(Staten Island) – Senator Diane J. Savino (D-North Shore/Brooklyn) and Councilmember Kenneth Mitchell (D-North Shore) joined dozens of teenagers at the Teen Scene at the Empowerment Zone, a youth center at Park Hill Houses, for the installation of new air conditioners.
The center, which provides educational and recreational programs during after school hours and summer months, has been without air conditioning since it was renovated in January 2009. Without the air conditioning, the center would have been forced to close down during the summer, leaving the teenagers with nowhere to go.
After being approached by the Director of the center, Minnie Graham, Senator Savino and Councilmember Mitchell, solicited private donations for the purchase of two 6,500 BTU Zenith air conditioners. Members of the District Council of Carpenters, Local 20 and United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners, Local 608 donated their time to install the units.
“It is essential for kids to have a place to go and enjoy healthy, recreational activities. It is my pleasure to help make the center as safe and comfortable as possible during the hot summer months,” said Senator Savino.
“I am happy to bring relief from the heat for the teens at the Empowerment Zone. It is gestures like this that have such a huge impact on the quality of life for residents, I am happy to be able to help.”
“The center is a safe space for the teens in the community, where they can do activities, play games, and come together in a supervised environment. During the summer months the room can get very hot, especially with the large amount of children that come. The air conditioners will make the space available year round and ensure that we don’t lose the kids during the summer,” said Minnie Graham
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