parks and a seaside resort. The attractions reached a historical peak during the first half of the 20th century.

According to Brooklyn history, “as soon as the summer sun starts to scorch the Brooklyn pavement, Coney Island resurrects itself for another season of screeching rides and mischievous amusements as thousands migrate to its beach and boardwalk.”

A woman sunbathing on the sand said that the rides attract her to come to the beach. A man tanning under his umbrella said that the rides also did attract him, but also the convenience of the beach. It is local, easy to get there, more anemities and the bathroom is close to the sand area. A woman added that the relaxation and convenience attracts her to come to the beach. Although the beach is not to its upscale point of cleanliness, people are still attracted to its desirable assets.

People claim to be aware of the excessive amount of litter, but it is not “noticeable.” A lady said “The beach is actually the cleanest, it is cleaner than Orchard beach where in the water you step in diapers and tampons.” Another man said “It is not terrible, not bad and not really noticeable.”

Although people claimed that the litter was unnoticeable, they made suggestions for the future of the beach. Women said that there should be more garbage cans on the beach because people may feel it is too far and instead bury trash into the sand. A man added that people should be responsible for picking up their trash.

Imprisonment on the Island

by

A prison in the past, Roosevelt Island is now a progressive residential neighborhood. However, the difficulty of communing may at times make some of 12,000 residents feel like they are in prison.

Constant delays and construction on the F line, the only line stopping on this island, as well as thousands of new residents settling in the new buildings create overcrowding and longer commute for the islanders who need to travel to other parts of the city.

“F train has just been ridiculous during the last couple of weeks,” said a long time islander, Alex. According to Straphangers Campaign’s Subway Line Profile, F train has a below-average regularity which means that less F trains arrive on schedule.

Despite a tram that goes across the bridge, many residents prefer F train. So, in the rush hours, the Manhattan platform fills up in five minutes. When a delayed train comes, “some people cannot even get on,” says Alex, and are forced to wait for the next train. Sometimes the next trains comes in one minute, sometimes in 20 minutes.

6999587547_8c5fca6b5d_zWhen it’s clear that the train has been delayed, many try to take a tram. But, even here residents face challenges. “That’s another $2.75 you have to pay,” says Jessica because “no one is compensating us” for the swipe for the F train.

Additionally, the tram imposes challenges for disabled residents because the only two elevators on the Manhattan side have been broken for 3 weeks already.

Current construction on the F line has made things more complicated. “With this construction, we are stuck on the island almost every weekend,” says Jessica about MTA’s weekend construction that makes F trains go over the E line-skipping Roosevelt Island- almost every week. When Queens- bound trains don’t stop on the island, one has to go to 47-50 Rockefeller Center station and switch over to the Queens-bound train. “It adds close to an hour,” says Alex with weekend slow service and delays.  8066376643_005517bb92_o

Roosevelt Island has two bridges- Queensboro and Roosevelt Island bridges. However, both of them have specific commute challenges. For example, Roosevelt Island bridge only goes to Queens and the neighborhood where it ends has no train stations for avenues.

Queensboro bridge has no connection to the island at all. In order to get to Manhattan by car- which not every islander has- a driver has to first go to Queens and then, through a series of avenues, take Queensboro bridge to Manhattan. This might add up to 40 minutes to travel time.     

Despite existing challenges, recently opened buildings and other being planned for the future will attract thousands of people who could further overcrowd every form of transportation on the island. A new luxury building, Riverwalk 7, was finished last month. Already 40% percent of 266 apartments have been rented and some newcomers already moved in. This will probably mean more crowded buses, trains and trams.

According to the local newspaper, the Main Street Wire, Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) has hinted at the building of two more luxury condos right near Riverwalk 7. Although the process has not started yet, RIOC plans on starting it soon. New buildings will add a16081116347_8cafb32e08_on estimated thousand new residents to the island by 2019.

Residential buildings are not the only buildings on the island. Cornell University is building its new campus- Cornell Tech- on Roosevelt Island as well. According to Cornell University, this campus will include 2 million square feet of buildings, over 2 acres of open space, and will be home to more than 2,000 graduate students and nearly 280 faculty and staff. The campus is set to open in 2017. This addition to the island might mean even more overcrowded train and trams.

As a possible solution, AM New York once wrote about a ferry that will stop at three locations: Roosevelt Island, Long Island City and 34th street. “That would be great,” says Jessica.  

