Our History
Nepperhan Community Center (NCC) was founded by a group of concerned neighbors in the Nepperhan section of Yonkers (now Ru nyon Heights) in the late 1930’s. This group wanted a meeting place that could also accommodate recreational ac tivities and classes for the youth. They identified a community room at 13 Monroe Street as the original location. Some of the early Directors included Rosa Kittrell, and Doris Moore as acting Director, until Juanita Temple was officially named Director. NCC also became ho me to a Drum and Bugle Corps, which during those years was led by George Perenchief.
Welcome to the world of Nepperhan Community Center where we “Empower Children & Families” and no child is ever left behind. Through the help of a proactive Board of Directors, we have been able to significantly expand the programs and services of this agency over the years. Nepperhan community center has grown from a small room serving local Yonkers residents in 1938, to today serving the lower Hudson Valley region in New York State, two countries – Accra Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire – the Ivory Coast – on the continent of Africa and Haiti. We are excited about our expansion into other regions of the world and the mission work of our agency right here in the United States.
Nepperhan Community Center truly believes in serving our community, and beyond, with passion and a generous heart. We have made contributions to such causes as St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, Richmond’s Children’s Hospital, the Flint, Michigan water catastrophe, the earthquake in Haiti, Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, and numerous Prison Ministries. On Thanksgiving and Christmas we have provided tens of thousands of turkeys and Christmas toys to families unable to afford them.
We have managed to do all of this humanitarian work while also providing comprehensive and diverse programs to our children and families. Such programs range from afterschool, recreation, and STEAM initiatives, to violence and gang prevention, senior, and pregnancy prevention programs. In the health arena, Nepperhan Community Center offers drug and alcohol, health and nutrition, healthy marriage and relationship education, counseling and support. We also provide fatherhood, re-entry, and bully prevention programs. Finally, we believe in nurturing the creative spirit in our young people with our arts programs as well as our college and career planning services.
Nepperhan community center also believes in serving a number of neighborhood civic and governmental organizations. Over the past 10 years, we have been to home to over 15 churches and countless organizations who utilize our banquet hall for their weekly worship services and monthly meetings. Furthermore, the Red Cross and the City of Yonkers Emergency Management office have designated Nepperhan Community Center as an emergency site in case of natural disasters or other catastrophic occurrences.
In all we are proud of what our Nepperhan Community Center has blossomed into and the intrinsic value the Center brings to the Yonkers community and abroad. Please join our family as we seek to make an even greater difference in the world!
Peace and blessings!
Dr. Jim Bostic, Th.D.
Executive Director