The final day of the pilot project

We appreciate amazing relationship with Mather Building Arts and Craftsmanship High School. We visited the last day of the high school, met and reported to volunteer students, Mr. Richard Singuler, Mr. Larry Gabbard, and Mr. Kelly Paul that all businesses that got the ramps were very pleased and they set the ramps every day. 

The school had a very lively atmosphere of proudly graduated students. The volunteer students and teachers were very happy to see the documentary photo works of the Ramp Project. 

The best thing to us was that Mr. Richard Singuler and Mr. Kelly Paul told us they would love to continue the Ramp Project for the next school season!

Our first pilot program of Ramp Project NYC is now closed. We will be working to fund for next Ramp Project with using the valuable experiences of pilot project.

*Our Community Ramp Project, in partnership with
the StopGap Foundation and the Stephen T. Mather Building Arts & Craftsmanship High School, is funded by Citizens Committee for New York City, with donations from Home Depot, LeNoble Lumber, and Behr Paints. We aim to alleviate physical barriers caused by single stepped storefronts in Astoria/LIC by providing participating businesses with a FREE colorful and deployable access ramp to eliminate barriers and create inclusive spaces we can all live, work, and play in. 

All the Ramps were delivered

All of the ramps were delivered!

(We needed to make a few special adjustments to several ramps post-paint day in cases where the door opened outwards, or where the shop shutter gate narrowed the storefront’s opening. Special thanks to Yuki and Rica for their woodworking expertise!).

Our volunteers worked hard and the 2018-2019 phase of the project has now come to a close. We will make a short documentary video of the process and return for FY2020, hopefully securing additional funding and more businesses that want to become accessible for another round! 

Please stop by these businesses in Astoria, and share your thoughts with them and us.

Beer Garden Convenience Store, 37-07 30th Ave

Dutch Kills Centraal, 38-40 29^thStreet

Golden House Chinese Restaurant, 35-12 30th Ave

Kiddy Kutz, 22-77 Steinway Street

Samumeria Antichi Sapori, 28-13 Astoria Blvd 

Tu Casa Restaurant, 30-10 Steinway Street

Tufino pizza 36-08 Ditmars Blvd

Wine Art, 37-16 Astoria Blvd South

*Our Community Ramp Project, in partnership with
the StopGap Foundation and the Stephen T. Mather Building Arts & Craftsmanship High School, is funded by Citizens Committee for New York City, with donations from Home Depot, LeNoble Lumber, and Behr Paints. We aim to alleviate physical barriers caused by single stepped storefronts in Astoria/LIC by providing participating businesses with a FREE colorful and deployable access ramp to eliminate barriers and create inclusive spaces we can all live, work, and play in. 

Community Paint Day Announced!

We are very sorry for this announcement: Due to the heavy rain, we moved the Community Paint Day to Saturday May 25th at 10am. 

Join us to paint our ramps on April 20th at 10am at Ditmars Playground!  We would love your help in making make our neighborhood more accessible and inclusive. 

Rain date will be 4/21 at 10am. 

Look for our ramps at participating businesses around the neighborhood soon!

*Our Community Ramp Project, in partnership with
the StopGap Foundation and the Stephen T. Mather Building Arts & Craftsmanship High School, is funded by Citizens Committee for New York City, with donations from Home Depot, LeNoble Lumber, and Behr Paints. We aim to alleviate physical barriers caused by single stepped storefronts in Astoria/LIC by providing participating businesses with a FREE colorful and deployable access ramp to eliminate barriers and create inclusive spaces we can all live, work, and play in. 

Special Delivery: Ramp-Making Supplies

We've delivered the supplies to the wood workshop at Stephen T. Mather Building Arts & Craftsmanship High School, whose students will be creating the ramps as a part of their after-school woodworking program.

We bought ropes, glue, screws and cushions and brought them to the wood workshop. 

Stay tuned to see the project continue to move forward!

We received a generous donation!

Thanks to @BehrPaint and @HomeDepot for generously donating paint to our Ramp Project NYC, a project in partnership with @StopGapRamp.

Our community ramp project is funded by a Neighborhood Grant from @CitizensNYC to increase #access in western Queens.  

We were thrilled to pick the paints up today!

 Photo by Yukiyo Nagata

Calling All Astoria Businesses!

Would you like to get a FREE ramp for your business?
Join our Community Ramp Project, in partnership with the StopGap Foundation, to alleviate physical barriers caused by single stepped storefronts in Astoria. We will provide participating businesses with a FREE colorful and deployable access ramp to eliminate barriers and create inclusive spaces we can all live, work, and play in.

