Lower Eastside Neighborhoods Association.

LENA was founded in 1955 by a group of social agencies (among them Henry Street Settlement), civic organizations, churches, and individuals on New York's Lower East Side to combat juvenile delinquency and, later, to work for improved housing, recreation, and health facilities in the neighborhood.

The Lower Eastside Neighborhoods Association (LENA) was founded in 1955 by a group of individuals, social agencies, civic organizations, and churches on New York City's Lower East Side. The founders of LENA hoped to counteract the growing problem of juvenile delinquency and gangs in the community. By 1960, gang activity was in decline, but crimes related to drug trafficking and narcotics addiction were increasing. LENA responded by providing educational programs for youths and parents, establishing drug information centers, and starting a halfway house for addicts. Other youth services provided by LENA included recreational programs and facilities, lobbying campaigns for youth employment legislation, efforts to reduce truancy, and the establishment of residences for juvenile delinquents. After LENA received its first grant from Mobilization for Youth in 1962, and when anti-poverty funds became available after the passage of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, the Association was able to increase the size and scope of its operations. Emphasis shifted from youth activities to improving the general quality of life in the neighborhood.

The structure of LENA consisted of: a board of directors, which determined policy; an executive committee; an executive director, who was responsible for carrying out LENA policies and directing the staff; neighborhood councils, which were formed and staffed by LENA in different geographic areas of the Lower East Side; and divisions or committees, which included Education, Housing, Youth, Older Adults, Health, and Community Arts. The function of the divisions was to study, evaluate, plan, recommend, and take action in their particular area of responsibility. The founders of LENA believed that the Lower Eastside could be more effectively and efficiently improved if the community was united in support of specific goals and programs. The primary purpose of LENA, therefore, was to serve as a coordinating and planning agency for all other social organizations in the neighborhood. LENA, however, also provided some direct aid to individuals by providing information and referral services related to housing, welfare, and employment problems.

LENA served as a prototype for neighborhood organizations in New York City and other large urban areas throughout the country. The reasons for the decline and dissolution of LENA are not explicitly stated in the documents, but in the late 1960s, references are made to a financial crisis resulting from declining contributions by area residents, supporting organizations, and anti poverty programs. The reasons for the withdrawal of financial support are not specified, but internal weaknesses which are referred to in the documents appear to be partly responsible.