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YOUTH & FAMILY SERVICES

Building Community. Growing Leaders.

We offer after-school programs, summer camps, arts, sports, and recreation programs, family counseling, and a Middle School Success Center (MSSSC) to help middle school students navigate high school applications. We run two school-based Beacon community centers offering recreational and educational programming to community residents of all ages. Click on the green boxes or keep scrolling to learn more!

Contact: 

Erica Oquendo

Director, Youth and Family Services

276 Chestnut St, Brooklyn, NY 11208

ericao@cypresshills.org

After-School Programs

CHLDC provides safe and engaging after-school programs  that promote learning and growth in partnership with 11 Community School District 19 schools.  All after-school programs are available to the greater community, with the exception of the programs at PS 345 and PS 108 where enrollment is restricted to students at those schools.  Most of the after-school programs run on Monday-Friday for three hours per day (with the exception of the Ready Readers program at PS 108 which is 2 afternoons per week for 1st and 2nd graders). Students participate in homework help, literacy, science, arts, sports and wellness, recreation and leadership activities. The programs feature family events and performances several times per year.  Most of the programs also operate full day programs on a number of school holidays during the year. 

 

If you are interested in one of the programs for your child, please contact the person listed for each site. Click the map points below or scroll to the list to see the names and phone numbers! 

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Elementary School Sites

PS 7
858 Jamaica Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11208
Contact:

Lea KixMiller, Summer Rising Director

Leak@cypresshills.org

t:(718) 235-2345
f:(718) 827-4004 (Attn: CHLDC)

 

PS 65
700 Jamaica Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11208
Contact:

Brenda Gerena, Director
t:(718) 235-2223 ext.6172

brendage@cypresshills.org

PS/IS 89 Cypress Hills Community School 

265 Warwick Street
Brooklyn, NY 11207
Contact:

Yasirys Pichardo, Director
Office: (718) 964-1180 ext.1111

YasirysP@cypresshills.org

PS 108 Community School
200 Linwood St
Brooklyn, NY 11208
Contact:

Lea KixMiller, Community School Director
Office:(718) 235-2345

LeaK@cypresshills.org 

Cypress Hills/Cityline Beacon PS 214 Campus

2944 Pitkin Avenue Gym Room #2

Brooklyn, NY 11208

Contact:

Romualdo Vasquez, Beacon Director

Office:(718)-647-1740, ext, 2157

Cell: (347) 684-6062

Romualdov@cypresshills.org

PS 345
111 Berriman Street, Room 307
Brooklyn, NY 11208-2307
t:(347) 383-8388

(Only students who attend PS 345

may enroll in this after-school program.)

Latanya Simpson, Director

latanyas@cypresshills.org

PS 677

605 Shepherd Avenue, Room 230D
Brooklyn, NY 11208-3649
Contact:

Yaritza Cano, Director

Cell: (718) 635-2518

Yaritzac@cypresshills.org

Middle School Sites 

 

Cypress Hills Community Learning Center at IS 171 and Highland Park Community School 
528 Ridgewood Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11208-1730
t:(718) 235-1028
f:(718) 235-2839
Contact:

Tanya Walker, Campus Director

tanyaw@cypresshills.org

IS302 Campus

Liberty Avenue Middle School SONYC Program
350 Linwood Street
Brooklyn, NY 11208
Mobile (929) 314-4736
Contact:

Eric Wyche, After-School Director

Ericw@cypresshills.org
Website: Liberty Avenue Middle School Afterschool Program

Vista Academy SONYC Program

350 Linwood Street

Brooklyn, NY 11208

Contact:  Brittanyw@cypresshills.org

Brittany Wilkinson, After-School Director 
Website: Vista Academy Afterschool Program

Cypress Hills/East New York Beacon at JHS 218 

370 Fountain Ave Room 132

Brooklyn, NY 11208

(718) 277-3522
Mobile: (860) 591-9531

Nkenge Wiggins, After-School/Summer Program Director

nkengew@cypresshills.org

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CHLDC provides Summer Camps for elementary and middle school age children that keep children safe, promote their learning and growth and engage in fun and discovery! The starting age at the start of camp is 5 years old. Generally camp operates for 7 weeks for elementary programs and 6 to 7 weeks for middle school. Camp hours are generally 8am-6pm for elementary and 9am-5pm for middle school.  Currently we operate camps for elementary school students at PS 7, PS 65, PS  89, PS 677 and PS 214. We run summer camps for middle school students (pending funding availability) at JHS 218, Liberty Avenue Middle School, IS 171 and Highland Park Community School. The registration period is normally in April. We encourage anyone interested in camp to contact the directors in, or before, April.

