Summer Youth Programming At BronxWorks | | Across the organization, exciting seasonal summer programming is offered to Bronx children and youth. From some of our youngest students to high school and older youth, our neighbors are enjoying the warm weather and engaging in fun activities at BronxWorks. | | |
Summer Camps
Many BronxWorks after-school programs transition to summer camps while school is out of session. Campers participate in many recreational and educational activities, as well as field trips to local attractions.
Some elementary-aged campers had the opportunity to participate in a reading and writing workshop, in partnership with Storyland The Bronx Book Haven. The workshop culminated with the students performing poetry they wrote in front of friends, family, and community members. The children also received shoes, as the opportunity was sponsored by Kids Foot Locker.
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Some of our middle schoolers engaged in financial literacy programming, provided in partnership by BLOCC Society and Citi Bank. The students and their families learned healthy financial habits and key entrepreneurship concepts focused on starting a small business. They also took a field trip to Wall Street to explore the Financial District, including posing in front of the iconic Charging Bull.
Alongside these offerings, our campers also took swimming lessons in the BronxWorks Pool, enjoyed team sports, practiced their literacy and problem-solving skills, worked on passion projects, and learned more about one another.
| | BronxWorks is proud to provide these unique experiences for our students, and we are grateful to the partners who make them possible. This type of programming encourages curiosity and learning of various subjects to boost academic engagement throughout the year. Our summer camps strive to not only provide a safe, nurturing space for children during the out-of-school season, but also to develop their interests and reinforce lessons from school. | | | | |
Summer Youth Employment Program Across BronxWorks
Every summer, BronxWorks serves as a provider of the New York City Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), connecting over 1,300 youth ages 14-21 with paid work experience for six weeks. Older youth 16-21 are placed in various employment opportunities at BronxWorks and other employers throughout the city. Our summer camp programs are greatly supported by the SYEP interns, as our program hours extend during this time of year. Other SYEP interns gain experience in other departments throughout the agency, assisting with critical jobs in administration, maintenance, community health, and more.
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Younger youth ages 14-15 participate in project-based internships as groups, also within and outside of BronxWorks. One group of SYEP participants joined a Leadership Through Events program, where they learned about event production, leadership, agency, and teamwork. At the end of the session, the students brought their ideas to life and hosted a teen club event after their program graduation ceremony.
Thank you to all of our community partners and BronxWorks sites who hosted SYEP interns this summer. These experiences are invaluable for young adults as they develop financial literacy, cultivate new interests, and prepare to enter the workforce.
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Lisette Diaz
Administrative Assistant
| | | | If you have ever been to the BronxWorks Administrative Office, you have probably met Lisette Diaz. A lifelong Bronx resident, Lisette works at the front desk of the building and manages reception. Lisette also takes on several responsibilities assisting the fiscal, development, operations, and HR departments. During the summers, Lisette typically supervises a cohort of Summer Youth Employment Program participants. She takes pride in acting as a mentor who helps them build confidence and adapt to a professional environment. | | "My job title may be Administrative Assistant, but I will do anything. I am a team player, I like to help out. That’s how I was raised. If I see people who need help, I get involved." | | Roxanne Shante Canvasses the Bronx Promoting the BronxWorks Farm Stand | | |
Did You Know? Legendary hip-hop pioneer Roxanne Shante joined BronxWorks staff to spread the word about our farm stand! The group canvassed several blocks and connected with over 100 people in the area around our flagship community center at 1130 Grand Concourse. Roxanne's focus was promoting one of the stand's incentives: spend $1 in EBT at the farm stand, and get $20 worth of produce for free! This deal can be especially helpful for families towards the end of the month, as their EBT balance gets lower. Anyone with EBT dollars to spend can take advantage of this promo, and it is available weekly through September 10. The day after canvassing, Roxanne also attended the farm stand to continue promoting this opportunity and connecting with community members. Thank you so much to Roxanne for her efforts and commitment to uplifting the community!
Pictured above: Roxanne Shante alongside BronxWorks Director of Training & Learning Management Systems Alex Soto and BronxWorks Associate Vice President of Community Health Rachel Gill, canvassing the community together.
