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Reflections on the Year

by News and Events

Friends,

 

As 2025 comes to a close, I reflect on the incredible vibrance, resiliency, and the determined spirit of the community that we proudly serve. I am honored to join wonderful supporters like you and to partner with our neighbors in Sunset Park as they build fulfilling lives, care for their families, and do all in their power to actualize the bright future that they desire for their community.


For so many in Sunset Park today, actualizing a better future is, as the saying goes, “making a way out of no way.” There is nothing more important than our collective effort to acknowledge the dignity in all people. In fellowship, we forge a path for all to reach their human potential, make their voices heard, and make their dreams a reality. 


This year, when SNAP benefits were suspended during the government shutdown, Center for Family Life was able to respond to emerging policy and funding challenges by doubling our pantry services to reach hundreds more families experiencing hunger. We expanded our Know Your Rights workshops and Guardianship Planning materials so that all parents can feel certain their children will have someone of their choosing to care for them, and that all children can continue to build their futures here in the community that is their home.


Even in the face of unanticipated challenges, the Center grew its programs and experienced many moments of joy. We honored the 43-year legacy of Co-Executive Director Julie Stein Brockway and launched an innovation fund in her honor. We continued to offer our many essential programs and services, reaching 17,946 families and 24,853 community members with supportive education, employee readiness, and social service programs.


Importantly, this year we also heard the desire of neighbors and supporters to come together in community and face the unprecedented change and uncertainty together with friends and loved ones. In response, looking to 2026, Center for Family Life in Sunset Park is creating more opportunities to bring our Brooklyn community together. From our first community gathering on Three Kings Day next week (join us!), to spring, summer, and fall events and volunteer opportunities. 


This is your place to find and be in solidarity with others who share your commitment to ensuring all our neighbors have the opportunity to pursue a life of abundance. Which is why, today, I am asking for your help. Thank you for doing your part to support the Sunset Park community by contributing to Center for Family Life.


Wishing you and your loved ones a healthy, authentic, and happy New Year.


Sincerely,

Julia Jean-Francois

Co-Executive Director

CFL Summer Camp participants. Art designed by local Sunset Park artist, Mei Zheng.

Happy Holidays!

by News and EventsUncategorized

We are so grateful for all our supporters and community members. It’s been a challenging year, but Sunset Park is an incredibly resilient and resourceful community!

 

 

Center for Family Life continues to be a beacon of hope, hub of civic engagement, and resource point for economic livelihoods in our neighborhood.  

 

This year, our Center helped:

  • 2,435 families obtain $1.6 million in benefits like SNAP and health insurance.
  • 5,426 people file their tax returns through our VITA Tax Filing Program, securing $8,500,000 in refunds for low-income community members (interested in volunteering with our tax program?).
  • 1,159 youth earn close to $2 million in earnings this summer through our Summer Youth Employment Program.

 

We couldn’t have done this without your help. Thank you, and we wish you a very happy, healthy, and peaceful holiday season. 

 

Warmly,

The Staff and Board of Center for Family Life in Sunset Park

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PS – we’re nearing our $100,000 year-end goal, can you help us get there? 

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November: The Season of Giving

by News and EventsUncategorized

We love this season because it reminds us to be thankful for all of the things we enjoy and the people we are grateful to have in our lives.

However, for many of our community members who have limited incomes, unstable housing, food insecurity, or are far from loved ones at home, it can be hard to feel the joy of the season.

At Center for Family Life, we work to make every individual in our Sunset Park community feel warmth, love, and appreciation now and year-round. But our programs are only possible with your incredible generosity.

Today, we’re excited to kick off our end-of-year fundraising goal to reach $100,000 by January 10th, 2026. Your donations will directly support our free food pantry, afterschool programs, legal services, ESOL classes, family counseling, and so much more. 

DONATE
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Council Member Avilés helping with our annual turkey distribution.

Just last week, our amazing food pantry team partnered with District 38 Council Member Alexa Avilés and City Harvest to distribute 175 turkeys to families in need. An annual tradition at CFL, our turkey give-a-ways are in addition to our regular food packages which this year have reached 2,628 families so far.

Centering support in the heart of Sunset Park is exactly how CFL delivers warmth to our neighbors who may be experiencing a very challenging time this season.

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The CFL food pantry team with Council Member Avilés.

Join us today to help us reach $100,000 by January 10th and ensure no interruption to our community programs in the new year.

No donation is too small!

