The New York City Council will honor the legacy of pioneering Harlem community leader Emma L. Bowen with a proclamation recognizing Women’s History Month and celebrating her extraordinary contributions to Harlem and her enduring impact on community-based behavioral health care.

The proclamation will be formally presented by New York City Council Majority Leader Shaun Abreu during a ceremony scheduled for Friday, April 10, 2026, at the Bowen Center. The event will bring together Bowen Center staff, clients, and members of the Board of Directors to celebrate Mrs. Bowen’s vision and the lasting impact of the organization she and her colleagues founded.

The gathering will also serve as a belated recognition of National Social Work Month, honoring the Bowen Center’s dedicated social workers whose daily efforts supporting individuals and families reflect the values and mission upon which the Center was built.

The Upper Manhattan Mental Health Center was established with a simple but powerful belief: that Harlem residents deserve access to compassionate, community-based care delivered by people who understand the community they serve. Today, the Bowen Center stands as one of Harlem’s leading providers of behavioral health services, addiction treatment, family support programs, and community assistance. The organization was renamed in honor of Mrs. Bowen, after her passing in 1996.

“This recognition by the New York City Council is a meaningful tribute to Emma Bowen and the vision she brought to Harlem,” said Patricia Jordan, Board Chair of the Emma L. Bowen Community Service Center. “Emma believed deeply that every person in this community deserved dignity, opportunity, and access to compassionate care. Nearly forty years later, that belief continues to guide everything we do as we serve thousands of New Yorkers and help families build healthier, more stable lives.”

“Emma Bowen’s vision changed the lives of countless families in Harlem,” said Majority Leader Abreu. “She believed that people in this community deserved access to care, support, and opportunity close to home. Nearly four decades later, her work continues to shape lives every day through the Bowen Center and the dedicated staff who carry her mission forward. I’m proud to recognize her legacy and the lasting impact it continues to have across our community.”

The Bowen Center provides a continuum of care across the lifespan, delivering comprehensive behavioral health care, addiction treatment, early childhood services, therapeutic preschool, family support programs, and supportive services to more than 5,000 clients annually. The Center also distributes more than 100,000 pantry bags each year through its community food pantry, helping individuals and families overcome challenges and build healthier, more stable futures.