Our History
For almost 50 years, we have been working to improve New York City.
Our origin story is rooted in the spirit of bipartisanship.
In the 1970s, when New York City was facing massive cutbacks and citywide poverty during one of its worst financial crises in history, U.S. Senator Jacob Javits and Newsweek Editor-in-Chief Osborn Elliott gave New Yorkers a tangible way to improve their neighborhoods and build community.
In 1975, Elliott placed an ad in The New York Times, calling for “10,000 ‘greedy, heartless’ New Yorkers to work for 5 years. For free.” More than 10,000 responded, pitching in as city services were being slashed.
So began nearly five decades of reinventing New York City neighborhoods through resident-led initiative and engagement. During the city’s ups and downs, Citizens Committee for New York City has remained true to its mission: to help New Yorkers—especially those in low-income communities—come together and improve the quality of life in their neighborhoods.
Neighbors have started block associations to clean up and beautify their communities. They’ve built organic gardens, providing critical sources of food in areas without access to fresh fruits and vegetables and teaching their families about science and nutrition at the same time. We’ve seen groups come together to organize after-school programs, adult education classes, theater workshops to raise awareness about bullying and violence, and so, so much more.
