In the summer of 1986 a young athlete helped his youth basketball squad win the Junior League championship at Garfield Park in midtown Jersey City, NJ. This young man continued his basketball career with outstanding achievements on the teams of world famous St Anthony High School and Seton Hall University. A first round NBA draft pick, he now plays for the Los Angeles Clippers. Mr. Terry DeHere, however, has never forgotten his roots and has always shown concern for his community. |
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 Mr Terry DeHere |
Over the years since 1986, Garfield Park fell victim to the results of the cutbacks in services and programs that have devastated much of urban America. By the early 90's the basketball leagues that regularly involved hundreds of youths and adults had become a pleasant memory of a rapidly fading past. Meanwhile the statistics documenting the increasing human and economic costs of urban problems continued to spiral upward. "Somebody should do something" was the sentiment expressed in many ways on many occasions by many persons in the public and private sector across the country. "Somebody did!" At least in some communities, including the vicinity of Garfield Park in Jersey City, NJ.
During the spring of 1994, Mr Terry DeHere and several concerned persons who have been involved in community service activities for years developed a plan of action. It would reverse the decline of Garfield Park and restore constructive activities for youths and adults. They reached out to city officials (Municipal Council persons and Department of Recreation and Cultural Affairs) in the financially strapped urban center of a quarter million. The result is a program involving 22 teams in three leagues serving youths and adults being launched at Garfield Park for the summer of 1994. |