The Brownsville Partnership hosts 8th HOPE Summit
“Bringing the Village back into the Ville”
Thank you to everyone who made the 8th Annual HOPE Summit a successful virtual event for Brownsville. This year’s event welcomed 42 friends, family, and partners to envision the future of the Greg Jackson Center and discuss key updates on various community initiatives. Heath Bloch from SCO Family of Services and Christine Lebron from Xenolith Partners joined the members of the Brownsville Partnership Team to facilitate a conversation around health supports for youth, housing, access and workforce development, La’Shawn Muhammad from Central Brooklyn EDC announced the rollout of the new OWN Brownsville Platform while Teju Ravilochan from GatherFor shared information about the pilot launch of GatherFor: Brownsville. We also received a report back from the Executive Committee of the Brownsville Neighborhood Empowerment Network (BNEN) from their virtual town hall in June around what true resident ownership in Brownsville can look like as part of a just recovery from the pandemic.
Key Themes: The Greg Jackson Center as a catalyst for equitable opportunities
Increase access to new programming opportunities at the Greg Jackson Center, such as coding, creative writing, college prep, music, dance, the martial arts (e.g. capoeira) and other activities for children.
Ensure any new communal spaces created and set aside for Brownsville youth at the Greg Jackson Center, SCO Brooklyn Youth Center or other sponsored real estate projects are fashioned to make youth feel open, accepted and not judged.
Facilitate connections for formerly incarcerated residents and their families to quality resources that support their physical, emotional, and economic well-being.
Utilize the offerings of the Housing Lab at the Greg Jackson Center to better connect housing insecure Brownsville residents to the various new housing opportunities that are planned for the neighborhood (including those supported by and through the new Brownsville Community Land Trust).
Identify and host community service projects with proven partners like The Mission Continues to complete new placemaking projects including improving vacant lots and beautifying neglected spaces
Key Updates:
The Brownsville Community Land Trust (BVCLT): Outreach and education on the BVCLT continues through the work of the Brownsville Neighborhood Empowerment Network. Look for announcements of virtual gatherings over the coming months.
Mutual Aid Support/distribution of essential goods: United for Brownsville (UB) continues with its work distributing critical Covid-19 relief supplies to Brownsville families, in partnership with Riverdale Avenue Community School and Brighter Bites. To access UB’s community resource guide, click here We also recommend subscribing to Councilmember Ampry-Samuel’s monthly newsletter for supplemental aid information and other relevant community updates.
Jobs and Small Business Development: In collaboration with the Central Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation (CBEDC) and NYU’s Stern School of Business, we are building on CBEDC’s research on Collective Ownership Pathways for Brownsville/Ocean Hill to identify key investments needed to support local entrepreneurs and small businesses.
Resources:
GatherFor Brownsville - organizes Brownsville residents who have lost their jobs and are facing other challenges into teams of 5 to support each other. Founded in April 2020, GatherFor: Brownsville is a collaborative initiative between GatherFor and the Brownsville Partnership Inc. to organize and resource teams of Brownsville residents to empower the most vulnerable Brownsvillians to meet their basic needs and provide support to one another as they journey from crisis to resilience. For more detail, please see this one pager.
On-Site Services Include: • Case management • Emergency shelter referrals and advocacy for transitional housing • Family mediation • Mental health • Health and substance abuse treatment referrals • Hygiene assistance • Food and emergency clothing • Homeless prevention services • Assessment and referrals • Youth and family resources • Public education and awareness of the NYC DYCD continuum of services for runaway and homeless youth • Application assistance for NY/NY III supportive housing • Overnight “resting” services
Located: 774 Rockaway Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11212
Community Contact: Ms. Tranae Edwards – tedwards2@sco.org – 718.685.3850
Recommended Mental Health Services for Children, Adolescents, Adults, and Seniors from GatherFor Brownsville’s Resource Page:
NYC COVID CARE Network - A NYC-based volunteer network of 3000+ mental health professionals, life coaches, spiritual care providers, organizers, and crisis line operators ready to offer free support in this time of incredible need.
US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Assistance Hotline - SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.
Virus Anxiety Online Resource: Care for CoronaVirus Anxiety - Resources for anxiety and your mental health in a global climate of uncertainty.
Question: Is there a one-stop place on resources for those with incarcerated family members?
Answer: For folks who have current or past criminal systems involvement (or who have family members with current/past systems involvement), the BP recommends connecting with either the Women’s Prison Association (WPA) or Osborne Association. Both agencies have a strong track record to connect these persons with the individualized services, care, and resources they need – even if someone is only interested in online resources. For more information about WPA’s COVID-19 mutual aid support, see attached flyer which details its comprehensive service array (and corresponding contact info) it is offering (virtually) to women right now.
