Residents of Jamie Towers held a Community Day event on Sept. 13 under sunny skies, complete with food, music, games and socializing.
Maxine Breeden, president of the shareholder board, planned the event with a specific purpose: to lift the spirits of residents at the Mitchell-Lama property, where the vibe has hit an all-time low in recent years.
Jamie Towers residents, about 60% of whom are seniors, have been hit with double-digit increases in their monthly maintenance charges and, in August, fired their management company, Maxwell-Kates, for spending corporate funds on personal items and failing to sell units, among other issues.
Breeden said that many residents have been keeping to themselves and feeling stressed and sad despite these financial problems. So, she planned the Community Day to give people a reason to re-engage. “We had to do something to lift morale.”
Breeden handed out grilled burgers and hot dogs and chatted with neighbors as they passed through the food line. Out on the large lawn, vendors were on hand with information about health care and social services, and a bouncy house and fresh cotton candy kept kids entertained.
A DJ played loud Latin music and hosted karaoke. At a table, a group of residents played Bingo in both Spanish and English, and the board raffled off a large TV late in the day.
Mary Gonzalez, who has lived at Jamie Towers for over twenty years, told the Bronx Times she was happy to see people reconnecting.
“It’s nice to see people come out, even if it’s short-lived, for a day,” she said.
Gonzalez said she is uncertain how long she can afford to stay at Jamie Towers and has even contemplated moving in with her daughter, who lives out of state. The management problems left her “hoping for the best but expecting the worst,” she said.
Still, Gonzalez said she couldn’t help but walk outside when she heard the music blasting. “It made me feel good.”
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