DONATE

From all of us at Center for Family Life, we wish you a safe and restful Thanksgiving holiday.

We appreciate you!

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October: Volunteer Partnership with the Brooklyn Oratory

by News and Events

This past summer, a group from the Brooklyn Oratory inquired about volunteer opportunities at Center for Family Life. This led to a beautiful partnership that we are excited to highlight in this month’s Stories from the Field! 

The Migrant Accompaniment program, operating under the Oratory’s Social Justice Action Committee, focuses on supporting recently arrived New Yorkers and was eager to engage with Brooklyn’s immigrant community.

They conducted a needs assessment through a series of interviews, surveys, and meetings—including with CFL’s Adult Employment program—to determine how their volunteering could be most effective. Ultimately, they decided to facilitate English conversation circles in partnership with our ESOL classes!

In Fiscal Year 2025, 223 students enrolled in our free English classes, making conversation circles an excellent addition to our programming.

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Snapshots from some of the conversation circle sessions!

For two and a half months, a dedicated group of 15 volunteers facilitated 4 English conversation circles weekly. The aim was to create a foundation of care through accessible and relevant conversations, making the experience comfortable for learners. 

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These sessions provided essential opportunities for learners to drive the discussions, fostering genuine connections among participants.

One volunteer remarked that “the conversations quickly morphed from the recommended topic of the day to what happened in people’s lives during the week, like a group of friends catching up”.

After breaking the ice, the sessions also evolved into a space for resource-sharing and mutual aid, where both volunteers and learners exchanged knowledge on topics like low-cost lunch options, neighborhood events, library assistance, and more.

Another volunteer noted “the most positive aspect for me was the enjoyment everyone in the group seemed to feel: there were serious explanations, and laughter, at each session”.

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Brooklyn Oratory volunteers celebrating their partnership with CFL Co-Executive Director Julia Jean-Francois and Adult Employment Program Director Maria Ferreira. 

We are so grateful to our partners at the Brooklyn Oratory and look forward to continuing our collaboration.

Thank you to all our supporters and volunteers, you make

Center for Family Life’s vital work possible!

Learn more about volunteering with Center for Family Life

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September: Summer Youth Employment Program

by News and EventsYouth and Community Development & School Partnerships

Every summer, Center for Family Life in Sunset Park coordinates paid work opportunities for youth aged 14 to 24 through the Department of Youth and Community Development’s Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). 

This critical program empowers young adults to explore future career paths, acquire essential job readiness skills, earn paychecks to support their families, and make a meaningful impact in their communities. 

We are incredibly proud of the 1,159 participants who generated close to $2,000,000 in earnings this summer! 

Among them, 318 Younger Youth participants, aged 14 to 15, engaged in Project-Based Learning (PBL) Groups. These groups collaboratively address community needs by creating projects focused on social justice or youth development. PBLs provide participants with opportunities to practice civic engagement and enhance their leadership skills.

This summer, PBL participants conducted five intergenerational workshops for over 100 elementary-aged students. One of these workshops was a carnival-style event at Sunset Park High School!

Other PBL participants worked with community-based organizations like Community Help in Park Slope (CHiPS) and City Meals on Wheels to address food insecurity through packaging and delivering meals.

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For our Older Youth participants, the SYEP experience begins before summer even starts!

In early June, hundreds of students attended CFL’s annual in-person Job Fair. With resumes in hand, they participated in informational interviews with a variety of worksites. Partner worksites included medical centers, political offices, arts organizations, and CFL’s own programs! This unique event helps young people discover opportunities that align with their career goals.

In total, 841 Older Youth participants, aged 16 to 24, worked at 83 different worksites across the South Brooklyn area.

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One of our newer SYEP worksites is Socceroof, an indoor space where soccer meets community through youth and adult programming. Participants got the chance to explore what a career in athletics would be like by supporting the classes, events, and pick-up games!

The Green-Wood Cemetery is a beloved worksite where SYEP participants help restore the 478-acre landmark while learning about the intersections of horticulture and history. This also included a cumulative research project presented to staff and parents.

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We even had our very own group of SYEP participants working in the Center for Family Life offices! These wonderful participants helped Community Service Staff with food vouchers, stocked the food pantry, observed benefit enrollment, and assisted with Maimonides and NYU health studies.

We extend our deepest gratitude to our partner worksites and our utmost congratulations to all SYEP participants for their amazing work! 

If you would like to support the Center for Family Life and this kind of programming, please consider making a donation today.