Take Back The Park began in 1987 when 25 young people, fed up with the drug abuse, crime, and violence that plagued their neighborhoods, stormed into 3 parks to reclaim them for the community. Take Back The Park represents a creative departure from previous youth programming in that it is the first and only project of its kind in New York City that gives young people a lead role in motivating peers and adults in reclaiming community recreational space from drug dealers. Every summer, Take Back The Park mobilizes one or more New York City neighborhoods to reclaim a local park that has been taken away from the community by drug dealing, vandalism, and/or substance abuse. The program mobilizes and trains community coalitions, including representatives from youth, police, parks department personnel, community-based agencies, tenants associations and community boards in collaborative community planning. Skilled and experienced young staff work with neighborhood young people to design and coordinate Take Back The Park activities, conduct neighborhood needs assessment surveys, and develop a network between community youth and community police officers.

The goal of this program is to provide positive recreational, cultural, and educational activities for young people and adults in New York neighborhoods.

15 parks and their surrounding neighborhoods have received the benefits of Take Back The Park since 1987. More than 22,500 people have participated in the summer programs, and more than 160 young adults have received invaluable experience by being placed in leadership roles.