OI8A4735

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
OI8A4709

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.

OI8A4735

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!

Untitled (16 x 9 cm) (2)

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.

StB1
StB3

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. 

StB5

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”.

StB-Luncehon_10.22.25 (1)

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

CC25-photo7

Thank You! | Celebrating Community 2025

by News and EventsUncategorized

Dear Friends,

Thank you so much for your support of the Center for Family Life in Sunset Park.

You helped make Celebrating Community 2025 a huge success! It was an unforgettable night spent with friends of CFL, old and new, honoring Julie Stein Brockway’s enduring legacy.

We are thrilled to announce the establishment of the Julie Stein Brockway Innovation Fund, which will enable CFL’s next generation of leaders to power Julie’s creative vision long into the future.

DONATE TO THE JULIE STEIN BROCKWAY INNOVATION FUND
CC25-photo5

“Words cannot begin to express the depth of my love and appreciation for the incredible people with whom I have partnered in this remarkable, vibrant community over the past 43 years.

I leave with my heart full to overflowing, knowing that the strong and resilient Sunset Park community and Center for Family Life will continue to thrive in the most capable hands.” – Julie Stein Brockway

With your generous support, we engage more than 20,000 children, youth, and adults through our programs offered at 14 different locations.

Here are some of CFL’s 2025 highlights:

  • We served 2,130+ youth through our afterschool programs and 1,600+ children through our summer day camps
  • We connected 1,150+ youth to summer work and service-learning opportunities, generating close to $2 million in earnings for youth and their families
  • We served 135,612 meals through our food pantry
  • We provided free immigration and legal services to 430+ community members through ActionNYC
  • We helped community members file nearly 6,000 tax returns with our VITA tax filing team, securing refunds totaling more than $8.7 million
  • We placed 190+ participants in jobs with our Adult Employment program
  • We have incubated 25+ cooperatives, with the Cooperative Business Development Program recently launching Cooportunity Cleaning
Your doations will ensure that the Center for Family Life continues to innovate and extend Julie’s legacy.
DONATE TODAY
heatofsunset

Current and former “Life Lines” participants and staff – accompanied by maracas of “joyful noise” from the crowd – brought a perfect ending to the night with a spirited rendition of “The Heat of Sunset Park”!

CC25-TitleSlide-Correct
Slide2
Slide3
Slide4
Slide5
Slide6
Slide25
Slide8
Slide9
Slide10
Slide11
Slide12
Slide13
Slide14
Slide15
Slide16
Slide17
Slide18
Slide19
Slide20
Slide21
Slide22
Slide23
Slide24
Slide7
Slide26
Slide27
Slide28
Slide29
Slide30
Slide31
Slide32
Slide33
Slide34
Slide35
Slide36
Slide37
Slide38
Slide39
Slide40
Slide41
Slide42
Slide43
Slide44
Slide45
Slide46
Slide47
Slide48

Click through our virtual journal from the event!

DSC_0211

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.

SYEPJobFair2025

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.

Socceroof2025

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.

SYEPandPantry2025

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.

cc25_inv-EventPage-1270x740

Celebrating Community 2025: Honoring Co-Executive Director Julie Stein Brockway

by News and Events
PURCHASE TICKETS

You can purchase tickets for Celebrating Community by clicking the button above or by visiting this website. 

We are thrilled to announce that our annual Celebrating Community event will take place on October 21st from 6–8 PM at 501 Union in Brooklyn, NY 11231. 

Please join us in honoring Co-Executive Director Julie Stein Brockway before her retirement (or, in her words, “rewirement”) in December 2025. 

Together, we will celebrate Julie’s leadership over the past 43 years, including the founding of the nationally-recognized “Life Lines” Community Arts Project, her decades-long advocacy alongside community members for the creation of Sunset Park High School, and the growth of free, high-quality programs that today engage 8,000 youth and family members across 11 Sunset Park schools. 

Learn more about purchasing event tickets, placing a tribute ad, and/or donating!

Watch A Reflection on 40 Years | Life Lines Community Arts Project Documentary  to learn more about Julie’s work at CFLSP and within Sunset Park over the past four decades.