Daily News reports that that MTA plans to speed up the time on the 6,7 and F trains. The plan includes shorter audio announcements that might help trains leave the station in shorter time and 100 platform controllers who will help people get off and get on faster. This might mean less delays on the F line and, as a result, better commute for the Roosevelt Island residents.

Baruch’s Business Students get Advice From J.P Morgan’s Finest

by

Imagine being a Baruch College student, majoring in business, would career advice from successful JPMorgan managing be helpful?

 

Baruch College located at 55 Lexington Ave in Manhattan, New York is known for having one of the best business programs in the country.

With accounting, economics, finance and plenty more sectors of the business core, Baruch is cultivating thousands of future business men and women. What better way to motivate and ready their students by giving them advice from the biggest banking company in the world.

 

Two managing directors who have worked at J.P Morgan for more than 10 years  offered their expertise advice to the the future business leaders at Baruch. Marilyn Neese, senior Investment Banker says, Neese asserts as she drank her Starbucks Latte, “ I would like to say to my future business women out there, this is a male dominated field, but it’s important to only let this spur you on and not hinder you.” Nesse said. She quickly added “ In Addition, I’d say that students should take advantage of summer programs at J.P Morgan, which are located all throughout Manhattan.” Neese  emphasized the importance of going after something you’re passionate about and building a resume that reflects that.

 

On the 18th floor, is Jonathan Kuziak, an 11 year managing director, who offered his own advice in saying, “ It’s all about networking, learn all the software like Excel, SQL, Powerpoint, and lastly, prepare to balance your life- start that now!”

 

Overall, Neeze and Kuziak offer vital advice for those who seem themselves working for a big company, you must think about where you are now to be successful.

 

 Around the  JP Morgan Headquarters on Park Avenue,there are many opportunities for high school and college students to come and scope out the building and community of JP Morgan. Both Neese and Kuziak say get as comfortable with the company as you can before going on an interview. They both agreed on setting goals for yourself, no matter what field you plan on going into.

 

When asked, “Do you wake up everyday happy to come to J.P Morgan and do your job?” Both Neese and Kuziack said they don’t look at their positions at J.P Morgan as a job but a career that they are more than proud to arrive at and complete.
  Following your passion and getting yourself out there are sufficient ways of succeeding in Business, as Neese and Kuziak have illustrated. “Work hard and get your name out there.” Kuziack insists.

The Baruch College Experience: Social and Satisfied?

by

Is Baruch College worth it? To many, what makes a college experience worthwhile are the friends one makes there.

As incoming freshmen this summer ready themselves to spend the next several years at their matriculated colleges, the fear of not being able to meet people remains. Baruch College, a well-known commuter school, has its own story.

According to U.S. News & World Report, 100% of Baruch students live off-campus, and only 2% of students live in college-owned, operated, or affiliated housing. Those planning to apply to Baruch know very well the stereotype that commuter students who live far away don’t hang around after class.

That view is supported by Mohammad, a sophomore majoring in Finance, who claims that Baruch students are just there for the diploma, and see clubs as a way to stick fancy titles on a résumé rather than an opportunity to make friends. Instead, Mohammad had found his friends freshman year by hanging around the edges of the campus looking for a smoke. Today, Mohammad no longer smokes, but the common ground of a shared vice brought him and his companions together.

To Anushka, a senior who had transferred into Baruch, it’s all about networking. She held a full-time job until this spring, so it wasn’t the forty-minute commute from Upper Manhattan that obstructed her from making friends, but her financial responsibility. Instead, she builds friendships through shared classes and staying in touch. Anushka continued by saying that “It [took] me forever to realize that college’s not just about getting a good GPA or whatever…you have to get connected, you have to network.”

Anushka acknowledged it would be easier to connect to people if Baruch was a residential college. After all, dorms are well known for forcing roommates and suitemates to bond, perhaps even over the roaches and the lack of space.

Franklin, a junior who transferred from Hofstra University, lives in Queens, with a fifty-minute commute. On a bad day, it can take a hour. However, Franklin says “I feel [Baruch] is more social [than Hofstra]. I feel like there’s more things going on right here than there ever was back at the other university, [where] I used to commute as well.” Franklin also stated that “most” students at Hofstra live in a dorm (according to U.S. News & World Report, 47% of Hofstra students), so the university would cater to those who lived nearby. Those who lived off-site, then, had a significant disadvantage. At Baruch, everyone lives off-site.

For Joe, an incoming freshman who has to commute about an hour and a half from Staten Island, the commute does present a problem. However, he thinks that joining clubs would allow him to meet the people he wouldn’t otherwise. According to U.S. News & World Report, Baruch has 172 registered clubs and organizations, so it should not be too hard to find a niche.

