Long gone are the days of wrapping a public telephone receiver with tissue paper. Gone are the days of paying 50 cents for two minutes. The City of New York is making it easier for everyone with a mobile...

In the pioneer spirit of barn-raising, The Black Lady Theatre at 750 Nostrand Avenue in Brooklyn is being renovated. Leading the extensive rehabilitation are Clarence Jr. 2X and Omar Hardy, the father and...

A Men's Shelter One never knows how much she can endure until she's in the thick of it. Joy surprised herself by completing the six-month probation.  She was sure her office mates and her clients would...

Help from a Colleague While Joy is getting up to speed as a Case Manager, the shelter residents are feeling the vacuum left from her promotion. An afternoon when Butler takes an approved extended lunch,...

Be Your Own Champion Being a case manager with cases to manage is bearing down on Ms. Duggins.  She's bringing the job home and some folks don't like it. Baby, if you don't stop talking about those...

Mr. Butler Now that she's in the Social Services Office, Joy has to cut the mustard.  Will she pass or will she be, like many before her, another fired employee. The thing Joy is most concerned about...

  The day has come after months of hard work, ostracism, and some good times: Joy is moving up! Joy loves Tuesdays and Fridays because she has the morning to herself.  She may take a tub bath,...

A Girl's Gotta Use What She Got! Getting a job is one hoop to jump through.  Keeping it is the other hoop.  The official prescription for job security is 1) Being on time, 2) Doing your work, 3)...

  Getting Your Own Keys It's been quiet but rest assured, Joy, Flo, Helen, Stan, Big Cheez, and Juliette are still dedicated to the mission of bringing services to the clients at the shelter. ...

Big Cheez in business casual Background The previous Mayor, Bloomberg, was about ridding the city of certain services. He drastically reduced the number of child care program sponsors, favoring large...