The Mama Foundation for the Arts is life changing. I first heard about them through their Gospel for Teens program and the production, Mama, I Want to Sing. Hey! I thought. I want to sing! To my delight they actually have a program for adults called Wednesday Sings! They told me that my voice had a right to be heard and that my voice was welcome. I'm having a good time with my voice right now. Not ready to audition for American Idol, but when my brother was in the hospital I felt comfortable enough to sing for him in front of the hospital staff.
It's been one year since my last review and, sad to say, conditions at the Mama Foundation have not improved. My family and I live next door, and the Mama Foundation operates with a total disregard for our health and safety. The noise that comes through the walls in incredible; before and after rehearsals "youths" loiter on our property, and Vy Higginsen seems to think it's OK for her and her staff to trespass on our private property for PR photos. A terrible nuisance and mean people. Keep away!
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The Mama Foundation operates with a complete disregard for the quality of life and health of its neighbors. Housed in a brownstone on a residential block, the Mama Foundation is so noisy that the police have been called several times. The Mama Foundation has also been warned by the Department of Environmental Protection, but it continues to behave with a callous indifference to its neighbors. Youths loiter on neighboring homes, and noise on some Friday nights, Saturday afternoons and even sometimes Sunday is horrible. The only thing that is important to the Mama Foundation is to exploit naive young people and abuse neighbors in its tawdry clutch at second-hand fame.
Review from Guidestar
This is a phenomenal organization, which successfully serves the needs of hundreds of inner-city youth who, based on their economic status, are generally considered to be at-risk. Through participation in this organization, these so-called "at-risk-youth" are given the opportunity to perform in weekly productions, which attract both national and international patrons. These youth, ranging in age 13-19, are regularly exposed to positive professional and social opportunities that their peers may never experience. Such opportunities include national television appearances, travel, development of social and performance skills. I have seen these children on a weekly basis and they exude a level of joy that I have not seen in many of today's youth. As for the negative comments from the previous reviewer, it should be noted that this organization has been operating in the same location for many years, and never experienced any negative comments from the neighbors until he moved into the brownstone next door. The sign outside boldly and clearly indicates the type of organization housed in the building, and this information should have been adequately considered upon the purchase or rental of his dwelling.