We’re dedicated to tenants’ rights, homelessness prevention, economic development & community revitalization. Good Old Lower East Side (GOLES) is a neighborhood housing and preservation organization that has served the Lower East Side of Manhattan since 1977. Through our direct services, we serve over 2,000 families each year, and thousands more through our organizing and training and education work. We work locally, city-wide, and nationally with our allies to build solidarity and collective power to fight against the issues that oppress us and to create the world we want to see. Our main areas of focus are: Housing, Resilience, Employment, and Seniors. HOUSING:
*Tenant Rights and Eviction Prevention Counseling: GOLES provides crucial housing counseling to tenants who live in rent regulated apartments, Public Housing, and Section 8. Services including legal counseling, assistance with government benefits, and advocacy on behalf of tenants. Through this work, we save more than 2000 families from eviction each year.
*Tenant Association Assistance: GOLES works with tenants in organizing and strengthening tenant associations. By working together, tenant associations are able to fight for quality repairs, stop landlord harassment, and protect low-income tenants from being displaced. RESILIENCE
Following Superstorm Sandy, GOLES was one of the founding members of LESReady!, a coalition of community groups and institutions based in the Lower East Side that cooperatively coordinate our response, resources, preparedness planning and training in response to Hurricane Sandy and in the event of future disasters. GOLES is dedicated to preparing our community members for emergencies and the increasing risks associated with climate change (sea level rise, increased frequency and intensity of storms, extreme heat, etc.). In addition, GOLES' resilience team is dedicated to connecting community members with resources to determine their own energy infrastructure and access affordable energy. EMPLOYMENT
*Workforce Development: GOLES offers one-on-one job readiness assistance, job skills training, and supportive services that reach Lower East Side unemployed and underemployed community members with diverse needs in retail and customer service industries and other areas. GOLES provides the following workforce development services:
-Resume and cover letter writing
-Mock interviews prep
-Job searches and referrals
-Specialized job sector training
-Workers’ rights training
-Career development assistance
-Unemployment benefit application assistance
SENIORS
*GOLES Healthy Aging Program (GHAP) is a preventative healthcare initiative for seniors that combines direct service with community engagement and leadership development. GHAP addresses the immediate health and social service needs of economically disadvantaged Lower East Side residents, age 50 and above, including physical, mental, social, and financial well-being. GHAP offers:
1) Counseling and Direct Service for: Housing and related issues;
Assistance with benefits and entitlements including applications for health, housing and financial support including SCRIE, SSI, IRS forms NYC210 and IT214, income certification for public housing/Section 8, and more.
2) Health Services Information and Referrals including:
Information on preventative health services available within the community; Advocacy and support for seniors who are negotiating the health care system; Access to preventative health services including screenings (such as mammograms and colonoscopies) and immunization (such as flu shots).
3) Healthy Aging Community Workshop Series includes: Health Education: physical activity, healthy eating, weight management, sodium intake, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, cholesterol, high blood pressure, pain management.
4) Housing Rights: repairs and maintenance issues, eviction prevention, landlord harassment, and public housing transfers. Consumer rights: identity theft, medical debt, credit repair and disputes.
5) Community Engagement: GOLES engages seniors in seniors-only and intergenerational activities that promote community stewardship and leadership development. These include: Cultural Programs just for seniors; The Green Seniors Corps—intergenerational programming to create and maintain Lower East Side community gardens; The GHAP Steering Committee which develops all GHAP programs, workshops, and campaigns.
