Summer Camp Bracelet Making

August: Summer Camp in Sunset Park!

by News and EventsYouth and Community Development & School Partnerships

This month, our newsletter highlights the action-packed days of our CFLSP summer camp programs. We are thrilled that this summer, we served a total of 1,814 children from Kindergarten through 8th grade! Our full-day, 5 day per week camps ran in July and August and engaged children in a diverse range of activities that promoted social, physical, academic and artistic development and provided opportunities to practice and master skills while having fun and building community.

Here are some of this summer’s highlights!

Campers engaged in many hands-on art projects led by CFL Arts Specialists. For one project at our PS 1 camp called “A Summer Souvenir”, campers fostered creativity by designing unique and colorful friendship bracelets, that will be a token by which they can remember a fun-filled summer.

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All CFL camps take weekly field trips to museums, parks, and other cultural, recreational and educational sites throughout NYC. Above, campers from PS 516 visit the American Museum of Natural History.

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Four groups of campers from PS 169 traveled to Brooklyn Urban Garden School (BUGS) twice per week to tend the outdoor gardens and harvest produce from the hydroponics lab. Campers created their own herb satchels, sampled indoor and outdoor grown cucumbers, learned how to weigh produce, and took home fresh vegetables to their families! This fun and engaging project taught campers sustainable urban food growing practices in a hands-on, delicious and nutritious way.

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A highlight of our camp program is our annual summer Olympics. With the goals of promoting sportsmanship and building community, campers engaged in healthy competition through water relays, classic field games, sports, obstacle courses and more.

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Campers also explored their creativity in dance, music, acting, and visual arts activities with culminating performances delighting family and community members! Above, the PS 516 campers perform in an original show entitled “CFL through the Decades.”

In addition to our summer camp participants, we are thrilled that 397 young people gained paid work experience as SYEP camp counselors through the NYC DYCD Summer Youth Employment Program.

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With love from all of us at Center for Family Life in Sunset Park
to everyone who made this a most magical and memorable summer!

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June: Cross-site Soccer League

by News and EventsYouth and Community Development & School Partnerships

With generous funding provided by the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD), Center for Family Life launched our first-ever cross-site soccer league in February of 2024. Our free program operated across 6 Center for Family Life sites in Sunset Park at PS 1, PS 503/506, PS 94, PS 169, PS 516, and PS 971. Our Neighborhood Youth Soccer Program served elementary and middle school youth, who otherwise may not have had the financial resources to join a soccer team or the experience to be selected for a competitive league.

At the start of the program, CFL staff organized 14 co-ed teams of youth, from ages 10 to 13. All participants were registered on a first-come-first-serve basis and no prior experience was required.

Staff also recruited high school students to assist in implementing sports practices, games, and other activities for participants. This provided high schoolers with the opportunity to build leadership skills and to earn an incentive of up to $400 while serving as mentors to younger youth in the program.

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During the first two months of the league, participants attended weekly practices where they received skill-based instruction from CFL coaches, who were trained by Street Soccer USA, a national nonprofit. In addition to offering coaching and safety trainings, Street Soccer USA provided neutral referees for cross-site games.

Official games kicked off in April, as teams faced off against other sites. The league centered on fellowship and community-building, allowing youth to engage in friendly competition with no scores being recorded. In addition, all participants played for equal time, regardless of athletic ability or skill level. This created a safe and inclusive environment, where all players felt valued and appreciated.

Each game was highly attended by family members who came to support youth and to cheer on their teams. Throughout the season, parents shared valuable feedback that led to ongoing program improvements. They expressed how thankful they were to have this opportunity for their children. Our partnership with parents and their investment in the program’s success were a major highlight of this new initiative.

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Teams enjoyed playing on professional soccer turf at Soccer Roof in Sunset Park!

After a series of cross-site games and a final grand tournament, the program came to a close with our Award Ceremony on June 7th. At the ceremony, players and their families came together and enjoyed a shared meal to celebrate the accomplishments of participants over the past several months. Players were thrilled to connect one last time with coaches and fellow teammates as they proudly collected their certificates and awards.

