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 become a champion for improved public communities in Midtown East, the Lower East Side and other neighborhoods. MECA supports advocacy events and activities on Manhattan’s east side including for more publicly accessible green space.

(From left) United States Congressman Jerry Nadler, MECA president Kevin O’Keefe, New York State Assembly Member Harvey Epstein and New York State Senator Kristen Gonzalez hold a press conference at St. Vartan Park Earth Day 2025 co-hosted by MECA and St. Vartan Park Conservancy

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.

MECA’s co-sponsorships include the Nuclear-Free Future Awards 2025 at the historic The Great Hall at The Cooper Union on East 7th Street in Manhattan and a 2025 forum for candidates for New York City mayor. Staged at the historic St. Mark’s Church-in-Bowery on East 10th Street, the forum highlighted the role of community gardens in New York City's sustainability and environmental future.

Swish You Were Here

On November 17, 2023, (from left) P.S. 116 principal Jane Hsu and P.S. 116 PTA co-president Danielle King receive from MECA’s Kevin O’Keefe basketball nets donated by Swish You Were Here for the school’s courtyard hoops

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

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 (pictured) 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.