June 2018
ACTION OF THE MONTH:

 

Title Boxing Club and Austin Public have joined together to raise money for QCH!

On June 23rd, they will host their Rugged Maniac Urban Race at Aviator Sports in Brooklyn, then continue the party at Austin Public. Raffles and drink specials will be offered.




QCH Participants Make Waves 
Across New York!
On June 3rd, Eli Betts, a long-time participant in our Generation Q program, served as Grand  Marshal of the 26th Annual Queens Pride Parade in Jackson Heights. Eli has been a member of Generation Q since he was 13 years old. As a 20 year old young adult, he now spends much of his time promoting the program at local schoo ls and events. He was chosen to lead the parade because of his leadership. According to  Queens Pride Chair Tina Arniotis, "Today's LGBTQ youth are the ones who will carry the torch as we continue our journey for equality and justice for the community." Eli donned the Grand Marshall sash with pride while participants and staff from our Queens Center for Gay Seniors and Generation Q marched and cheered behind him.
 
On June 2nd, participants from our after-school program at The Young Women's Leadership School took second place the in Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD)'s Young Shark Tank event.  Mirroring the popular TV Show, participants were asked to submit an idea for a new product. Our girls designed a phone app that offered mental health support to young people. They were praised for their innovation and relevance and advanced to the final round, beating out 29 other after-school programs.  

Originally from Mexico, Magdalena Navarrete (in photo, second from the left) moved to the US in 2001 as a newlywed who spoke no English. After raising three children, she decided to enroll in QCH's Adult Education program so she could better communicate with her children's doctors and teachers. "My daughter has special needs," she said, "and when she was younger, I would take her to three or four appointments per week. I couldn't communicate with her doctors, so I would wait for a translator or my husband to go with me. It was very frustrating," she said. On  May 22, Magdalena was selected among hundreds of entries city-wide to present her story at DYCD's Literacy Program Celebration of Student Achievement.  She concluded her speech to a standing ovation and cheers from the audience.
QCH Hosts Job Fair for 55+ Adults 
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of adults age 55 and older who are working or actively seeking work is expected to increase faster than any other age range.  Responding to this new reality, on May 25 QCH and Senator Joe Addabbo hosted their fourth annual Senior Job Fair at our Kew Gardens Community Center. The fair was exclusively offered for adults aged 55 and over and provided career opportunities and contacts in a wide range of fields.  
"Our older generations have so much to offer in the workforce," says Kew Gardens Community Center Director Rachel Epstein. "Hiring managers have to look past stereotypes of older employees and look at the facts. They are reliable, motivated, and often out-perform their younger colleagues." 
Over 100 older adults attended the event, as well as employers including NYC's Department for the Aging and Access-A-Ride, among others.