QCH Hosts Annual Intergenerational Community Health Fair in Jackson Heights | |
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Snapshots from our health fair for all ages! On May 6, over 500 Queens residents were in attendance for our Annual Intergenerational Community Health Fair in Jackson Heights. Held outside our Beacon Community Center at PS 149Q, we had activities for children, young adults, parents, and older adults, including a fun bouncy house, healthy eating workshops, live yoga & salsa classes, family arts & crafts, food, and key health resources for all generations.
During the event, individuals and families were able to learn about our programs and services available for the Jackson Heights community. "QCH's services range from early childhood education to after-school programs, teen services to ESOL classes, eviction prevention to immigration, and much more, so it's great to be able to connect our neighbors to programs that can benefit their families and the community," said Oswald Araujo, QCH Director of Beacon Services.
We were also happy to have New York City agencies and other local organizations at the health fair to inform residents about other community resources, including APICHA Community Health Center, Metro Plus, Northwell Health, Queens Public Library, Healthfirst, NYC Commission on Human Rights, NYC Department for the Aging, and more.
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Access for Young Women's 24th Annual Youth Leadership Conference | |
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A conference led by the young women of our Access for Young Women program! On May 20, our Access for Young Women (AFYW) program held its 24th Annual Youth Leadership Conference at QCH’s Forest Hills Community Center.
Families, neighbors, elected officials, QCH board members, and QCH staff were in attendance to learn about and support the program, have a social lunch, and enjoy dance performances and informative presentations from AFYW’s young women.
Participants were responsible for selecting a theme, booking keynote speakers and panelists, and designing and leading workshops on issues important to them and their peers. This year’s workshop topics included: Understanding the Emotions within the Mind; An Investigation into Immigration; Rape Culture & Sexual Assault; Inequalities in the Workplace; Decolonization of Africa; Corruption of the School System; Discrimination in Healthcare; and more.
"When I first joined the program, I wasn't sure if I'd like it, but I quickly realized how much they offer, from making friends to participating in activities that addressed issues important to me and the young women in the program," said Janine, AFYW participant. "And now, I even have the confidence to lead a presentation at a big conference. I've grown a lot being with AFYW."
“QCH is such an open and welcoming space for young women to have honest dialogue about challenges and issues that they are facing, and that’s important for driving change,” said Maggie Arvedlund, CEO and Managing Partner of Turning Rock, who was selected as this year’s keynote speaker. “The topics of the workshops the young women led today show how brave they are and how AFYW provides an environment for them to be courageous and use their voices.”
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Meet Your Neighbor: Frank Zhao | |
QCH's Forest Hills Older Adult Center provides a culturally-rich environment where older adults can engage with peers, make new friends, enjoy a hot meal, keep physically active, learn new skills and explore new interests, and give back through volunteer opportunities. In this Meet Your Neighbor feature, we hear from Frank Zhao, program participant and volunteer at the Forest Hills Older Adult Center.
"Having lived in Queens, 'the world’s borough' for a long time, as an immigrant, I really enjoy spending my time at QCH, where I've been able to take language classes and play table tennis. Learning languages is a great way to connect with other people, and playing ping pong is doing a lot of good for my health, in addition to making friends with people of different cultural backgrounds. The Forest Hills Older Adult Center gives me opportunities to get to know my neighbors better and mingle.
Also, while I'm here I get to help other non-English speakers become members of the QCH family and get the services they need. I'm a firm believer that if every one of us just offers a little help, the world would be a better place. So it brings me joy when I'm able to help someone get registered with QCH. My way of contributing to the community is by connecting neighbors to QCH's services.
QCH truly is a big family house for all of us who live in this borough. I am grateful to be a member of this great house and would like to let others know how great it is."
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QCH Encourages Queens Residents to Vote in Participatory Budgeting Process | |
How should Queens spend The People's Money? Now, ALL New Yorkers 11 and older can decide, and QCH is making sure neighbors across Queens know about this exciting opportunity to make a difference in their community. Until Sunday, June 25, Queens neighbors can vote to fund projects in the borough and neighborhood online or by paper ballot.
As you may recall, when the NYC Civic Engagement Commission (CEC) launched “The People’s Money” last year, NYC’s first-ever citywide participatory budgeting (PB) process, QCH hosted a series of Idea Generation Sessions as the Queens borough anchor for the CEC’s campaign. During the sessions, QCH participants and neighbors were invited to brainstorm ideas for creative projects that meet the needs of the borough. Now, Queens residents 11 and older, regardless of immigration status, can vote to implement and fund projects in their community.
“Voting in NYC’s first citywide participatory budgeting process is important because community voting ensures that the voices and opinions of the people within our Queens community are heard," said Jessica Crespo, QCH Program Assistant for Young Adult Services. "Community voting fosters a sense of unity and social cohesion particularly when individuals regardless of their citizenship could participate in the process.”
It's so easy to vote! Click this link: on.nyc.gov/pb.
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Queens Community House provides individuals and families with the tools to enrich their lives and build healthy, inclusive communities. | | | | |
