Fall & Back-To-School Events | | |
Backpack Donations This Back-To-School Season
BronxWorks is incredibly grateful to everyone who donated back-to-school items for our participants! Backpacks and school supplies were distributed to hundreds of BronxWorks children of all ages throughout the agency. Families were so appreciative for the supplies, and the students became more excited and engaged for the start of the school year. Donations like these are especially helpful for our community members facing affordability challenges during these tough economic times. Special thank you to Baby2Baby, New York Cares, Joyful Occasions, and EPIC Insurance Brokers, among many others, for their generous contributions this back-to-school season!
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"These donations mean so much, not only to our participants but also to their families. The back-to-school season can be a stressful time and a financial strain for parents, especially having to purchase supplies. These donations lift that burden, ensuring every child has what they need to start the school year fully equipped."
- Dina Brown, Associate Vice President of Older Youth Programs, Children and Youth Department
| | BronxWorks Hosts Job Fairs With Various Opportunities | | BronxWorks is assisting our neighbors start or progress their career this fall with multiple job fairs offering a variety of opportunities. The BronxWorks Children and Youth department held a hiring event to recruit for positions open throughout the department, including youth worker, lead teacher, program assistant, and more. Candidates were interviewed on site by Children and Youth staff. BronxWorks is proud to be a lead employer in the borough with over 1,000 staff, offering competitive benefits, professional growth opportunities, and a strong organizational culture that fosters lasting relationships among colleagues and with the community. | | | | Our Workforce Development department also hosted a job fair in collaboration with JobsNYC and the NYC Department of Small Business Services this month. Over a dozen employers and more than 200 job seekers were in attendance to discuss various opportunities and learn more about available resources. | | CELEBRATING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH | | BronxWorks is thrilled to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month across the agency. Several programs celebrated with events, sharing food, music, games, and other traditions. Participants and staff alike are excited to honor their rich culture and share in celebrations with their community. BronxWorks remains committed to employing a diverse team of staff members that are representative of the communities we serve. This month we are proud to honor staff of Hispanic heritage who have demonstrated outstanding service to the community and are receiving recognition for their work. | | |
Noel Concepcion, Barbara Miliano, Stanley Vargas
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
| | This Hispanic Heritage Month, BronxWorks is proud to celebrate three staff members who have been recognized this month for their longstanding commitment to uplifting the Bronx community. Stanley Vargas, Director of Social Services at the BronxWorks Westchester Avenue Safe Haven, was awarded the Above and Beyond for Excellence in Client Services for Outreach Award at the annual Homeless Services United (HSU) Gala. Noel Concepcion, BronxWorks Vice President of Adult Homeless Services, and Barbara Miliano, Program Director of The Brook Supportive Housing, are being honored at Governor Kathy Hochul’s Hispanic Heritage Month Reception highlighting bilingual and culturally competent mental health professionals. We are so proud of our staff for these well-deserved achievements and thrilled to celebrate them this Hispanic Heritage Month! | | |
Noel Concepcion
Vice President, Adult Homeless Services
| | | | This year, Noel Concepcion, LMSW, is celebrating 30 years with BronxWorks. Noel joined the organization in 1995 as a Case Manager for the Homeless Outreach Team (HOT). He is now the Vice President of Adult Homeless Services, overseeing a men’s shelter, multiple safe havens, a drop-in center, and street outreach. Noel is very proud of the reduction in street homelessness in the Bronx, which BronxWorks has presided over for the last three decades. | | “I'm very proud of the reduction in street homelessness in the Bronx. The work is not done, and we are committed to continuing this work to uplift the community.” | | |
Barbara Miliano
Program Director, The Brook Supportive Housing
| | | | Barbara Miliano, LCSW, has led The Brook supportive housing site as Program Director for the last ten years. Her experience in social work spans a variety of populations and circumstances, making her well-suited to support the unique needs of residents at The Brook. Barbara is proud to work in supportive housing because she is able to provide proactive and long-term care, as well as a sense of community, to people who were formerly homeless. | | "Some social services can be very transactional, you only interact with clients a couple times. At The Brook, it's all about the relationship with the client.” | | |
Stanley Vargas
Director of Social Services, BronxWorks Westchester Avenue Safe Haven
| | | | Stanley Vargas, MSW, has spent his entire social work career with BronxWorks, growing within the organization's Adult Homeless Services department. Stanley is the Director of Social Services at the BronxWorks Westchester Avenue Safe Haven (WASH), where he supervises case management staff and liaisons with medical psychiatric providers to support all clientele at the safe haven. | | "Working here doesn't feel like a job. I see the impact of BronxWorks, and I love having that one-on-one connection with the community I was raised in.” | |
Join Us To Fight Food Insecurity In The Bronx!
