Jeffrey Bratcher is getting ready.

"There's an anticipation, and you want this to move forward, and excitement for what's going to happen," he said.

The moment Bratcher is anticipating is the annual Village Halloween Parade. Bratcher has volunteered with the parade in one form or another since the year 2000.

What You Need To Know

  • Jeffrey Bratcher has helped out with the Village Halloween Parade for a quarter of a century

  • Bratcher donated his kidney to the parade organizer's son after seeing him grow up with the parade

  • The Bedford Park resident also helps LGBTQ+ young people in emergency situations

He had previously helped out with another arts parade when he lived in California, and wanted to find something similar in his new hometown.

"It's a wonderful sense of, seeing the artistic community create these things, to be part of that,” Bratcher said. “And, and that's why I love it so much."

The Bronx resident has done it all, from building the puppets at Processional Arts Workshop a couple of hours north of the city to operating them on the big day.

"Everyone can love Halloween. And so it really brings New York together," he said. But Bratcher's biggest contribution was 12 years ago. In 2012, he donated one of his kidneys to the parade organizer's son.

"Here's a child in front of me that I've seen grow up remotely, if you will, over the years,” Bratcher said. “He needs help. Of course I will throw my hat in the ring."

From his kidney to his heart, when Bratcher isn't helping with the parade, he helps young homeless people in moments of crisis with the nonprofit New Alternatives.

"I'm here to help,” Bratcher said. “All of a sudden, that person they were just going to kick out of the emergency room becomes someone with friends. And when you have friends, they look at your situation more closely."

Bratcher hasn't gotten to march the parade route in more than a decade because he's been busy taking his son trick-or-treating.

This is the first year he'll be back in the Village for the spooky season.

"It'll be nice to both be in the parade and get to watch the parade,” Bratcher said. “After a 12-year absence, that's kind of wonderful." 

"This is a chance for everyone in New York to come together and, and enjoy Halloween," he said.

For helping to bring the Halloween parade and his community to life, Jeffrey Bratcher is our New Yorker of the Week.