Jackson Heights Cleaning Project

Program to keep pollution frees Air in Jackson heights area.

To assist program of City of New York through awareness building and demonstration (Display) in a small area to achieve the goal of making air of New York City  pollution  and smoke free.

Project Objectives

To motivate pedestrians not to throw piece of paper, last part of burn cigarette, not to spit on the street through campaign, distributing hand out in three to five  different languages.

To organize four homogeneous(GT) groups of 5 people in each group who will clean the street every Sunday until the foot path remain clean without sweeping.

To develop habit of throwing garbage in a selected spot GREEN TOUCH will put several garbage basket in a suitable site on the footpath taking permission from the legal authority, and sanitation department will be connected to collect the garbage for taking to dumping station regularly.

To launch anti smoking campaign  and motivate people to stop smoking though distributing sticker, celebrating anti smoking week and  try to involve business man and home owner in the program from the very beginning  to get their moral support and cooperation.

Justification of this project

Jack son heights City is part of Queen Borough where mostly Aouth Asian Countries such as Indian Bangladesh and Pakistani immigrants live. Their custom, sanitation practice, personal hygiene, food habits are very similar and different than any other immigrants living in New York City.

The population density is normally higher than any other area of the City. There are Bangladeshi grocery ,Indian grocery  store ,restaurants are there which are not seen together in the City so people from other part of New York visit Jackson heights regularly for shopping. Many poor people regularly occupy the footpath for keeping their business goods for sale. It is good for creation of self employment.

The pedestrian getting no garbage basket on any corner of the street or may not enough if is any there and though( due to their old practice and ignorance in the country of origin they just through garbage here and there. About 60% immigrants from the above country eat battle leaf and nut “Pan” with lime, dried tobacco leaf and other scented spicy stub always like cigarette. If anybody eat this “Pan” he has to spit several time. This spiting on the side of the footpath create an un  hygiene environment and a health hazard for community, also pollute the environment GREEN TOUCH is committed for the well being of the community people, so as a part of commitment we are very much keen(dedicated) to initiate our first community building action program with people participation by ourselves.

Implementation Methodology

It is the first community action program of KUSAINC so it is very important to involve community leader in the program from very beginning. In this regards Jackson heights business Association will be contacted and their participation in the program will be ensured by us.

This program will be a bilateral private public partnership project involving Kamalganj Society, Business Association of Jackson heights and the City of New York.

Through the project Jacksonheights area will be covered in initial phase and after that it will be extended to nearest geographical area phasing out the Jackson heights area. Its geographical area will be marked and designed in a map and added to this proposal in Annexure-1.

To implement the project four homogeneous groups consisting of 6 people in each group will be organized from the residents of Jackson heights and representative from business men community. An orientation  with local elite and  community leader will be done  before going to implement the program the cleaning group member will be given an orientation about the program and instrument  will be provided. The group member dressed with a T shirt marked with society name and a message like clean Jackson heights air etc as decided by Society later.

The following step will be followed                   

Announcement through Media

Announcement of date of inauguration of program through media like TV,News paper  seeking voluntary participation from local community before two weeks of commencement of the program.

Organization of Cleaning Groups

Organization of  four groups of people consisting  6 member each which will include 3 people from local residents and 3 people from businessman Association  and community people.

 Distribution of Education materials

Distribution of Education materials such as Education material for awareness building, different messages, and hand out, leaflet will be supplied to business store and pedestrian on the street.

Placing of garbage Basket

Garbage basket will be placed in different corner of the street so that people can throw garbage to this basket’s.It is very important to establish linkage and working relation between KSUSAINC and sanitation Department so that they come forward to help us. As a not for profit organization we are supporting government program voluntarily so sanitation department will respond our request and they will collect the garbage like residential area. If they cannot do than we will  make our private arrangement.

Garbage basket will be marked with name of kamalganj Scocity USA Inc and its logo including a message like “Clean air healthy heart”.

A porter will be engaged permanently who will responsible for cleaning the stair of the entrance of passenger to the platform of MTA train line.

The project do not need permanent worker but a Project Director experienced with such type of work or experienced in Social mobilization will be hired to implement the project on temporary basis such as for 6 month contract and there is possibility to  extend his service depending on the availability of the funding from donor. He will be assisted with two community organizer

Demonstration by doing

.After   completion of above component, four organized group will start cleaning   going towards four directions from the Jackosnheights point and clean the footpath for two hours once in a week. They will be followed by

a supervisor of KUSAINC and the campaign will be ended with tea break and a brief discussion.

The process will continue for six month and after that depending on a evaluation and gap analysis KUSAINC will decide their next course of action and on positive support from donor. All activities will be captured by a professional Vedio expert and will be broadcasted throughout Television so that people get encouraged

Specific activities

• Contact print media through letter and declaration of general meeting.
• Place order for printing materials and to make ready the education materials
• List name of Volunteer from Green Touch
• Selection of PD and organizer
• Orientation of local elite
• Orientation of 4 group member
• Training on how to motivate local businessman and community people.
• Orientation to local elite person and businessman community on Sanitation and hygiene and about the importance of the program to remain healthy for whole one day through lecture and video show
• Purchase basket from store
• Place them in selected spot
• Engage painter for painting the name of kamalganj Society and the message.

Out come/Impact of the project

Through the project KUSAINC will promote their organization and its image.

If the program becomes successful it will certainly create credibility and reputation in the community because we are addressing to respond community need.

Local administration will come to know the existence of Kamalganj Society through our good work and us and no doubt it will help us to draw the attention of New York City authority. If everything goes well than I think we will get offer from government or from donor agency to implement such community development project.

This primary project if it sustain by the community support, it will help built the good image of the kamalganj Society.

This is a new program by the help of a not for profit organization so it will get public attention and it will ultimately help people to stay in clean environment.  

This project will help establish linkage between the City of New York and Department of Environment and Sanitation and may expedite the process of support from Mayor of City of New York in near future.

If it is successful, we can spread the success story through print media and may broadcast it through electronic media.

Once this project is successful, the other donor will feel comfort to release their fund to the any project of the Kamalganj Society.