By Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation
The Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation is honored to welcome Community League of the Heights (CLOTH) to our Grantee Blog. CLOTH is a multi-service, community development organization dedicated to supporting and empowering underserved people of color who reside in New York City’s Harlem, Washington Heights, and Inwood neighborhoods.
Courtesy of CLOTH
At CLOTH we know that mental and physical health are essential to the fabric of a thriving, connected community. With access to services, experiences, and opportunities that prioritize well-being, our neighbors gain the knowledge and resources they need to lead healthier lives and achieve their fullest potential.
For over seventy years, CLOTH has been central to providing personal and community development opportunities for Upper Manhattan residents. By empowering our neighbors with the knowledge and resources to lead healthier lives, we strive to create health equity and address how obesity, depression, and chronic diseases disproportionately affect people of color.
CLOTH’s Get Better Together program offers yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and Zumba classes at no cost to participants, who range from high school students to adults and seniors. Participants have a welcoming and understanding environment to achieve their healthy lifestyle goals—without the cost burden traditionally associated with doing so.
During the pandemic, we seamlessly transitioned Get Better Together to a virtual format, ensuring uninterrupted support for our community. We are so grateful to the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation for making it possible for the program to return in person sessions. “I can’t wait to see the results produced by the program,” said Yvonne Stennett, Executive Director of CLOTH. “Get Better Together provides an opportunity for participants to learn and practice a healthy lifestyle and make new and stronger connections to their neighbors—something that is sorely needed post-pandemic in our community.”
The relaunch of Get Better Together will include over 150 classes over the course of 40 weeks, reaching hundreds of lives in our local community.
About Community League of the Heights (CLOTH)
CLOTH is a community-based organization that empowers low-income people of color to break the cycle of poverty in the New York City communities of Washington Heights and Inwood. We employ a holistic approach that dismantles the economic and social inequities that prevent our community members from living their best lives. CLOTH’s service model is unique and transformational. We offer programming in 4 areas fundamental to human dignity and the pursuit of a happy and healthy life: Decent and Affordable Housing, Access to Health and Wellness Services Quality Education, Economic Development and Employment Services Through these services CLOTH brings together under one organization the ability to transform lives and create long term lasting change.
CLOTH was founded by Lucille Bulger in 1952 as a neighborhood volunteer organization. Ms. Bulger led the organization until 1994 and was succeeded by Yvonne Stennett, the current Executive Director.