Coffee & Canvass (Rain or Shine)

Walk the neighborhood with us and help build a real-time database of Chinatown's storefronts! ​Enjoy a coffee, meet like-minded community members, and canvass with us as you stroll the neighborhood with new friends. Volunteers who register will receive a code for free co-working (10am–5pm) at the Hub for the day of the event. This event will occur rain or shine. In the case of rain, we'll shift to indoor activities that support the canvassing project (mapping, data sorting, etc.). If weather is hazardous, we'll offer a virtual volunteer option. Why canvass storefronts? Chinatown has been on the defensive for decades. Critical support often only arrives after it's too late: After a legacy business closes, after a block loses its character, after displacement is irreversible. To change that, we need to understand what's happening in real time. Through storefront canvassing, we can: Track closures and openings See what businesses immediately need WtC support Spot trends in business types Identify commercial corridor shifts - what’s growing, what’s disappearing Advocate with real evidence Give policymakers and media the data they need to support Chinatown’s future Preserve culture and legacy Build a historical record of Chinatown’s commercial corridor This is a monthly event that will take place every 4th Thursday of the month Location: Welcome to Chinatown, 115 Bowery, New York, NY 10002 The September edition of Coffee & Canvass is made possible with support from Association for a Better New York (ABNY). About Association for a Better New York: As New York City’s premier civic organization, the Association for a Better New York (ABNY) brings together over 250 private sector members with government leaders to solve the pressing policy issues of the day. ABNY’s philanthropic arm, The ABNY Foundation, provides funding non-profits’ across the five boroughs whose work expands economic opportunity and civic engagement.