February 2026 Inside CAMBA

February 2026

Dear Friends,

As we look optimistically toward spring—a season that reminds us of renewal and new beginnings—I want to take a moment to thank you for your continued support of CAMBA’s work. Your generosity sustains our efforts across New York City and makes it possible for thousands of individuals and families to move toward greater stability and opportunity each year.

In this month's spotlight, we are proud to showcase some of our most impactful Housing Stability partnerships that are helping New Yorkers feel healthy, happy, and self-sufficient. We are also excited to share a volunteer initiative led by our Junior Board, demonstrating how they are collaborating closely with the youth we serve to make a meaningful impact in our communities.

You will also find details below about our upcoming NYCRUNS Prospect Park 5K on April 12—a wonderful opportunity to come together in support of CAMBA’s mission—and updates on important projects underway at two of our community centers that are expanding services and deepening our neighborhood impact.

Thank you for standing with us. Your partnership makes this work possible.

Before you go, I hope you will take a moment to complete the brief survey at the bottom of this email. Your feedback helps us better understand what matters most to you and how we can continue sharing the CAMBA stories and updates you value.

With gratitude,

Growing Community: Wellness & Connection

Take Root with CAMBA Programs

Home is more than four walls — it is community, connection, and the opportunity to thrive.

Across our supportive housing sites, residents are finding all of that and more through dynamic onsite programming made possible by partnerships with Keys to Abundant Life and The Hort (The Horticultural Society of New York), a nonprofit dedicated to using gardening and green spaces to strengthen communities.

Tenants participate in cooking classes, yoga, salsa, meditation, and other wellness activities designed to nurture both body and mind. These programs do more than teach new skills — they create space for neighbors to build friendships, reduce isolation, and strengthen their sense of belonging.

Through The Hort’s gardening initiatives at CAMBA Housing Ventures (CHV) developments like CAMBA Gardens I and II, along with other developers' supportive housing buildings like King Gardens, Van Dyke, and the Simba Simbi Senior Residence, residents are also getting their hands in the soil. Together, they plant, tend, and harvest fresh vegetables — learning about nutrition and sustainable living while enjoying the pride that comes from growing their own food.

For many residents, especially seniors and individuals who have experienced housing instability, these shared activities are transformative. Gardening groups become support networks. Cooking classes spark conversations and laughter. Yoga and meditation offer calm and healing.

Because of supporters like you, CAMBA Housing Ventures developments and CAMBA's supportive services create not just places to live — they are places where wellness grows, connections deepen, and community flourishes.

CAMBA Junior Board's "Project for a Purpose" Initiative Aims to Bring Movie Nights to Brownsville

When young people are given the chance to lead, incredible things happen.

This year, CAMBA’s Junior Board launched "Project for a Purpose" — a new participatory budgeting initiative that put decision-making directly into the hands of youth served at CAMBA’s Van Dyke Community Center in Brownsville.

The idea was simple but powerful: youth would develop program ideas, pitch them in a Shark Tank–style event, vote on their favorite, and then bring the winning concept to life.

"It was a great experience to get a chance to see the presentations from the kids in the Van Dyke Community Center," said CAMBA Junior Board Member Betty Kalin. "It was clear that the kids and CAMBA staff had put a lot of thought and effort into their presentations from the overall concepts to the budgets and outreach efforts. As Junior Board members, we love the opportunity to work directly with the community we're serving, and this was a fantastic opportunity for that."

The winning proposal? Brownsville Blockbusters — a free community movie night series designed to bring neighbors together for food, fun, and connection.

Brownsville Blockbusters transforms the Van Dyke Community Center into a welcoming evening gathering space, complete with:

Warm dinners and refreshments
Comfortable seating for all ages
Popcorn, snacks, and themed treats
Interactive fun like trivia, raffles, and community shout-outs

Each movie night becomes an opportunity for families to gather, laugh, and connect — turning an ordinary evening into something meaningful.

CAMBA’s Junior Board is currently raising $5,000 to bring this youth-led vision and other meaningful programs fully to life. Your support helps ensure that Brownsville Blockbusters becomes a lasting community tradition — where dinner, storytelling, and shared joy bring neighbors together.

April

12

NYCRUNS Prospect Park

5K Benefitting CAMBA

Thanks to a generous donation from Home Depot, CAMBA’s Penn-Wortman Cornerstone Community Center recently distributed 24 bicycles and 18 scooters to youth and families in the community following a hands-on bike assembly event with Home Depot volunteers. This partnership is helping ensure young people of all ages have access to safe, active recreational opportunities—and a little extra joy.