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October: Self-Employed Tax Program

by Economic Well-being ProgramsNews and Events

Center for Family Life’s Self-Employed Tax Program (SETP) was proud to present at the annual Prosperity Summit in Washington DC. This prestigious event unites thousands of professionals who are dedicated to ensuring that everyone has a clear path to financial stability, wealth, and prosperity. Our SETP staff were invited by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) to share our experience providing professional tax services to self-employed workers.

Our presentation highlighted key challenges that our community faces when going through the tax filing process, including financial constraints, language barriers, lack of understanding of tax obligations, insufficient knowledge of record-keeping and income tracking, distrust of government agencies, and the need for a filing history to access credit and capital for business growth. To address these challenges, the SETP offers free professional tax preparation, consultations, and workshops to low-income communities in Brooklyn. Last year, our SETP hosted 15 workshops, filed over 400 tax returns, and saved over $246,000 in service fees for clients.

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To ensure these services reach those who need them the most, the SETP relies on a network of community outreach efforts, including partnerships with other community-based organizations, referrals from the IRS, and word of mouth. With services available in English, Spanish, Urdu, and Bengali, the SETP is committed to bridging the communication gap and building trust within diverse communities. 

An SETP Impact Story (name changed for client confidentiality): 

After newly arriving to the United States, a housekeeper named Maria faced challenges filing her taxes for the first time. With limited English proficiency and little understanding of tax compliance, she was unsure how to navigate this unfamiliar and convoluted system. Maria was grateful to work with the SETP in her native language, and to receive assistance preparing and filing her 2023 tax return. She was pleasantly surprised to learn that she was eligible for refunds from both the IRS and the state of New York, and she feels confident that she will meet her tax obligations now that she has the knowledge and tools to track her income.

By providing free reliable and professional tax services, the SETP empowers individuals to build a strong financial foundation, paving the way for economic growth and sustainability in our communities. If you or someone you know is self-employed and could benefit from these free services, we encourage you to make an appointment with the SETP by calling 718-438-9500 or by visiting us at our Main Office.

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September: Summer Youth Employment Program

by News and EventsYouth and Community Development & School Partnerships

Each year, Center for Family Life in Sunset Park coordinates paid summer work opportunities for youth ages 14-24 through the Department of Youth and Community Development’s Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). These work opportunities prepare youth for future careers by giving them the tools they need to build essential job readiness skills while earning money for their families and giving back to their community.

We are thrilled that this summer we connected over 1,150 youth to work opportunities, generating over $2,110,000 in earnings for youth and their families!

A total of 318 younger youth, ages 14-15, in ten cohorts participated in Project Based Learning (PBL) activities that developed their leadership skills and advanced their understanding of civic engagement. Six groups engaged in social justice projects and four groups promoted youth development through intergenerational workshops with elementary-aged children. Our PBL youth gained confidence as they collaborated and developed their capacity to plan and implement innovative community projects.

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Social justice participants researched issues related to mental health, homelessness, poverty, and gender and racial inequality. They decided to center their project on providing support for newly arrived families who are facing poverty and homelessness. Social justice participants connected with CHiPS, a non-profit soup kitchen and food pantry in Park Slope. Participants worked together to create, package, and deliver more than 360 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to community members in need. Later, participants designed a map and brochure for newly arrived families with information on local shelters, clinics, employment services, family activities, and food pantries.

This summer, we placed 854 older youth, ages 16-24 at 79 worksites in Brooklyn, giving them the opportunity to gain experience and explore careers in many different fields of work.

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At one worksite, Groundswell, youth apprentice artists created beautiful large-scale murals to bring key community issues to life and uplift the neighborhood. These young artists immersed themselves in a collective, start-to-finish public art project, while gaining design skills and forming lasting friendships.

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At the historic Green-Wood Cemetery, participants located, mapped, cleaned, and restored broken graves and monuments. SYEPs also led tours for the public and gave presentations about the cemetery and their work.

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SYEPs also served as counselors at summer programs across the neighborhood. At Center for Family Life, SYEP camp counselors worked alongside our dedicated year-round staff to engage children in a range of creative educational enrichment activities. SYEP camp counselors formed positive relationships with younger children while leading field trips, engaging in intergenerational workshops, and collaborating on visual and performing arts projects.

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To celebrate the end of this summer’s program, Maimonides Medical Center held their 2024 Summer Youth Program Recognition Ceremony. This year, they recognized CFL participants Jenny Vazquez-Flores and Arno Zheng, for their outstanding service at the hospital. We are so proud of Jenny and Arno for going above and beyond this summer.

Thank you to all of the worksites with whom we partnered with this summer and to our wonderful SYEP participants for their incredible work!

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July: Our Cooperative Business Development Program

by Economic Well-being ProgramsNews and Events

At Center for Family Life, our Cooperative Business Development Program (CDP) organizes community members to create worker-owned cooperative businesses with the mission of economic and social justice. Through Center for Family Life’s holistic, neighborhood-rooted approach, CDP builds leadership and coaches cooperative members, cultivates relationships to strengthen the cooperative movement, and generates and shares best practices and models for cooperative growth. 

Here are some of the program’s recent highlights!

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Click the photo above to learn more about Up & Go’s services!

Up & Go celebrated its 7-year anniversary in May! When Up & Go launched in 2017 with the support of the CDP, it was the first worker-owned web platform for booking cleaning services in New York City. Since its inception, the cooperative has expanded to all five boroughs and beyond New York State. Last June, Up & Go officially launched in South Philadelphia and currently, Up & Go is looking to onboard new members in Detroit!

To book an appointment with Up & Go, click here.

The CDP offered new free workshops to cooperative members and to the broader community! These include computer literacy and English classes for domestic workers, and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) trainings. These classes and trainings are important to cooperative entrepreneurs because they help them to build concrete skills that are essential to start and grow a small business.

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Our CDP joined The NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) as they celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the Worker Cooperative Business Development Initiative (WCBDI). The event included a panel discussion comprised of cooperative members who shared inspiring stories and program reflections. We are incredibly grateful for the WCBDI for supporting the creation, growth, and sustainability of cooperative businesses which provide a path for New Yorkers to access employment, build wealth, and gain entrepreneurial skills.

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Our Cooperative Business Development Program has helped incubate over 20 cooperatives since its inception and it continues to provide essential supportive resources, trainings, and classes to cooperative members and the broader community. Through this work, the CDP helps cooperative members obtain access to jobs with fair and stable salaries and to gain control over their time and the business.

Thank you for supporting us and our Cooperative Business Development Program. These highlights wouldn’t be possible without all of you!

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Save the Date: The Extra Mile 2024

by Economic Well-being ProgramsNews and Events

We are delighted to announce that we will be holding our annual staff recognition Extra Mile event in-person on Wednesday June 5th, from 6-8pm at L’Wren in Sunset Park, Brooklyn!

 

Please join us here in Sunset Park and meet some of our amazing ESOL staff and students as we celebrate the strength of our life long learners!

 

Since the fall of 2022, very high numbers of newly arrived individuals and families have come to our immigrant community in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. The majority share stories of difficult passages here to the US and most continue to experience challenges as they establish their new lives in Sunset Park. New arrivals come to Center for Family Life looking for a variety of supports to build new lives for themselves and their families, and most have a pressing need to learn English so that they can find work and make the most of their new lives in NYC. Our ESOL staff team has gone above and beyond to support new arrivals and to encourage them as they move forward in their journey to learn English.

 

Come celebrate our incredible ESOL staff and hear directly from staff and students in our program about what the program means to them!

 

You can purchase tickets for the event by clicking here!

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