Madge Macklin v. James R. Dumpson Case on Closing of Rockaway Senior Citizens Center

    From: Norman Bloomfield 
¢ NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. 

10 Columbus Circle 

New York, New York 10019 

Telephone: 212 ~- 586-8397 

MO TO CITY DESK 

Attached is a release of December 23 dealing with the 

threatened closing of the Rockaway Senior Citizens Center. On that 

date, Judge Marvin E. Frankel seemed disposed to give a temporary 

restraining order. The defendants, however, urged the judge not to 

do ‘so ~- saying it would create a bad precedent if the courts issued 

a temporary restraining order every time a group objected to economies 

in municipal services. 

The defendants then agreed to rescind their initial closing order 

and keep the center open at its present level of funding until the hearing, 

which has been set for Thursday (January 8) at 4:30 p-m. in the Southern 

District Court in Manhattan. The case will be heard by Judge Charles mM. 

Metzner. 

NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund attorneys Lynn Walker 

and Charles Williams represent the Rockaway Senior Citizens Center. 

(ig 



From: Norman Bloomfield 

NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. 

10 Columbus Circle 
New York, New York 10019 

Telephone: 212 - 586-8397 

Contact: Lynn Walker or Charles Williams 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

NEW YORK, N.Y., Dec. 23 - The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational 

Fund today asked a federal court for a temporary restraining order to halt 

New York City from closing the Rockaway Senior Citizens Center by the end 

of the year. The City's order to close the facility was issued on 

December 3, ostensibly for fiscal reasons. 

The Legal Defense Fund's action (Madge Macklin v. James R. Dumpson) , 

brought in the Southern District Court in Manhattan,was initiated on behalf of 

black and Hispanic citizens, the neighborhood poor, and all people in the area 

who want to participate in the racially integrated senior citizen program. 

The Center is one of three such facilities in the Rockaways -—- 

and the only one scheduled for closing. It also is the only racially integrated 

Center in that part of the City. The two other Centers -- Hartman Far Rockaway 

Community Senior Citizens Center and the Rockaway Park Senior Citizens Center -- 

serve an almost exclusively white population and are non-accessible to those 

living in the Edgemere-Arverne area served by the facility about to be closed. 

The Rockaway Senior Citizens Center provides an active recreational 

and educational program for about 750 members, and serves an average of 140-145 hot 

meals a day to a largely poor membership. 

In bringing the action, Legal Defense Fund lawyers note that the 

Center receives 75 percent of its funds from federal sources, 12% percent from 

State sources and 124 percent from the City. With an annual Operating budget 

(more) 



of about $130,000, the City's share of the program totals $16,250 a year. 

By scheduling termination on December 31, City savings amount to less than $10,000. 

The Center is located at 307 Beach 37th Street, Far Rockaway. 

NOTE TO EDITOR: The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund is a completely 

separate organization, even though established by the NAACP in 1939. It has 

not been affiliated with the founding Association for more than 20 years. 

The correct designation is NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. 

frequently shortened to Legal Defense Fund. The organization has a national 

staff and headquarters in New York City and works with 400 cooperating attorneys 

throughout the country.