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We are incredibly grateful to DYCD’s Neighborhood Youth Team Sports Program for funding that provided 120 young people with the opportunity to join a soccer team and gain valuable skills while strengthening our community.

We are eager to build on the enthusiastic engagement of youth and families and on the success of this year’s inaugural soccer league. We appreciate any donations to support our capacity to continue cross-site sports programming in the future.

Migrant Families Being Given Clothing at P.S.1

October: Newly Arrived Migrant Families Initiative

by Economic Well-being ProgramsNews and Events

With the arrival of tens of thousands of asylum seekers in New York City, Center for Family Life in Sunset Park began our Newly Arrived Migrant Families Initiative to offer assistance to those in need. With this initiative individuals and families are screened for immediate needs and services and provided with assistance either by CFLSP or referred to others in our community. Beginning in September, CFLSP has helped 250 adults as well as 235 children under the age of 18, and counting.

CFLSP Staff and Board Member Peter Meiland at a Resource Fair for Asylum Seekers Held at the Glo Hotel Family Shelter
CFLSP Staff and our Board member Peter Meiland at a resource fair for asylum seekers held at the Glo Hotel Family Shelter

Last Friday, CFLSP attended a resource fair for asylum seekers at a local shelter, sponsored by Alexa Aviles. At this fair, CFLSP informed those attending about the resources and supports that we offer. 

Center for Family Life is providing newly arrived migrant families with essential items including food and toiletries such as specially provided microwavable meals, soap, toilet tissue, and diapers. These families are also given clothing, including professional wear and winter items. Beginning October 8th, staff in our P.S. 1 school site began distributing clothing donations to migrant families. Each Saturday between 11AM and 1PM, families can select clothing and other donated items while children engage in crafts and activities. CFLSP staff at our Main Office have been referring migrant families, or anyone else in need, to P.S. 1 for clothing items.

CFLSP also provides legal assistance including consultations with attorneys and staff paralegals. As of October 24th, a dedicated CFLSP staff member has been going daily to the City’s main Navigation Welcome Center near the Port Authority in Manhattan to share legal information, such as details concerning ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), with migrants and to make referrals to legal and other service providers. On day one of her visit, our dedicated staff member estimated she spoke with 100 people, providing translation services and passing along vital information.

Our Employment Program also offers migrants employment consultations, ESOL classes, and leads Know Your Rights workshops. With these resources, individuals are given a better chance of finding suitable employment to provide for themselves and their families.

CFLSP Board Member Phil Marriott Shopping at Costco to Provide Food for Families
CFLSP Board member Phil Marriott shopping at Costco to provide food for families

Caseworkers in our Family Counseling Program are also offering newly arrived families assistance with our immigrant trauma counseling program and preventive services. Our preventive services coordinators screen individuals for public benefits, provide eligible clients with emergency cash assistance, offer youth supports, and assess other needs.

Newly arrived families with children enrolled in any of our neighborhood schools are also immediately enrolled in after school childcare, giving parents a greater opportunity to find work and fostering children’s development. In addition, CFLSP has been providing individuals with information on our school-based neighborhood center programs that offer free evening and weekend activities to people in the neighborhood. 

In the beginning of October Phil Marriott, a CFLSP Board member, assisted CFLSP staff on a trip to Costco and generously donated food for migrant families. With Phil’s contribution, CFLSP was able to provide meals such as lasagna, chicken patties, and burritos to over 700 people!

CFLSP staff part of our Community Service Program, including Community Program Director, Smilie Filomeno with Phil Marriott
CFLSP staff part of our Community Services Program, including Community Services Program Director, Smilie Filomeno, with Phil Marriott

Center for Family Life in Sunset Park is proud that we have been able to help newly arrived migrant families in New York City with our range of services. We encourage any donations that can aid in this effort to welcome and assist our new community members and thank all of those who have continuously supported our work!