pbb. CASTLE HILL bronx handout
pbb. CASTLE HILL Bronx (WE LEAD NYC) March 9th, 2019 I 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
READ Genesis 1:11 (NIV) Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. Acts 18:10 (NIV) For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.
RESPOND Take a moment to meditate on the verses above. What message(s) is the author trying to convey?
GATHER Dunkin Donuts 2172 Westchester Avenue, Bronx NY
UNDERSTAND • • • •
Total Population: 59,562 Castle Hill Median income is: $46,241 Castle Hill Houses: 14 NYCHA high-rise housing complexes covering over 40 acres of land The Bronx YMCA: the only Y in the Bronx, a 27,000 square foot facility on 5 acres of land, opened in 2003.
BRIEF HISTORY/BACKGROUND Covering about 2 miles in the South East Bronx, the mainly working / middle-class neighborhood of Castle Hill has undergone major transformation over the last 20 years. The development of new multi-family houses and shopping centers brought new residents to the community, largely homeowners looking for affordable housing and lower property taxes. With three stops on the 6 line in Castle Hill, residents have easy access to the city with a 45-minute commute to Grand Central. Once home to the Siwanoy Native Americans, Castle Hill eventually became a neighborhood of mostly Italian immigrants and then home to the largest population of Puerto Ricans in New York. In recent years, a flux of African American, Indian and Asian immigrants have also moved into the neighborhood. Although the Cross Bronx and Bruckner Expressways provide transportation convenient to the neighborhood today, the construction of these highways after WW II displaced thousands of families, demolished neighborhoods, and contributed to a period of destruction in the South Bronx. Compounded by a variety of other factors in the 1970s including an economic downturn, arson, and the influx of drugs, the Bronx lost 30% of its population as middle-class families left the area and moved out to the suburbs. Throughout the early 1980’s and 90s, Castle Hill became known for its crime, poverty, and availability of drugs. Today Castle Hill is primarily a residential community with a variety of local restaurants, Castle Hill Park, a great view of the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge and the East River, and home to the only YMCA in the Bronx.
How are you strengthened by these verses?
PRAY Pray as you feel comfortable – out loud, silently, touching a building or asking someone you meet if they need prayer. The important thing is you are out on the streets. 1. Community within a community: Pray for those living in the Castle Hill Houses - for the health and safety of their families, educational and employment opportunities, and fair housing practices. 2. Transportation: Pray for reliable services, and that there will be resources to upgrade and maintain buses, trains, and stations. 3. Youth: Pray for the leadership and youth who attend the Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club, whose mission is "To enrich and enhance the quality of life for young people by providing educational and developmental programs, with special emphasis on youngsters between ages 6-18 who come from disadvantaged or disenfranchised circumstances." 4. Schools: Pray for teachers, administrators, staff, and students to work together for quality education. 5. Immigration: Pray for the different immigrant communities in this area, that they may experience genuine friendship and a sense of community as neighbors. Pray for employment opportunities and for undocumented immigrants. 6. Anything else that was shared.
SHARE As you walk around Castle Hill, feel free to take pictures of something that stood out or take time to pray for something you observed in the neighborhood. As you pray this afternoon, connect with others on our Facebook page and Instagram feed—share a photo of where you're praying from, or share a prayer item! Don't forget to use #CSNYpbb #prayandbreakbreadnyc.
EAT George Residence 2465 Glebe Avenue
READ Genesis 1:11 (NIV) Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. Acts 18:10 (NIV) For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.
RESPOND Take a moment to meditate on the verses above. What message(s) is the author trying to convey?
GATHER Dunkin Donuts 2172 Westchester Avenue, Bronx NY
UNDERSTAND • • • •
Total Population: 59,562 Castle Hill Median income is: $46,241 Castle Hill Houses: 14 NYCHA high-rise housing complexes covering over 40 acres of land The Bronx YMCA: the only Y in the Bronx, a 27,000 square foot facility on 5 acres of land, opened in 2003.
BRIEF HISTORY/BACKGROUND Covering about 2 miles in the South East Bronx, the mainly working / middle-class neighborhood of Castle Hill has undergone major transformation over the last 20 years. The development of new multi-family houses and shopping centers brought new residents to the community, largely homeowners looking for affordable housing and lower property taxes. With three stops on the 6 line in Castle Hill, residents have easy access to the city with a 45-minute commute to Grand Central. Once home to the Siwanoy Native Americans, Castle Hill eventually became a neighborhood of mostly Italian immigrants and then home to the largest population of Puerto Ricans in New York. In recent years, a flux of African American, Indian and Asian immigrants have also moved into the neighborhood. Although the Cross Bronx and Bruckner Expressways provide transportation convenient to the neighborhood today, the construction of these highways after WW II displaced thousands of families, demolished neighborhoods, and contributed to a period of destruction in the South Bronx. Compounded by a variety of other factors in the 1970s including an economic downturn, arson, and the influx of drugs, the Bronx lost 30% of its population as middle-class families left the area and moved out to the suburbs. Throughout the early 1980’s and 90s, Castle Hill became known for its crime, poverty, and availability of drugs. Today Castle Hill is primarily a residential community with a variety of local restaurants, Castle Hill Park, a great view of the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge and the East River, and home to the only YMCA in the Bronx.
How are you strengthened by these verses?
PRAY Pray as you feel comfortable – out loud, silently, touching a building or asking someone you meet if they need prayer. The important thing is you are out on the streets. 1. Community within a community: Pray for those living in the Castle Hill Houses - for the health and safety of their families, educational and employment opportunities, and fair housing practices. 2. Transportation: Pray for reliable services, and that there will be resources to upgrade and maintain buses, trains, and stations. 3. Youth: Pray for the leadership and youth who attend the Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club, whose mission is "To enrich and enhance the quality of life for young people by providing educational and developmental programs, with special emphasis on youngsters between ages 6-18 who come from disadvantaged or disenfranchised circumstances." 4. Schools: Pray for teachers, administrators, staff, and students to work together for quality education. 5. Immigration: Pray for the different immigrant communities in this area, that they may experience genuine friendship and a sense of community as neighbors. Pray for employment opportunities and for undocumented immigrants. 6. Anything else that was shared.
SHARE As you walk around Castle Hill, feel free to take pictures of something that stood out or take time to pray for something you observed in the neighborhood. As you pray this afternoon, connect with others on our Facebook page and Instagram feed—share a photo of where you're praying from, or share a prayer item! Don't forget to use #CSNYpbb #prayandbreakbreadnyc.
EAT George Residence 2465 Glebe Avenue
