ECDO

ECDO's philosophy is to create and develop affordable housing, education, employment, training and business opportunities for the community. ECDO administers several employment, job training and placement Welfare to Work program initiatives. ECDO assists program participants who have had a significant amount of barriers that have prevented them from securing adequate housing and employment. ECDO also offers office skill training and adult education, training and career counseling to economically disadvantaged adults while developing permanent employment. ECDO is a not for profit community based organization that has over 20 years of experience in providing neighborhood based, human, education ,social, affordable housing and or economic services to the West and Central Harlem communities, residents and businesses.

Other Initiatives:

ECDO Head Start and Early Development Childcare Center. ECDO developed a new full day year round child care center (54 children) that is located at 249 West 144th Street. Through the development of this program child care needs for families on public assistance and low to moderate income families are being addressed. ECDO currently administers this head start program via a contract with (ACS) Administration for Children’s Service.

Landlord Services. ECDO works closely with property owners and their tenants to prevent housing abandonment and community deterioration. Activities include tenant organizing, management and training workshops and technical assistance to landlords in obtaining renovation financing.

ECDO Management Corporation. Works aggressively on behalf of property owners and their tenants to ensure that every building is clean and safe. ECDO Management Corporation Inc. was presented with a Best Practices Recognition Award from the Enterprise Foundation for its LIHTC certification process.

Organizing and Advocating For the Community While affordable housing is only one pillar on which a strong community is built, there must be a strong sense of collective purpose that includes strong community organizing around housing, education, economic development, youth and senior citizen services. ECDO believes that these components are the essential elements of community development. Some of our community planning and development activities include:

Creating Neighborhood Preservation through Anti-Abandonment Activities. ECDO plays a major partnership role with the State and City of New York in revitalizing its neighborhoods. We provide technical assistance to landlords, target buildings for enforcement and/or counseling strategies; assist tenants in becoming advocates for their issues and creating viable associations; collaborate with consortiums; and utilize dialogue as an effective tool for community stabilization efforts.

Community Partnership Office. Since we opened the Community Partnership Office on 125th, ECDO has increased its visibility in the community. We offer “hands on” housing and neighborhood preservation services and technical assistance to area residents and property owners in Community Boards 9 and 10 and to other organizations within the Harlem communities.

ECDO HEADSTART/ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT CENTER Building Tomorrow’s Future Today 249 West 144th Street New York, New York 10030 Phone (212) 234-8135 Fax (212) 234-8195 contact@ecdo.org

ECDO Community Partnership Center Programs, Services and Property Management 413 W. 125th Street New York, NY 10027 Phone: 212-531-3211 Fax: 212-531-3229 contact@ ecdo.org Administrative Office 443 West 125th Street New York, NY 10027 Phone: 212-678- 0037 Fax: 212-678-0889 contact@ ecdo.org www.ecdo.org

Janice C. Berthoud, Executive Director Deborah Renee Smith, Deputy Director