Around the Settlement: June 2026
Jun 1, 2026
Welcome to Around the Settlement, our monthly blog post sharing a deeper look into all of the vital programs and services provided by Grand St. Settlement throughout the Lower East Side, Brooklyn, and The Bronx.
To make sure you don't miss future news, sign up for our newsletter and be the first to hear about program updates, advocacy actions, and invitations to the best nonprofit fundraising events in New York City!
Outstanding Grand Street Leaders!
Congratulations to these outstanding Grand Street leaders for being featured in City & State NY’s Power Lists! CEO Robert Cordero was honored in this year’s Nonprofit Trailblazer Power List; COO Willing Chin-Ma was featured in the Asian Trailblazers List; and Early Childhood Coordinator Melanie Ma was featured on their Tomorrow’s Leaders list.
Happy 61st Birthday Head Start!
Infants and toddlers through our Early Head Start Child Care Partnership with Julizbeth Day Care decorated a cardboard box cake!
Fort Hamilton Child and Family Center kids made headbands and sang Happy Birthday to Head Start!
Sunset Park Child and Family Center parents joined our classes in celebrating Head Start’s birthday and shared what they love about our school! We celebrated Head Start 61 birthday by inviting parents to come share what they like about our school. The children also created a project together in the classroom.
Celebrating Asian American Heritage Month (and Cuisine!)
3rd Annual AAPI Flavors Cook-Off!
Five teams, five different Asian or Asian-American cuisines, five traditional dishes, one culinary showdown. The AAPI Cook-Off contestants were proud to honor the richness and diversity of Asian cultures and cuisines. Their in-depth research and careful recipe creation did not disappoint, and this year’s dishes were tastier than ever! Thank you to our elite panel of judges, including David Kramer (Board Member, The Sylvia Center), Jae Lee (Chef & Owner of Nowon), Arlene Spiegel (President, Arlene Spiegel & Associates), Georgette Farkas (Restaurant Owner & Event Producer), and Miadaly Camilo (The Sylvia Center). Congratulations to all our young chefs!
Asian American Potluck
Congratulations to the graduates of the Baruch Elder Services Team NORC English class! Participants and the BEST team hosted a potluck featuring home-cooked Asian dishes. Joining the festivities were older adults from our other senior programs. The potluck also featured an engaging nutrition session to supplement the celebration.
Taste of AAPI Culture
Grand Street staff celebrated AAPI Month through a delicious Taste of AAPI Culture event, featuring food and drinks from various neighborhood Asian restaurants, and enjoying a lively lion dance performance.
Living Strong
Baruch Elder Services Team NORC participants proudly joined LiveOn NY's 31st Aging Advocacy Day! Our seniors used their voices to rally for increased funding and stronger support for programs and services that benefit older New Yorkers and to raise awareness about the growing needs of older adults in our communities.
Happy Mother’s Day!
There’s no better gift than a homemade one! Sunset Park Child & Family Center kids crafted special, handmade paper flower bouquets for their loved ones.
The Senior Housing moms were serenaded by beautiful performances during their special Mother's Day Celebration!
Our Older Adults Center team hosted a fabulous Mother’s Day Celebration and Fashion Show for our seniors! Mothers and grandmothers donned their most fashionable outfits and confidently strutted the runway to a group of adoring fans.
Stuyvesant Heights Child and Family Center moms finally got their chance to do some arts and crafts! We hosted a refreshing Sip & Paint Day where parents relaxed and painted a peaceful sunrise scene with the guidance of a teaching artist.
Gowanus Cornerstone Community Center moms enjoyed a day devoted to them! Resources and goodies were provided as they worked on paper flower bouquets, then they were surprised with real, gorgeous flowers to take home.
Loisaida, Rain or Shine!
Rain or shine, this year’s Loisaida Festival was as vibrant as always! Congratulations to The Loisaida Center's Executive and Artistic Director Alejandro Epifanio Torres and his team for organizing another fantastic day of music, culture, food, and art! We loved seeing the families and community members stopping by the Grand Street booth to play games and learn about our programs. See you at next year’s Loisaida Fest!
Sunset Park Garden
Sunset Park Child and Family Center kids are budding gardeners! They practiced their hands-on science skills as they planted their seeds in the garden and watered them daily. We can't wait to see what they grow!
Leveling Up!👾
Best Buy Teen Tech Center members wrapped up a 5-week workshop series through the JReid Indeed Foundation, founded by NFL Safety and 2x Super Bowl champion Justin Reid!
The workshop empowered participants to explore the intersection of technology, sports, and gaming through hands-on game design and development. At the Fully Charged Showcase, members showed Justin their original games! Winners were awarded signed Justin Reid footballs. Congratulations to all our young video game designers!
JUMP Goes to the Amusement Park!
What better way to celebrate the last JUMP trip of the season than with a trip to the amusement park? Little JUMP explored the Coney Island classic Luna Park, and Big JUMP participants spent the day riding the coasters at Six Flags! Have a great summer, JUMP mentors and mentees; we can't wait for next year!
