Father Ben Featured in New York Times
1/19/2018
Riverdale, N.Y. – Father Benedict Taylor, OFM was featured in the December 13, 2017 New York Times article, “In Harlem, a Shelter That Gives Young Men the Tools to Succeed.”
Father Ben, a Franciscan friar at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Manhattan, lives on the University of Mount Saint Vincent’s Riverdale campus.
The article features the story of how he and Ralph Perez took over a three-story tenement building in 1983 and converted it into a shelter for homeless men. In 1984, they took over another abandoned building on West 128th street and converted it into a shelter, Create, Inc., a nonprofit organization including a drug-treatment center and a food pantry, which is still at full capacity today.
About the University of Mount Saint Vincent
Founded in 1847 by the Sisters of Charity, the University of Mount Saint Vincent offers nationally recognized liberal arts education and a select array of professional fields of study on a landmark campus overlooking the Hudson River. Committed to the education of the whole person, and enriched by the unparalleled cultural, educational and career opportunities of New York City, the College equips students with the knowledge, skills and experiences necessary for lives of achievement, professional accomplishment and leadership in the 21st century.