“If you let it, it can provide a lot of opportunities, like if you go and set up schedules with your friends to leave at the same time every morning, and get to school around the same time, or take the same trains, then there’s a lot of opportunities,” said Joe.

Funding Baruch College Now

by

178791472_8357f2350d_o

High school students getting free college credits? The idea seems far-fetched.

However, this is made possible by Baruch College Now, a free program for high school students funded by the City University of New York (CUNY) and New York City Department of Education, that works to improve the academic achievements of high school students prepare them for college-level work.

According to The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, an independent corporation that works to improve higher education through effective public policy, the entire College Now program in NYC has a budget of $10 million, and a competitive scholarship available only to College Now students who enroll into a CUNY.  However, funding for each school in the CUNY system varies based on the number of students and programs the college chooses to provide.

For example, high school students enrolled in Baruch College Now are able to earn free college credits, to access Baruch facilities, to interact with Baruch faculty and to participate in academic, social, and cultural events. The main goal of the program is to reach as many students as possible to provide them with college level work and the college experience.

Some classes offered at Baruch include Journalism, Public Affairs, Anthropology, and Business. The program runs not only during the school year but also in the summer. In the summer, students are provided a metrocard and a daily meal ticket.

However, this summer, the Baruch College Now program seems to offer less funding for certain activities, hinting that perhaps there has been a change.

“Last year, the amount of money in the printing account was $50, this year it’s only $30,” commented Jane Liu, a returning College Now student who noticed the decrease in the amount that the program provided for students to print.

In an interview, Baruch College Now director Maziely Crisostomo admitted that this year “we got a little less [funding]” but she quickly added “we were able to keep the same amount of students.” She says that the program plans to expand and offer more programs in order to appeal to a wider variety of students.

Ms. Crisostomo mentioned the possibility of Saturday classes during the school year and the return of the Student Ambassador Program, which provided internships.

According to Ms. Crisostomo, “What hurts, [the program’s funding] is when students withdraw and not being able to fill seats,” because the number of students directly connects to the amount of funding the program receives.

Regardless of the problem this issue creates, the mission of the program will remain unchanged.

A Fresh Look at Food

by

7159623798_ff8cf2dc67_oThe aroma of fresh harvested produce surrounds those who pass through. Curious locals peer at the peculiar variations of produce. As they become immersed in the Union Square Greenmarket, time ceases to exist; at least compared to the fast paced New York life. However, customers are doing more than just buying groceries.

The market offers ethical, healthy and organic products that the standard supermarket wouldn’t offer. John Hayton, a cheese maker and vendor at Cherry Grove Farm, says,”Our cows are grass-fed and at our farm there is a small herd of cows that we make our cheese from. This makes the flavor more natural.”

“I come three times a week because I live in the area and it is convenient. I enjoy supporting local farmers instead of buying from large supermarkets,” says Erin Stair, a regular at the market. Many customers, like Stair, help promote small businesses and the local economy.

Union Square Greenmarket, New York CityBuying local is better for the environment because it cuts down on the processing, packaging and shipping of food produced by large corporations. By supporting the market, customers helps cut the amount of waste sent to landfills, which also decreases greenhouse gas emissions.

Although the market is the center of consumption, it is also a big contributor to recycling what most urbanites would waste.

It offers a convenient compost collection, where locals can bring produce scraps, breads and grains, beverage waste and other compostable things. Once the compost is collected at the market, it is transported to a compost site. There it is made into fertile soil for local farming and gardening projects. This collection doesn’t only cut down city waste, but decreases the amounts of greenhouse gases released into the air.

There is also an inviting textile recycling collection, where locals can drop off unwanted clothes and textiles that would otherwise be thrown away. Instead of wasting, the collection service finds ways to reuse these items. The usables clothes are redistributed to markets with a high demand for second hand clothing and the scraps are used as cleaning rags or recycled into car door panels and insulation

14712846912_8d867db4b5_oVolunteers from City Harvest come at the end of the market on Saturdays to collect thousands of pounds of leftover food. You can see them in green t-shirts, talking to vendors, bagging produce or pushing around packed bins of food. All this is loaded onto the City Harvest truck parked on the corner of Union Sq West and 15th Street. All of the food is distributed to food pantries, shelters, soup kitchens and other food programs around the city free of charge.

People from all over New York come together four days a week to be a part of an interactive, community minded experience. What most visitors don’t realize is that this market is a model for a sustainable and environmentally conscious community.