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Students rallying for Summer Camp funding in April. 

BEACON School-Based Community Centers

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Middle School Sites

Cypress Hills Community Learning Center at IS 171 and Highland Park Community School 
528 Ridgewood Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11208-1730
t:(718) 235-1028
f:(718) 235-2839
Contact:

Tanya Walker, Campus Director

tanyaw@cypresshills.org

 

IS302 Campus

Liberty Avenue Middle School SONYC Program
350 Linwood Street
Brooklyn, NY 11208

Mobile (929) 314-4736
Contact:

Eric Wyche, After-School Director

Ericw@cypresshills.org
Website: Liberty Avenue Middle School Afterschool Program

Vista Academy  SONYC Program

350 Linwood Street

Brooklyn, NY 11208

Contact:  Brittanyw@cypresshills.org

Brittany Wilkinson, After-School Director 
Website: Vista Academy Afterschool Program

Cypress Hills/East New York Beacon at JHS 218 

370 Fountain Ave Room 132

Brooklyn, NY 11208

(718) 277-3522
Mobile: (860) 591-9531

Contact:

Nkenge Wiggins, After-School/Summer Program Director

nkengew@cypresshills.org

Elementary School Sites

PS 7

858 Jamaica Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11208
Contact:

Lea KixMiller, Summer Rising Director

Leak@cypresshills.org

t:(718) 235-2345
f:(718) 827-4004 (Attn: CHLDC)

 

PS 65
700 Jamaica Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11208
Contact:

Brenda Gerena, Director
kristeng@cypresshills.org
t:(718) 235-2223 ext.6172

Cypress Hills/Cityline Beacon PS 214 Campus

2944 Pitkin Avenue Gym Room #2

Brooklyn, NY 11208

Contact:

Romualdo Vasquez, Beacon Director

Office:(718)-647-1740, ext, 2157

Cell: (347) 684-6062

Romualdov@cypresshills.org

PS 677

605 Shepherd Avenue, Room 230D
Brooklyn, NY 11208-3649
Contact:

Jennifer Santiago, Assistant Director

Jennifers@cypresshills.org

Summer Camp

CHLDC operates two Beacon school-based community centers, the Cypress Hills/East New York (CH/ENY) Beacon at the JHS 218 campus, and the Cypress Hills/Cityline (CH/CL) Beacon at PS 214. The Beacons, which operate afternoons, evenings and Saturdays, serve as safe havens for children, youth, adults and families by providing comprehensive programming including afterschool and summer camp, sports, arts, fitness, educational, service and leadership activities at no cost to all participants.  The Beacons also supports community strengthening by hosting events for and collaborating with other community organizations.

Cypress Hills/East New York Beacon at JHS 218 

370 Fountain Ave Room 132

Brooklyn, NY 11208

(718) 277-3522
Eric James, Beacon Director

EricJ@cypresshills.org

Cypress Hills/Cityline Beacon PS 214 Campus

2944 Pitkin Avenue Gym Room #2

Brooklyn, NY 11208

Contact:

Marleny Polanco, Beacon Director

Office:(718)-647-1740, ext, 2157

MarlenyP@cypresshills.org

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BEACON Family Place

The Beacon Family Place is a comprehensive family counseling center located at IS 218. We offer a supportive, caring environment where families can work together to improve their relationships and their lives.

 

Our services are free of charge and open to all families in the Cypress Hills/East New York community. We offer evening appointments for working families and have Spanish speaking counselors available.

Contact:

Max Howard, LCSW
Program Director

370 Fountain Avenue, Rm. 129

Brooklyn, NY 11208
maxh@cypresshills.org
(718) 277-9593

Middle School Success Center (MSSSC)

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In fall 2013, CHLDC opened a Middle School Student Success Center, the first of its kind in New York City. The MSSSC is a youth-led center that assists students at IS 171 and Highland Park Community School with planning for career and higher education success. We offer services to help middle school students make informed decisions about the high school choice process, prepare their application for admission, and connect them to citywide support organizations for middle school students of color.

Contact:

Cypress Hills Middle School Student Success Center

Sindy Nuesi

Sindy Nuesi, Director of MSSSC

276 Chestnut St, Brooklyn, NY 11208
Sindyn@cypresshills.org
(516) 654-4642

If you’re looking for a particular service, but don’t know the name of the program, head to the “How Can We Help You?” form so a program staff member can contact you directly.

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