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In March 2008, a cross-section of leaders from the Port Richmond community of Staten Island, NY, convened to propose an expanded partnership based upon the successful model of Wagner College’s Civic Innovations Program (2006-2009). The committee sought to build significant, sustainable partnerships between Wagner College and numerous affected North Shore community groups, faith communities, businesses and schools. Members of this Civic Innovations-Port Richmond Partnership (CI-PRP) steering committee identified three objectives that anticipated the greatest community impact: Meeting Educational Needs; Meeting Health Care Needs; Meeting Economic Needs.
Port Richmond is located on Staten Island's North Shore. This area includes dry dock and shipyard facilities, and places of historic interest including the Dutch Reformed Church. Port Richmond's population grew by 22% in the 1990s. Hispanics and Latinos make up 25.7 percent of the neighborhood population, and 17.8 percent of the population is foreign-born, a greater share than in most Staten Island neighborhoods. Most of these residents have recently entered the country; almost 54% entered after 1990. Of these new immigrants, more came from Mexico than from any other country. Port Richmond is an economically distressed community, with the borough's second-lowest median household income ($42,452), the second-highest poverty rate (17.5 percent), and the highest concentration of older housing in the borough (nearly 60 percent pf the units were built before 1950).
This project is an outgrowth of the currently funded Civic Innovations grant from Learn & Serve America. It is also a natural extension and deepening of the Wagner Plan for the Liberal Arts Program at Wagner College.
Wagner College and Community Organizations Sign Agreement for Port Richmond Partnership - Partnership to Focus on North Shore Community