With the closure of the John Hughes shelter, the nearest homeless shelter to Battery Park City is now in Tribeca. Joe Little of the New York City Rescue Mission gives a tour of the city’s oldest homeless shelter. With the bad economy and closure of other shelters nearby, demand for meals at the Mission have increased 20%.
To volunteer or donate money, contact (212) 226-6214 or go to http://www.nycrescue.org/
New York City Council takes advice from Community Boards on matters such as liquor licenses and construction permits. Community Board 1 oversees lower Manhattan and is divided into subcommittees by region, such as Battery Park, Tribeca, Financial District, etc. Tribeca committee Chairman Peter Braus explains how the system works.