Thursday, October 1, 2026
For residents of eastern Elmont, knowing where to turn when a neighborhood issue arises can sometimes be a challenge. Now, a longtime civic association is returning, with new leadership hoping to change that.
The association, which has been inactive since before the coronavirus pandemic, is now led by President Elizabeth Forbes and Vice President Natasha Warburton. In less than a month since its revival, the group has grown to 74 members, according to Forbes, and is now preparing to begin holding regular meetings and expand its presence throughout eastern Elmont.
The East End Civic Association has a history dating back to the 1940s, with several leaders guiding the organization over the years.
After its former president, Pat Nicolosi, died in 2022, the organization continued under the leadership of Ralph Esposito as president and Frank Hrbek as vice president before eventually becoming inactive.
“When he [Pat Nicolosi] passed away, it kind of dissolved,” Forbes said.
As Forbes began considering starting a civic group in eastern Elmont, she learned that the existing organization could instead be revived.
Conversations with residents, she said, reinforced the need for an organization focused on the area. When she walked through the community, she added, residents frequently told her they were unaware of what was happening locally or didn’t know where to turn when they needed assistance.
“I had a few people that were asking for assistance with food, a few people that were asking for assistance with legal,” Forbes recalled.
The revived association’s goal is to bridge gaps between eastern Elmont and surrounding communities, including Franklin Square, Floral Park, South Floral Park and Valley Stream.
Forbes said residents of this area of Elmont have not always had the same level of communication or representation as other areas and often need help connecting with elected officials and government agencies.
Although the group continued to monitor issues and address residents’ concerns, Esposito said the revitalization effort will give the association an opportunity to become more active in the community.
“We were in existence, but we weren’t really active,” Esposito said. “Now we’re going to revitalize it, and hopefully the community will respond.”
The association intends to serve as a link between residents and agencies such as the Town of Hempstead, its Sanitation Department and the Nassau County Police Department’s Fifth Precinct.
Warburton, who previously served as secretary of the association, said it can help residents address issues ranging from noise complaints and sanitation concerns to street conditions, traffic and parking problems.
“There are so many issues that we can help with because we have the contacts and can network with the Town of Hempstead, the Sanitation Department or the police department to assist them,” Warburton said, referring to the Problem-Oriented Policing unit.
Part of the revival effort will focus on attracting younger people to the organization. The previous group had many older members, Warburton said, and participation declined as members became less able to attend meetings. The pandemic further weakened the group as meetings moved online or were canceled. The new leadership wants to recruit young families, teenagers and young adults through social media and community events.
“We want to cater to all of those people, but definitely the younger crowds, because that’s our future generation,” Warburton said.
The group plans to use Facebook, Instagram, a website and a QR code to make information about meetings, events and community resources easier to access. Its leaders also plan to organize fundraisers, community events and youth initiatives.
The new association made its first public appearance since being revived at National Night Out at St. Boniface Church on Aug. 4. Forbes and Warburton also plan to collaborate with other local civic organizations as they rebuild the association.
The first monthly meeting is scheduled for Sept. 16 at the Elmont Memorial Library, with meetings planned for the third Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m.
Forbes said the ultimate goal is to make sure residents know they have an organization they can turn to.
“I really want to bridge that gap there,” she said, “and just ensure the residents that there’s so much going on in Elmont.”
