UNITED COMMUNITY CENTERS
Building Community. Growing Leaders.
The United Community Centers (UCC) division of CHLDC builds on over 75 years of community organizing in East New York, offering programs in urban agriculture and food justice, early childhood education, and community health.
Early Learn Center:
We aim to create a social learning environment that represents the diversity of our City.
Protecting the East:
A community health project of United Community Centers with an emphasis on HIV prevention and sexual Health.
Organizing youth and adults to address food justice in our community by promoting local sustainable agriculture and community-led economic development.
CONTACT:
Yasmin Schwartz
UCC Division Director
718-649-7979
EARLY LEARN CENTER
The Early Learn Center reflects the diverse backgrounds and cultures of East New York, engaging young scholars in relatable and exciting Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics (S.T.E.A.M.) activities. From arts and crafts to outdoor play, our programs spark curiosity, creativity, and a lifelong love of learning.
Enrollment for Children Ages 2-5 Years on a Rolling Basis:
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The Early Learn Center MySchools ID is KBPK.
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Please call us at 718-385-1201 or email us at uccadmin@cypresshills.org if you have any questions.
Interested in learning more? Fill out our quick interest form and we’ll be in touch with details.
Hours of Operation:
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Early Learn Center: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM, part-time options available.
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Weekly Open House: Every Monday, 1:00 PM – 5:30 PM, or by appointment.
What Makes Us Unique:
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Fresh, hot meals prepared on-site daily
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On-site fresh produce garden
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Multilingual staff and materials in Spanish, French, Bengali, and Arabic
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Sexual health initiatives
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Public benefits registration available on-site
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Diverse staff and student body reflecting the East New York community
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Access to fresh produce from our farm
Our Commitment to Safety:
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All staff CPR and First Aid certified
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Licensed by the Department of Health (DCID No. 42951)
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Stringent health and safety protocols always in place
Affordable & Accessible:
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Free and reduced-cost programming for children ages 2–5 (year-round)
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Private summer option availalbe
Why Families Trust Us:
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Over 60 years of service to local families
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Strong family outreach and community involvement
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Programs designed to respect and celebrate cultural differences
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Child-centered, nurturing environment
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Simple, supportive enrollment process
Like what you see? You can enroll on your own today. Just click below to get started! The Early Learn Center MySchools ID is KBPK.
PROTECTING THE EAST
Who We Are: Protecting The East is a community health project with an emphasis on HIV prevention and sexual Health.
Our Mission: To create a environment in ENY in which young people are able to create safe and healthy relationships.
Peer Education Internship: A 9-month paid internship for peer educators to learn outreach strategies, develop communication and leadership skills, and support our community health initiatives. Interns help lead workshops and activities focused on healthy relationships, sexual health education, and HIV/STI prevention.
Outreach & Venue Distribution: Distributing condoms and information to community members at events, businesses, health fairs, parks, subways and more.
Internship Opportunities & Community Service Hours:
We offer design and health education internships as well as community service projects for high school students who live in or attend school in East New York. All community service hours and internship projects count toward school credit.
Community Service Projects:
Projects are either design-based or communications-based. Students will explore how HIV/AIDS impacts East New York and create educational and multimedia materials to inform their peers and community.
Community Health Education Internships:
Interns learn about the importance of sexual health education as part of HIV prevention.
Communications Track: Learn what makes educational materials effective and help produce brochures, postcards, and other resources.
Education Track: Learn how to make workshops engaging, and help develop and facilitate a workshop, mini workshop, or health education demo.
Explore More Resources:
If you have additional needs or are looking for services in your area, you can explore a wide range of programs, support, and resources through the NYC Health Map.
CONTACT:
Deidre Miller
Project Director, Protecting The East
347-385-3511
Connect with Us:
EAST NEW YORK FARMS!
The mission of East New York Farms! is to organize youth and adults to address food justice in our community by promoting local sustainable agriculture and community-led economic development. We have been working with youth, gardeners, farmers, and entrepreneurs to build a more just and sustainable community since 1998.
We operate a half acre urban farm which produces over 70 varieties of culturally relevant foods. Our farm helps to bring the community together by hosting educational workshops and volunteer days.
Our community-run farmers markets make fresh food available and affordable while building our local economy and creating spaces for neighbors to connect.
We hire young people to participate in our Youth Internship program every year. In this intensive paid internship program, young people engage in hands-on learning around the environment, health, community development, leadership, and social justice.
Compost
East New York Farms! has been composting for over 15 years. We collect food scraps year-round and process them into nutrient-rich compost for farms and gardens in East New York to grow organic produce.
East New York has more community gardens than any neighborhood in the city. We support gardens through free distributions, gardening workshops, garden assistance, and the Share Table program. We also connect gardens with members looking for space to grow.
CONTACT:
Ariella Riapos (they/them)
Project Director, East New York Farms!
(646)-738-9936 ex 1018
Connect with Us:
