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August 2023 Newsletter

A Message from Our CEO

In continued efforts to address the housing crisis in New York City, RiseBoro Community Partnership and our partners at Slate Property Group recently broke ground on a sustainable affordable housing development in Brownsville. Scheduled to be completed in summer 2025, the building will provide 215 permanently affordable apartments and 130 of those will be reserved for formerly unhoused young adults and their families. This is just one of many affordable all-electric passive houses we have developed or retrofitted in recent years as part of our efforts to help the most vulnerable New Yorkers live comfortably and affordably in the face of climate change. 

Despite the heat of one of the hottest summers on record, our staff, volunteers, and partners have been embedded in our communities, mentoring young people through the annual Summer Youth Employment Program, connecting families with fresh locally produced products at our RiseBoro Farmers Markets, beautifying and enjoying community green spaces, and celebrating summer holidays like Puerto Rican Day and Juneteenth.

In the stories that follow, you can see that now is an exciting, vibrant time to be part of the RiseBoro community. If you see something that interests you and want to learn more or connect, please reach out to us. We would love to have you deepen your connection to the RiseBoro Community. 

In partnership,  
Scott Short, CEO 

Building Collective Power for Bushwick’s Small Business Community  

Through a Neighborhood 360 Grant funded by New York City’s Small Business Services, RiseBoro community organizers are helping small businesses in Bushwick unlock economic potential, access city resources, and achieve their business goals. “If there’s anything you want to see implemented in the neighborhood, now is your chance to get that dialogue going and make it happen,” said Nalisha Samlall, RiseBoro’s Neighborhood 360 Manager. 

Click here to read more about this exciting new program!

Riseboro Gala 2023

We’re excited to celebrate a very special gala this year on our 50th anniversary.

To learn more, click this link.

Thanks To Our Volunteers!

Our incredible volunteer community has been busy this summer! In May, the Atlas Capital Group repainted our Borinquen Plaza Older Adult Center, and in June a group from Swerve Church celebrated Father’s Day by deep cleaning the Ridgewood Bushwick Senior Center. Thank you to these two groups for your hard work! If you too would like to join our volunteer community, email our volunteer manager, Jasmine Montalvo, at [email protected].

Volunteer Opportunities

Connect with our community of supporters by becoming a volunteer. Below is a list of our current needs. If you don’t see something that interests you, reach out to us for additional opportunities. 

PPE Packing: Assemble personal protective equipment (PPE) packs

Administrative Assistance: Assist with clerical work at older adult centers 

Revitalization: Help beautify our senior centers with painting, landscaping and more

Get additional information here!

Or contact Jasmine Montalvo, Service & Volunteer Manager: [email protected].

Join Our Giving Family

RiseBoro Education Celebrates Graduates of HSE/GED Class of 2023

Earlier this summer, the thirty-eight members of RiseBoro’s HSE/GED Class of 2023 celebrated their success in a graduation ceremony held at RiseBoro’s Youth Center. Surrounded by family, friends, and their teachers, the students shared stories of the hardships they had overcome and encouraged each other to continue to pursue their educational and professional goals. Many graduates had already received job offers, promotions, or had enrolled in higher education classes as the next step towards realizing their dreams. 

Click here to read more.

My Voice theatre 2023 Production

If you didn’t make it to My Voice Theatre’s production ‘Every Day I Write the Book’, you can watch the full production using the link below.

“Every Day I Write The Book” is not the show we thought we were going to write at the beginning of the summer, but it is the show that wanted to be written. It is the result of improvisation and writing workshops and is only the third time in MVT history where the actors are playing the same character throughout the show (pretty much). It is the sharing of some of the chapters of the company members’ lives, and the lives of those they know, and sometimes love. 

Having watched the show, we hope that you will take some time to reflect on the themes of this play. We hope that you will think about the human experience, the power of love, acceptance and belonging, and the importance of community and storytelling.

Directed by Francis Blacklock, with Shanneilia Woolcock (Stage Manager), Jay Aiken, Nico Cruz, Crysmel Perez, Emellie Rochelin, Jeremiah Rodriguez, and Ashley Woolcock.

The show was created over 4 weeks-July 5th-August 28th, with a preproduction week-July 31st-August 3rd, and 8 performances-August 7th-10th.

Watch now!

Grand Opening of our Family Enrichment Center 

On Monday, June 19, our Brownsville Connections Family Enrichment Center (FEC) celebrating its grand opening with a Juneteenth community event. FECs are community-designed spaces that support families with an inviting home-like space where neighbors can connect, contribute to their community, find resources, support one another, and build strategies that help families thrive. To learn more, stop by the FEC in person at 143 Pitkin Avenue. 

It’s Farmers Market Season!

The 2023 RiseBoro Farmers Market season is in full swing with produce grown by local farmers and products created and sold by local merchants. Come by during market hours for sourdough bread, Palestinian heirloom olive oil, roasted coffee and cold brew, herb-infused honey blends, vegan empanadas, raw NYS honey, soy candles, Caribbean-inspired tea blends, houseplants and seedlings, and Balkan-centered herbal body care. SNAP/EBT, P-EBT, FMNP, OTC, HealthBucks, and FreshConnect checks are accepted and encouraged for eligible items.  

Market Hours and Locations 

Saturdays 8:00 am -3:00 pm at Maria Hernandez Park 

Wednesdays 9:00 am -3:00 pm at Hope Ballfield 

Link to Flyer