Support the BronxWorks 5K Monster Mash Hunger Dash!
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Did You Know? Every year, BronxWorks holds the 5K Monster Mash Hunger Dash, a fun run/walk raising funds in support of programs fighting food insecurity. Many of our Bronx neighbors struggle to find fresh and affordable foods, as prices continue to rise citywide and supermarkets are scarce in many areas. A major pillar of the BronxWorks mission is to FEED our neighbors to build a stronger Bronx community. Our annual 5K directly supports food access programs including community food pantries, farm stands, BronxWorks kitchens, and more.
JOIN US on Saturday, October 18 at Orchard Beach in the Bronx to raise critical funds to fight food insecurity in the Bronx!
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Older Adults Take Annual Trip to Holiday Hill
Every year, BronxWorks older adult center participants look forward to the trip to Holiday Hill in Prospect, Connecticut. Older adults from several BronxWorks centers come together to enjoy food, dancing, games, and everything else Holiday Hill has to offer! Some participants even went canoeing on the lake!
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SYEP Youth Create Murals
Younger youth participants in the BronxWorks Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) worked on community-based mural projects throughout the summer with the theme "A Better Tomorrow". Students learned the history of street art and practiced various elements of design. Participants also had the opportunity to approach small businesses and offer to create new street art. At the end of the summer, the students put together a gallery of their artwork for friends, family, and BronxWorks staff to enjoy.
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NYBG Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail
BronxWorks staff had the opportunity to attend the New York Botanical Garden's Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail during the Garden's Community Day! The light trail is open now through the end of November, and it brings the movie to life with popular characters, scenes, and songs. We are so thankful to the New York Botanical Garden for our continued partnership and for the chance to enjoy this special event!
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Jobs Plus Hispanic Heritage Celebration
Our Jobs Plus Workforce Development program celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month with a fun event for their participants. Attendees enjoyed bingo, a raffle, and a salsa dance contest! They also shared delicious snacks and treats inspired by Hispanic cuisine.
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Older Adults Hispanic Heritage Potluck
Participants at the BronxWorks Morris Older Adult Center celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month with a potluck dinner! The older adults enjoyed a meal full of various Hispanic dishes and everyone had the opportunity to bring in their own favorite Hispanic foods to share with attendees.
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Security Officer Appreciation
The third week of September is National Security Officer Appreciation Week! We are so appreciative of all our security staff throughout our facilities. Our security personnel keep our program staff and participants safe, so that our community members may access the support they need. We are grateful for their dedicated and continued efforts to protect our programs.
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Remembering Lorenzo Barcelo |
| BronxWorks recognizes longtime staff member Lorenzo Barcelo, who sadly passed away earlier this year. Lorenzo was a beloved and vital part of the Workforce Development department for almost three decades, providing Bronx residents with invaluable financial advice and career development skills. He was a mentor to many staff members throughout his time in the organization. Lorenzo also served on the BronxWorks (then-Citizens Advice Bureau) Board of Directors in the 1990s. We send our deepest condolences to his family and friends, as well as our staff who continue to grieve his passing. | | Support #TeamBronxWorks in the TCS 2025 NYC Marathon! BronxWorks is proud to once again be a charity partner for the TCS NYC Marathon this year. As a charity runner, members of #TeamBronxWorks each have a goal of raising $3,000 for BronxWorks Children and Youth programs. Support our runners here. | |
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Here are some other ways you can join BronxWorks and support our mission this year:
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Donate essential goods directly to Bronx residents in need through our Wishlist.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and X for exciting updates.
For a full list of ways to give to BronxWorks, visit our website.
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