Lyons Community School Fair
Lyons Community School hosted their annual Community School Forum to celebrate the end of the school year! Students were able to provide feedback on their experience in the program and share the importance of afterschool programs with the community. We celebrated our students and teachers, shared yummy food, and students got to take home a free book courtesy of Brooklyn Book Bodega!
Let's Get Musical
Baruch Elder Services Team NORC Seniors got into the competitive spirit with a new, invigorating warm-up called Chair Dancing! Activities Manager Ken led an energetic session so participants had a chance to stretch and get pumped before their weekly bingo game.
Discovering Sustainability
Grand Street's annual Discovery Fair brings together brilliant young engineers to put their skills to work tackling real-world environmental problems. Teams used their STEAM knowledge, a bit of teamwork, and a whole bunch of LEGOs to create robot models focused on sustainability. They designed robots to keep the Earth clean, like automatic trash and recycling sorters, and improve people’s access to necessary resources, like clean water transporters.
Marcy Teens Spend Responsibly
Marcy Cornerstone Community Center teens have passed their ultimate financial literacy test: shopping at Target. Over the past few weeks, participants learned how to create a budget, understand checking and savings accounts, and manage their money responsibly. During a recent trip to Target (with mentors), participants received $60 to shop for items of their choice as long as they stuck to the budget. We're happy to report they passed!
Strengthening our Community
This spring’s Project Speak Out Loud cohort has been undertaking various workshops and trainings to build on their leadership and communication. Queer and allied youth attended sessions held by Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP), who guided participants in a de-escalation and transforming power training. Peer educators felt these sessions and their exercises would be immensely helpful in their community-building practice!
Baruch Community Health Fair
The 2026 Baruch Cornerstone Community Center Health Fair theme was Embracing Mental Health Awareness! Staff distributed resources, held special craft sessions, and gave away raffle prizes to community members. We’re grateful to our partners and elected officials for supporting the fair and attending the neighborhood event!
ConGRAD John!
We’re shouting out Baruch Elder Services Team NORC intern, John, who will be graduating next month from John Jay. John has been instrumental in supporting our weekly food pantry operations and special event outreach to enhance our program’s visibility. Our team and participants wish John all the best as he plans to pursue a Master of Social Work after graduation!
Welcome to Around the Settlement, our monthly blog post sharing a deeper look into all of the vital programs and services provided by Grand St. Settlement throughout the Lower East Side, Brooklyn, and The Bronx.
To make sure you don't miss future news, sign up for our newsletter and be the first to hear about program updates, advocacy actions, and invitations to the best nonprofit fundraising events in New York City!
Outstanding Grand Street Leaders!
Congratulations to these outstanding Grand Street leaders for being featured in City & State NY’s Power Lists! CEO Robert Cordero was honored in this year’s Nonprofit Trailblazer Power List; COO Willing Chin-Ma was featured in the Asian Trailblazers List; and Early Childhood Coordinator Melanie Ma was featured on their Tomorrow’s Leaders list.
Happy 61st Birthday Head Start!
Infants and toddlers through our Early Head Start Child Care Partnership with Julizbeth Day Care decorated a cardboard box cake!
Fort Hamilton Child and Family Center kids made headbands and sang Happy Birthday to Head Start!
Sunset Park Child and Family Center parents joined our classes in celebrating Head Start’s birthday and shared what they love about our school! We celebrated Head Start 61 birthday by inviting parents to come share what they like about our school. The children also created a project together in the classroom.
Celebrating Asian American Heritage Month (and Cuisine!)
3rd Annual AAPI Flavors Cook-Off!
Five teams, five different Asian or Asian-American cuisines, five traditional dishes, one culinary showdown. The AAPI Cook-Off contestants were proud to honor the richness and diversity of Asian cultures and cuisines. Their in-depth research and careful recipe creation did not disappoint, and this year’s dishes were tastier than ever! Thank you to our elite panel of judges, including David Kramer (Board Member, The Sylvia Center), Jae Lee (Chef & Owner of Nowon), Arlene Spiegel (President, Arlene Spiegel & Associates), Georgette Farkas (Restaurant Owner & Event Producer), and Miadaly Camilo (The Sylvia Center). Congratulations to all our young chefs!
Asian American Potluck
Congratulations to the graduates of the Baruch Elder Services Team NORC English class! Participants and the BEST team hosted a potluck featuring home-cooked Asian dishes. Joining the festivities were older adults from our other senior programs. The potluck also featured an engaging nutrition session to supplement the celebration.
Taste of AAPI Culture
Grand Street staff celebrated AAPI Month through a delicious Taste of AAPI Culture event, featuring food and drinks from various neighborhood Asian restaurants, and enjoying a lively lion dance performance.
Living Strong
Baruch Elder Services Team NORC participants proudly joined LiveOn NY's 31st Aging Advocacy Day! Our seniors used their voices to rally for increased funding and stronger support for programs and services that benefit older New Yorkers and to raise awareness about the growing needs of older adults in our communities.
Happy Mother’s Day!
