Congregations and Communities grantee Rev. Chris Lawrence gave us this update on his work with seniors in Harlem. For the last few weeks, they worked hard with seven seniors and 20 volunteers to raise funds for a fleet of adaptive three wheel bicycles. These are now being used to put high schoolers, college kids and other adults in the driving seat, piloting one or two seniors around the streets of East Harlem, but mostly heading into the green spaces together.
Central Park is going to be a regular destination for those who have been spending too much time on their own indoors. Because the seniors are passengers in the front seat, it is easy to have continuous conversation for the hour or two which it takes to head out from East Harlem and around a local park. This is so much more time together than was ever possible when they were knocking on doors and doing home visits. It is also very popular as a way of spending Saturdays in the summer as 17-30 year olds, when wanting to combine getting fit with finding friendships within this senior population in the neighborhood.