We are looking for twelve Astoria businesses that have:

1. A straight, single step store front; AND

2. An entry lip of at least ½”; AND

3. A door width of at least 36”.

An example of an inaccessible location. A Stopgap ramp would help wheelchair users and caregivers pushing strollers to patronize the shop. 

FAQs:

Q: Who makes the ramps?

A: We plan for the twelve ramps to be built by volunteer high school students enrolled in a woodworking after school club at a local high school.
Watch a sample video of the process.

Q: Who pays for the materials for these ramps? Is there a delivery fee? I am afraid of any hidden costs.

A: The project has been funded by a Citizens Committee for New York City neighborhood grant, along with material donations from Behr Paints and other local hardware stores, and individual donations. These twelve ramps for our pilot project are completely free.

Q: Are you a nonprofit organization?
A: No. We're two individuals working to spread this Canadian project to our neighborhood/the U.S. via a Neighborhood Grant from Citizens Committee For NYC. We also have fiscal sponsorship from New York Foundation for the Arts. 

Q: I want to contribute to your project. How can I do this?
1. You can make a monetary donation here.

2. We welcome volunteers to help us ask for material donations from hardware stores, find inaccessible and interested establishments, paint the ramps, and help distribute them! Stopgap's international insurance covers any individuals who want to volunteer with our project. Contact us at therampprojectnyc@gmail.com to volunteer!

3. We're looking for donations from hardware stores! See our wish list.

Q: How much does a ramp weigh?
A: Ramps will likely weigh different amounts based upon their length, but an average sized ramp weighs around 30 lbs.

Q: How much weight does it support?
A: The ramp design can more than handle a 400lb power wheelchair and user, with a very large safety factor.

Q: What’s the next step if I’m interested in receiving a ramp?
A: If you want a ramp for your business, please contact us at therampprojectnyc@gmail.com. We will set up a time to visit your establishment, go over the waiver and any questions you have, get a copy of your insurance, and take measurements.
Then we’ll make and deliver your free ramp!


Become a part of this amazing project that will undoubtedly create media buzz, attract people to the neighborhood, and ultimately help raise the quality of life for everyone living in Astoria. Contact us at therampprojectnyc@gmail.com.

We look forward to hearing from you!

The Community Ramp Project Team,

Christine Serdjenian Yearwood and Rica Takashima

Surveying Astoria's accessibility landscape using a wheelchair and stroller

 We surveyed the Astoria area for accessibility on May 26th.

We walked on Steinway Street, Broadway, and 30th Avenue with a wheelchair and a stroller. Two high school students, one baby, and five adults volunteered on the tour to survey the area. Thanks to all those who participated!

When using a wheelchair, even with assistance, it was difficult or impossible to get over a step that many of us had crossed without ever stopping or noticing before entering an establishment.

We explained our project to business owners and staff members, presenting them with the opportunity to get a free ramp to improve their store front and our community.

We measured lips of steps and the width of doors. In order to be considered inaccessible, lips must be more than 1/4 of an inch unbeveled or 1/2 an inch beveled; to qualify for a ramp, doors need to be a minimum of 32 inches wide and stairs must have a single, straight step.

While our goal is to create twelve ramps during this pilot project, we found eighteen small businesses along just these three streets that met the above requirements, and one national business as well.

We compiled all of the data in order to move forward.





We are excited to see which businesses will accept our offers and become more accessible!

Hello!

We are a pair of mothers –

 Christine Serdjenian Yearwood and Rica Takashima.

Christine Serdjenian Yearwood is the Founder and CEO of UP-STAND.
The UP-STAND movement works to improve accessibility 
for pregnant women and caregivers across the United States. 

Rica Takashima is a Manga graphic novelist and participatory public art artist. 

We met by chance at an Astoria community market at the end of 2016, 

and we have since started two projects together. 

The Ramp Project-StopGap NYC, and One Stop Family Pop Up.

Purpose:

The Ramp Project-Stop Gap NYC aims 

to create a world where every person can access every space. 

A world free of barriers would help give everyone the opportunity 

to live a life full of independence, spontaneity, and ultimate fulfillment.

We would like to replicate and spread the work of StopGap, a Canadian organization 

working to improve accessibility via the creation and distribution of portable ramps. 

Our first pilot project is focused on the Astoria area where Christine and Rica currently live.

We will use the pilot to create detailed records of cost, time, roadblocks and best practices, 

and utilize this information to expand the project to the other areas in NYC.

If you are interested in our project, please feel free to contact us!

 

 Our projects are funded by Citizens Committee for New York City grants.

Thanks a lot for these #NeighborhoodGrant awards!