There’s no better gift than a homemade one! Sunset Park Child & Family Center kids crafted special, handmade paper flower bouquets for their loved ones.
The Senior Housing moms were serenaded by beautiful performances during their special Mother's Day Celebration!
Our Older Adults Center team hosted a fabulous Mother’s Day Celebration and Fashion Show for our seniors! Mothers and grandmothers donned their most fashionable outfits and confidently strutted the runway to a group of adoring fans.
Stuyvesant Heights Child and Family Center moms finally got their chance to do some arts and crafts! We hosted a refreshing Sip & Paint Day where parents relaxed and painted a peaceful sunrise scene with the guidance of a teaching artist.
Gowanus Cornerstone Community Center moms enjoyed a day devoted to them! Resources and goodies were provided as they worked on paper flower bouquets, then they were surprised with real, gorgeous flowers to take home.
Loisaida, Rain or Shine!
Rain or shine, this year’s Loisaida Festival was as vibrant as always! Congratulations to The Loisaida Center's Executive and Artistic Director Alejandro Epifanio Torres and his team for organizing another fantastic day of music, culture, food, and art! We loved seeing the families and community members stopping by the Grand Street booth to play games and learn about our programs. See you at next year’s Loisaida Fest!
Sunset Park Garden
Sunset Park Child and Family Center kids are budding gardeners! They practiced their hands-on science skills as they planted their seeds in the garden and watered them daily. We can't wait to see what they grow!
Leveling Up!👾
Best Buy Teen Tech Center members wrapped up a 5-week workshop series through the JReid Indeed Foundation, founded by NFL Safety and 2x Super Bowl champion Justin Reid!
The workshop empowered participants to explore the intersection of technology, sports, and gaming through hands-on game design and development. At the Fully Charged Showcase, members showed Justin their original games! Winners were awarded signed Justin Reid footballs. Congratulations to all our young video game designers!
JUMP Goes to the Amusement Park!
What better way to celebrate the last JUMP trip of the season than with a trip to the amusement park? Little JUMP explored the Coney Island classic Luna Park, and Big JUMP participants spent the day riding the coasters at Six Flags! Have a great summer, JUMP mentors and mentees; we can't wait for next year!
Lyons Community School Fair
Lyons Community School hosted their annual Community School Forum to celebrate the end of the school year! Students were able to provide feedback on their experience in the program and share the importance of afterschool programs with the community. We celebrated our students and teachers, shared yummy food, and students got to take home a free book courtesy of Brooklyn Book Bodega!
Let's Get Musical
Baruch Elder Services Team NORC Seniors got into the competitive spirit with a new, invigorating warm-up called Chair Dancing! Activities Manager Ken led an energetic session so participants had a chance to stretch and get pumped before their weekly bingo game.
Discovering Sustainability
Grand Street's annual Discovery Fair brings together brilliant young engineers to put their skills to work tackling real-world environmental problems. Teams used their STEAM knowledge, a bit of teamwork, and a whole bunch of LEGOs to create robot models focused on sustainability. They designed robots to keep the Earth clean, like automatic trash and recycling sorters, and improve people’s access to necessary resources, like clean water transporters.
Marcy Teens Spend Responsibly
Marcy Cornerstone Community Center teens have passed their ultimate financial literacy test: shopping at Target. Over the past few weeks, participants learned how to create a budget, understand checking and savings accounts, and manage their money responsibly. During a recent trip to Target (with mentors), participants received $60 to shop for items of their choice as long as they stuck to the budget. We're happy to report they passed!
Strengthening our Community
This spring’s Project Speak Out Loud cohort has been undertaking various workshops and trainings to build on their leadership and communication. Queer and allied youth attended sessions held by Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP), who guided participants in a de-escalation and transforming power training. Peer educators felt these sessions and their exercises would be immensely helpful in their community-building practice!
Baruch Community Health Fair
The 2026 Baruch Cornerstone Community Center Health Fair theme was Embracing Mental Health Awareness! Staff distributed resources, held special craft sessions, and gave away raffle prizes to community members. We’re grateful to our partners and elected officials for supporting the fair and attending the neighborhood event!
ConGRAD John!
We’re shouting out Baruch Elder Services Team NORC intern, John, who will be graduating next month from John Jay. John has been instrumental in supporting our weekly food pantry operations and special event outreach to enhance our program’s visibility. Our team and participants wish John all the best as he plans to pursue a Master of Social Work after graduation!
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Stay up to date with events, programs, or advocacy opportunities to support the Grand Street mission.
Join Our Newsletter
Stay up to date with events, programs, or advocacy opportunities to support the Grand Street mission.
Join Our Newsletter
Stay up to date with events, programs, or advocacy opportunities to support the Grand Street mission.
2024 Grand Street Settlement. All right reserved.
80 Pitt Street, New York, NY 10002
212-674-1740
Grand St. Settlement is a registered 501(c)(3)
2024 Grand Street Settlement. All right reserved.
80 Pitt Street, New York, NY 10002
212-674-1740
Grand St. Settlement is a registered 501(c)(3)