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Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez
Reads to BronxWorks Students
Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez welcomed BronxWorks youth participants from our Betances summer camp to a Summer Reading event! The congresswoman read the children a story and shared the various resources available at public libraries. She emphasized the importance of having a library card and staying engaged with reading throughout the year. The event was hosted in partnership with the New York Public Library Mott Haven branch and Bronx Community Board 1. Thank you to the Congresswoman for taking the time to meet with our students and encourage their educational growth!
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Manhattan Beer Provides Career Panel for BronxWorks JobsPlus Program
BronxWorks Workforce Development JobsPlus program partnered with Manhattan Beer & Beverage Distributors to host a career panel for the community. Representatives from the company detailed what it is like to work in various positions, including sales, operations, finance, HR, and more. They also shared insights into the distribution industry as a whole and accepted questions from those in attendance. Thank you to Manhattan Beer for your partnership and for sharing your experiences with our participants!
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Older Adults Enjoy Trips and Other Summer Activities
While BronxWorks Older Adult Centers operate throughout the year, their summer activities are some of the participants' favorites. Many of the older adults look forward to the annual trips to Holiday Hill and Lake Welch, held every August. Participants from all 10 BronxWorks Older Adult Centers are welcome to attend these trips and enjoy the beautiful weather outside of the city. The Morris Older Adult Center also offered Hula Dancing exercise classes, among many other activities. Our older adults greatly enjoy dancing and music-related activities, and they were thrilled to learn this new dance style.
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BronxWorks Senior Leadership Retreat
BronxWorks leaders recently came together for the annual Senior Leadership Retreat. This year, the group met at Wave Hill, a beautiful space overlooking the Hudson River in the north Bronx. During the meeting, the leaders shared ideas for the coming months, discussed the agency-wide strategic plan, and gained a better understanding about their colleagues and other services at BronxWorks. With a holistic and wrap-around approach to our services for the community, it is vital that our leaders across all departments remain connected and communicative. Our collective strength ensures the continued success of our services as the organization grows and evolves.
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BronxWorks Legal Services Share Housing Resources
At Fordham In Community Event
The BronxWorks Legal Services department was one of many community programs that tabled at the Fordham In Community Back-to-School event. Hosted in Fordham Plaza, the event was open to all and offered a variety of activities and resources for families to prepare for the upcoming school season. BronxWorks Legal Services staff shared resources for Bronx tenants on various housing matters, such as lease renewals, applying for arrears assistance, rental assistance programs for seniors, obtaining repairs, and more.
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Optimum Hosts BronxWorks at New York Yankees Game
BronxWorks CEO Eileen Torres and Director of Advancement and Communications Gianna Dell'Olio were invited by Optimum to a New York Yankees Game, alongside other community organizations. BronxWorks appreciates our ongoing partnership with Optimum. Although the Yankees did not win that night, a great time was had by all.
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The BronxWorks 5K Is Back!
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24
ORCHARD BEACH, BRONX, NY
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Join us on SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24 at ORCHARD BEACH in the Bronx for the BronxWorks Monster Mash Hunger Dash 5K! Support our work as we fight food insecurity in the Bronx!
Early Bird Prices are available for a limited time! We offer family ticket bundles! Buy your tickets now!
All proceeds raised at the 5K go directly to BronxWorks programs providing access to fresh and affordable food for our neighbors in need. We offer bi-weekly and monthly food pantries at various sites, operate two seasonal farm stand markets with various incentives and cooking demonstrations, and make thousands of meals each day to support several program sites with daily meals. With rising costs and concerns over food quality, it is now more important than ever that we provide reliable, affordable, and consistent resources to support those facing food insecurity.
You can make a direct and positive impact for those facing food insecurity by participating in the BronxWorks 5K.
Can't make it on October 24? Support a fundraiser! All 5K participants are encouraged to fundraise to support our efforts combatting food insecurity. There are prizes available for our top fundraisers!
| | Support #TeamBronxWorks in the TCS 2026 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! | | |
Here are other ways you can join BronxWorks and support our mission this year:
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