Our History 

Citizens Committee was founded in 1975 by Osborn Elliott and Jacob Javits to encourage ordinary New Yorkers to volunteer to staff government positions left vacant by the fiscal crisis. Today, this spirit of volunteerism and local engagement still drives our work.

Thirty years ago, Citizens Committee sprang up in the face of a citywide crisis. Today, our city is still facing crises, although they can be all too invisible to many of us. Skyrocketing wealth and unprecedented growth have enriched many New Yorkers, but left many more behind. One in five New Yorkers lives in poverty, and millions struggle with affordable housing, gang violence, environmental justice, lack of access to green spaces and healthy food.

This means that as far as we’ve come in the last 30 years, there is still a long way to go. Every New Yorker deserves to have a safe place to live and work, and take pride in their neighborhood. Today, Citizens Committee for New York City is engaging New Yorkers in struggling communities by offering resources and grants for community groups and leaders.