Lower East Side Community Hero

Nominated by Andy Fontanez Jr + Friends and Colleagues

Andy Fontanez (AKA PUPA) is born and raised on the Lower East Side growing up in Lilian Wald houses, is married and a father of six boys. He has dedicated himself to guiding the youth of our neighborhood down the right path and is one of the young leaders helping to better the Lower East Side community. People know him for his work with underserved youth and families in our ever changing neighborhood, a place where gentrification increasingly obscures the needs and daily struggles of low-income youth and families. Every year for the past twelve summers, Andy’s “skills and drills” project has held its Shoot Hoops Not Guns youth basketball tournament at the Nathan Straus playground on Attorney Street between Rivington and Stanton. He does this with few resources, often with his own sweat and money. LES “skills and drills” mission is to motivate the personal growth of its participants by providing instruction and competition. It offers girls and boys from 5 to 18 the opportunity to learn basketball fundamentals while developing self-esteem, teamwork, commitment, and stability, qualities necessary for success in life. The project was begun in 2011 & currently engages 300 youths and their families every summer.

Andy is looking to raise money for the purchase of basketball equipment — basketballs, nets, trophies, basketball uniforms — and a new shed since the one they had for their program was broken in to & someone stole all of the equipment purchased for the program throughout the years. If you are able to help make future tournaments happen, please reach out to him at lesskillsanddrills@gmail.com.