Manhattan East Community Association (MECA) finds solutions and generates positive results for public causes through grassroots engagement.

Founded in 1990 in Murray Hill, the all-volunteer nonprofit organization has helped improve Midtown East communities and other neighborhoods and advocacy events and activities on Manhattan’s east side.

Led by president Kevin O’Keefe, MECA manages various community programs including Swish You Were Here. Some of MECA’s work is implemented in cooperation with St. Vartan Park Conservancy and other community partners.

Swish You Were Here

MECA is home to unique grassroots volunteer program Swish You Were Here, which supplies and installs full nets for public New York City basketball rims with missing or damaged nets.

Kevin O’Keefe founded Swish You Were Here in 2020, three years before he became MECA president.

The program’s first stage featured installation of a new net on each outdoor public basketball rim in need of one in Manhattan Community District 6, including NYC Parks and school hoops.

Click here to learn more about the all-volunteer program.

Visit SWISH YOU WERE HERE Page

MECA Voter Registration Drive

A non-partisan MECA voter registration event was a hit on August 22, 2024, at the Grand Central Food Block Party on East 41st Street in Murray Hill.

More than 100 New York State voter registration forms were filled in and submitted at MECA's booth (above and below) or taken home to complete and mail at no cost before the October 26 registration deadline for the general election.

The action took place near Lexington Avenue at the annual street fair for which MECA is the official community sponsor. MECA representatives and other volunteers registered voters and answered questions about the voting process. Many of those registering were of the minimum voting age of 18 or new New York state residents.

Please visit New York City Board of Elections or New York State Board of Elections for more information on how to register to vote in the city or state.

MECA YouTube Channel

MECA’s You Tube channel hosts original content. Some of the channel’s many videos appear below.

MECA is a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization. The corporation’s federal EIN is 13-3618464.