ELEVATING QUEENS COMMUNITIES

Queens is a global borough, and the conflicts and hardships that people are experiencing around the world usually resonate here in some way. But this global connection is also our strength, and the community of QCH neighbors helps to build through our work enabling us to transform challenges into opportunities. On October 18, our annual Elevating Queens Communities Gala at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria served as a beautiful reminder of how wonderfully inclusive and empowering Queens is for its neighbors. Our two Gala honorees were Kevin D. Kim , Commissioner of the NYC Department of Small Business Services, and Goldman Sachs (accepted by Asahi Pompey , Global Head of Corporate Engagement & President of the Goldman Sachs Foundation), and both spoke about being inspired to enrich Queens as children of immigrants. We also had a very special visit from NYC Mayor Eric Adams , who spoke at the Gala about the importance of making a difference in the diverse neighborhoods of Queens. "Because of this organization, [people] can go from where they are to where they ought to be," said Mayor Adams. "The diversity of this room is who we are as a city."

Also part of the Gala's showcase of what makes Queens such a supportive community, we premiered a special QCH video about one of our program participants. It follows the story of Farrukh, a former professor who talks about his difficult life in Russia and struggling in America because he couldn't speak English. Click here to watch this video about how our ESOL program served as a first step for him building a new life with his family in Queens, and the hope our English2Work program has given him in becoming a professor again.

NYC'S PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING PROCESS FUNDS THREE QUEENS PROJECTS

Earlier this year, tens of thousands of New Yorkers ages 11 and over voted on how to spend more than $5 million of the city's budget on addressing their borough's needs. The results are in! For the first cycle of "The People's Money", NYC's first-ever citywide participatory budgeting process, three projects were chosen in Queens to receive $280,000 each:

• Healthy Lifestyle Guidance for Kids - after-school workshops for middle schoolers on the importance of proper nutrition, rest, exercise, and mental and physical health;
• Young Entrepreneurs Program - teaching a youth cohort about opening and sustaining a small business by providing basic management and interpersonal skills; and
• Parent Support and Wellness Services - free and accessible parental support within early childhood centers/elementary schools.

The Parent Support and Wellness Services initiative will be launched by our own Queens Childcare Network (QCCN). QCCN will enhance parent wellness and stability for commonly marginalized Queens families by offering monthly educational sessions on parenting topics, developing an online Parent Resource Directory, and coordinating a Parent Help Line to guide parents in need of referrals for childcare, educational, medical, behavioral, mental health, legal, vocational, or social services.

It's participatory budgeting season again! In October, the Civic Engagement Commission kicked off the second year of "The People's Money." As the borough anchor, QCH will be hosting public idea generation sessions across Queens to help neighbors brainstorm for creative projects that will then be put up for vote next spring. For information on upcoming sessions near you, email advocacy@qchnyc.org.

KEEPING THE "LIGHTS ON" AT OUR AFTER SCHOOL IN JAMAICA

After-school programs promote positive youth development, foster social and emotional skills, strengthen academic skills, and provide needed support for working families by ensuring youth have a safe place to go while parents or guardians are at work. Despite the overwhelming benefits, our after-school program at PS 160Q in Jamaica was at risk of being shut down after its operating community-based organization closed down. NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams went above and beyond to secure the necessary funding to keep the after-school program running this year. On October 26, Speaker Adams joined us at PS 160Q for our "Lights On After School" celebration, where she received an award from thankful parents and heard the children themselves talk about why they love the program so much. "After decades of disinvestment in the Jamaica neighborhood, it matters so much to have powerful leaders like Speaker Adams committed to delivering what we need for this community," said Ben Thomases, QCH Executive Director.

SOAP BOX DERBY IN FLUSHING MEADOWS

On October 28, QCH proudly stood as the only nonprofit among schools participating in the STEM-based Soap Box Derby in Flushing Meadows. The Soap Box Derby is a national youth racing program that builds self-esteem and confidence of participants through project development, design, and competition. Young adults of our YouthBuild program used their construction skills to build the cars, participants of our Teen program worked on the overall design and paint of the cars, and our after-school youth were the drivers. It was a great learning and bonding experience for all of our participants.

Queens Community House provides individuals and families with the tools to enrich their lives and build healthy, inclusive communities.