History
In 1982 many
areas of the Bronx
were in severe distress. Poverty was
increasing, housing stock was disappearing at an alarming rate, aging
residents
were moving out and younger families began moving in.
Several of the large employers in the
northeast Bronx – Albert Einstein Medical College, Montefiore
Hospitals, Beth
Abraham Health Services and the Bronx Jewish Community Council as well
as St.
Lucy’s Church and the Jewish
Community
Council of Pelham Parkway– were concerned about the stability of
the
community. Neighborhood Initiatives
Development Corp – NIDC – was formed out of this concern to
preserve the
neighborhoods of the Northeast Bronx.
NIDC assisted
landlords in
securing funds to renovate and improve the quality of their buildings. As the situation stabilized, attention
was
focused on the community’s need for quality services for youth.
After
school programming began at PS 96 in 1988. Over
the years, NIDC has provided a broad
range of youth development services including after school programs for
elementary and middle school students, summer camps, a teen center
serving over
200 youth nightly social, academic, athletic and leadership activities.
