Manhattan Profile Father Jack Kennington Compiled by David Kansas Newsday May 9, 1990 JOB In charge of the Drug and Alcohol, Rehabilitate and Educate (DARE) program in the Lower East Side area for the Catholic Archdiocese of New York. BIOGRAPHY Born in Brooklyn, attended St. Mary's college in Pennsylvania to study for the priesthood. Ordained as a Redemptorist Priest in 1959, 19-year missionary tour in Brazil; spent eight months in Washington at the Catholic Information Center in 1980. Moved to New York and got invloved in ministering to people struggling against drugs. RESIDENCE Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT "Working in drug prevention, and establishing a credit union. In 1984, the only bank in an 100-block area, Manufacturers Hanover said it would close its branch, but they helped us to get a credit union going. In 1986 we made a deal with Manufacturers for free space and an interest-free loan that helped us get our charter as a credit union. We now have $ 2 million in assets and over 2,400 members. We didn't just bring services, but we empowered the people." COMMUNITY CONCERN "With gentrification many poor families are displaced and they end up living doubled and tripled up. One of things I'd like to see is an anti-displacement project or board developed in the area so this would not happen to people." MESSAGE FOR MAYOR ". . .Look carefully at the use of the land - that city-owned land not be used for luxury or market-rate housing, but that it go to the poor people. . ."

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