We are located in the Bronx’s Community District (CD) #3, within the 16th Congregational District of New York State. Our independent and diverse board of directors, composed of professional women and men is responsible for our policies' formulation, fiscal guidance and ongoing management oversight. Our social service program, initially, began in 2006 designed to meet the needs of our community, pa
rticularly, families and children, to build the participating children’s character and enhance their academic performance. Today, our activities’ areas include: Spiritual enrichment, Education and Youth Leadership, Environment and Mental Health, Food and Nutrition, including Immigration and Citizenship. In our Education and Youth Leadership, particularly, we have amassed huge resources and built formidable collaborations and partnerships with schools including governments, foundations and other neighborhood organizations, with which we are able to offer life-changing activities that blend academic performance with recreation, including health initiatives, which involve parent and their children for the benefit of the whole community. Specifically, our Education and Youth Leadership program services include: (1). Environmental Health. Our activities teach avoidance of the risk factors for asthma and how to reduce these risks. In a holistic approach which incorporates several intervention strategies, we enroll, train and supervise students from elementary through high schools and their parents to identify and remove indoor air pollutants in their homes that trigger asthma. Asthma is a major health hazard in the Bronx. (2) OPTNE (Obesity Prevention through Nutrition and Exercises). In the program, parents and their children together participate in moderate-to-vigorous structured physical activities to stay healthy; they receive nutrition education and are assisted to set health goals and, ultimately, are able to cook and serve appropriate meals’ portions as well as make significant behavior changes regarding exercises. Obesity exacerbates asthma attack. This program is targeted at elementary through high schools’ students and their parents. (3) Future Leaders of America. This program enhances participants’ day school curriculum by offering a mix of literacy and recreational activities including seminars designed to foster awareness of today’s issues, provide participants with the opportunities to mentor others and be mentored in turn, and give students chance to lead hands-on in their schools and the community.
