Author: GreenpointBlog

Since 1899, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens has been changing lives and building communities while serving our neighbors in need with mercy and compassion.

We currently sponsor more than 160 programs and services for children and youth, adults and seniors, persons with developmental disabilities, those who are mentally ill, and the isolated. In addition, we are one of the largest faith-based providers of affordable housing in the country.

Countless members of our community in Brooklyn and Queens have turned to Catholic Charities for assistance. We address issues of poverty and promote justice in the communities we serve, thereby empowering families and individuals to achieve greater self-sufficiency.

Please give generously to Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens in the  special holiday collection at your parish on Christmas Day.  Help the hungry, vulnerable and those in need. Donate online at ccbq.org or send a check to Catholic Charities Brooklyn & Queens, 191 Joralemon St, 12^th Fl, Brooklyn, 11201. 

All week long, the North Brooklyn Angels have been giving away household and clothing items to neighbors in need.

Every midday, in coordination with their regularly-scheduled 12:30 p.m. hot meal service, the nonprofit has been giving out items at different locations across north Brooklyn.

Residents and local businesses have also donated items to be gifted, including new comforters, bed linens, window dressings, personal hygiene items, socks, wooly caps and fleece scarves.

Here’s the schedule for the North Brooklyn Angels giveaways:

• Monday, December 16: St. Anthony’s Church on Manhattan Avenue
• Tuesday, December 17: Brooklyn Public Library on Division Avenue
• Wednesday, December 18: St. John’s Lutheran Church opposite Williamsburg Houses
• Thursday, December 19: Cooper Park Houses’ Residents Council, on Kingsland Avenue and Jackson Avenue
• Friday, December 20: Mot Holy Trinity Church

Though North Brooklyn Angels has only been in existence for two-plus years, it has served over 110,000 meals, engaged 750 volunteers and donated over 10,000 pounds of fresh produce.

Brooklyn Community 1 is hosting its monthly meeting tonight at Swinging 60s Senior Citizen Center (211 Ainslie Street) at 6 p.m.

Here’s what on the agenda:

• Presentation: Accessible Dispatch Program: a program to connect the community to wheelchair accessible taxis throughout NYC
• Presentation: Brooklyn Public Library: renovation plans for the Leonard Branch
• Liquor + beer license renewals
• Committee reports
• Parks Department minute
• Public session
• Chairperson’s Report
• District Manager’s Report
• Old Business
• New Business

See the full agenda of the combined public hearing and meeting agenda here.

The Grand Street Business Improvement District (BID) is hosting its third annual holiday food drive from now until December 19.

Thirteen participating small businesses located on Grand Street in East Williamsburg will have collection boxes for non-perishable food items to be donated to families in the St. John the Evangelist food pantry program.

Items that are accepted include: canned vegetables, breakfast cereals, peanut butter, oatmeal, rice, beans, canned fish, baby formula and baby food, raisins and dried fruit. Pre-cooked meals or foods that can be eaten without much heating are also accepted.

“Grand Street businesses were quick to join in, as always, when asked to participate this year,” said Erin Piscopink, executive director of Grand Street BID. “We have countless small business owners here that care deeply about our community, and it always shows most when we have events like this.”

The food will be used to help the 150 to 200 weekly recipients of St. John the Evangelist’s hot meal program, as well as their food pantry, which serves 20 to 30 local families.

Typical beneficiaries are senior citizens on fixed incomes and working families whose combined incomes don’t allow for full meals by the end of the month.

Residents and customers can donate by stopping by any of the 13 participating restaurants and dropping food items in the holiday wrapped collection box.

Perishable and pre-cooked foods will also be collected by the Grand Street BID at 246 Graham Avenue.

Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, who represents Long Island City, was elected last week by the House Democratic Caucus to lead the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.

The veteran pol fills the vacancy created the passing of late Congressman Elijah Cummings of Maryland.

Out of 219 ballots cast, Maloney received 133 votes, while Virginia Congressman Gerry Connolly got 86 votes.

The House Oversight Committee will play a key role in the impeachment proceeds of the president.

“It’s an extraordinary honor,” Maloney said. “I never expected that I would ever achieve such an honor.”

Maloney was a teacher before being elected to the New York City Council, where she served for 10 years.

She was first elected to Congress in 1992, and represents the east side of Manhattan, parts of north Brooklyn and sections of western Queens.

On Saturday, November 23 at 3 p.m., El Puente is hosting an event entitled “Breaking Bread.”

The event will feature free resources, giveaways and performances. It all goes down at the Moore Street Market, located at 110 Moore Street in East Williamsburg.

“Let’s break bread together while learning about community health!” the flier reads.

North Brooklyn nonprofit groups are getting into the giving spirit this holiday season.

Until December 18, St. Nicks Alliance, School Settlement Association and the Conselyea Street Block Association are hosing a holiday food drive.

The donations will go to the food pantries and collections at Our Lady of Mount Carmel-Annunciation and Most Holy Trinity churches.

You can donate your canned and non-perishable goods at the following site:

• 211 Ainslie Street (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
  • Note: Canned food and gently-used children’s clothing up to 7 years old
• 2 Kingsland Avenue (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
  • Canned food only
• 120 Jackson Street (12 to 2 p.m.)
  • Canned food only until November 14

On Wednesday, November 20, at IS 71 in South Williamsburg, Community Education Council (CEC) for District 14 is hosting its first annual Thanksgiving Food Project.

The food drive will collect non-perishable and canned foods, package them into Thanksgiving baskets and provide them to impacted families.

According to Town Square, 70 percent of District 14 students qualify for free or reduced lunch because their families live near the poverty line.

CEC 14 will assemble the bags and baskets on November 20.

Here are suggested items to donate:

• Canned veggies/fruit (yams, greens, beans, corn, pineapples, apples, peaches)
• Canned milk
• Gravy, broth
• Dry beans
• Stuffing
• Bread/muffin/cake mix
• Dry pasta (macaroni, lasagna, penne)
• Frosting
• White/brown sugar
• Juices, soda or cider
• Seasoning and spices

Borough President Eric Adams has earmarked $15 million in capital investments to nearly 60 Brooklyn schools for STEAM programs.

The funding will help construct multiple hydroponic labs, computer labs and tech labs in those schools.

Six schools in north Brooklyn received funding as part of this allocation from Borough Hall:

• Automotive High School (Williamsburg): $100,000
• JHS 291 Roland Hayes (Bushwick): $300,000
• IS 347 School of Humanities (Bushwick): $300,000
• Brooklyn School for Social Justice (Bushwick): $250,000
• PS/IS 45 Horace E. Greene (Bushwick): $350,000
• Brooklyn High School for Law and Technology (Bushwick): $240,000