Most people would be surprised to learn that Annette Williams, a former welfare recipient, has a good friend and partner named Bette Midler who founded the New York Restoration Project (NYRP) Annette had been on welfare for 10 years when she was hired by Bette to help clean up New York City parks. “I love this city,” Bette says. “The degradation was heartbreaking and unacceptable.” She founded the NYRP with funds from a special benefit performance of her film, First Wives Club and $250,000 out of her own pocket. Annette, her staff and a team of volunteers and Welfare to Work people have carted away over 50,000 pounds of refuse and restored six New York City parks to their natural beauty – while rebuilding their own lives and working their way to financial independence. Bette simply says, “I really feel that if everybody did their part it would be a beautiful world.”