Free Neighborhood Services

Frank McCrea from the NYC Department of Aging is at the Miccio Center every Monday from 10 – 2 pm. He will help you solve any problem you may have dealing with any NYC agency, such as child welfare, support groups, benefits, etc.

Free CPR Training Class at the Red Hook Public Library Help Save A Life, Learn CPR. Join us Tuesday July 14th at 6:30pm for a Free non certifying CPR Training hosted by the FDNY. Learn compression CPR and how to use an automated external defibrillator. Includes hands on participation and giveaways!

Sandy Recovery Worforce1. Services for NYCHA residents include career counseling, resume editing, interview advice, job recruitment events with Build It Back contractors, Vouchers for pre-apprenticeship, construction skills and other job training programs.  1906 Mermaid Ave, 2nd Fl; Brooklyn, 11224 Tel: (646) 927-6093 Hours: 9am to 5pm. Lots more information at http://www.nyc.gov/html/sbs/wf1/html/sandy_recovery/home.shtml. Karen Blondel who lives in the Red Hook Houses is always available for additional guidance. Her number is 718 809-2070

Free use of computers at the Justice Center. Not everyone has access to a desktop computer, and yet many job and educational opportunities require one. So the Justice Center offers its computers to the community for free, every Wednesday from  10 am – 1 pm, room 101. The Justice Center is on Visitation Place between Richards and Van Brunt. For more information call Sabrina Carter 718 923-8261
Brooklyn Workforce Innovations – Certificate courses in TV/Film production, woodworking and cabinet making, cable installation as well as driving lessons are available. For information stop by 621 Degraw Street (near 4th Avenue) or call 718 237-2017. www.bwiny.org

OpportunityNYCHA – the REES program administers the “Section 3” program. This is a HUD mandate that requires employment and other economic opportunities coming from the Federal Government to be directed towards public housing residents. NYC has a similar program requiring that 15% of the labor amount of NYCHA contracts greater than $500,000 to go NYCHA residents. Eligibility requirements, according to Karen Blondell, are that you must either be 1 – on the lease, 2 – economically disadvantaged (receiving SNAP benefits), or 3 -live withing 10 blocks of a NYCHA development. To register call the REES Hotline at (718) 289-8100. Examples of opportunities include web development, home health aide training, NYPD tutorial, NRTA Construction Training. REES conducts information sessions at the  Brooklyn office every Tuesday and Thursday at 8:30am. Address: 787 Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238.

Red Hook Cares (Counseling and Restorative Services). Including advocacy, case management and referrals for victims of crime. Accompaniment to partner agencies and criminal justice appointments. Located at the Community Justice Center, 88 Visitation Place. To make a referrall call Laura Volz, 347 404-9910 or email [email protected]

Stronger Together services are free and prioritize Red Hook and other local NYCHA development residents. Their services include Adult Education, Job Readiness, Community Services, which include benefits counseling, legal advice, financial coaching and tax preparations. The services are free because the Red Hook Initiative, Fifth Avenue Committee, SBIDC and Brooklyn Workforce Innovations have been paid by the NY City Council to provide these services. So take advantage of them! For information call 718 858-6782 or go the the Red Hook Initiative at 767 Hicks Street (at W 9th).

The Edward J. Malloy Initiative for Construction Skills  provides training and employment in the unionized construction industry. CSKILLS has placed more than 1600 New Yorkers into union apprentice programs over the past 15 years. To be considered you must be 18 years or older, be a legal citizen, HS or GED, 9th grade reading and math scores and available to attend training 5 days a week 7 hours a day. Their website is www.constructionskills.org. It looks like the best way to navigate that website is to check under apprenticeship training and choose a union program, and also to go to useful links, where you can find a whole host of other opportunities, including Helmets to Hardhats – a workforce program for veterans.

Free Summer Camp for Middle Schoolers. Monday thru Friday from 10 am – 5 pm. Applications are available by calling Ms. Samora at 718 858-6782, or stopping by the Red Hook Initiative, 767 Hicks St

The Child Place for Children with Special Needs holds a Read and Play afternoon in the Red Hook library every Monday at 1 – 2:00 pm. Kids 5 and under. Parent or guardians must accompany children, who will be able to meet, make friends and play! Red Hook Library, 7 Wolcott Street

The Red Hook Library offers a free Lego Club for Red Hook youngsters. It meets at the library the last Friday of the month at 4:30pm. Next meeting is Friday, June 26.

Celebrating Red Hook Celebration, Saturday July 25 from noon – 10 pm. Free booths are available for Red Hook residents to exhibit and sell things they make. For more information write to [email protected] or call 718 624-5568

If you have a listing that you feel appropriate for this page, email [email protected]. There is no charge, as this is a free service as well!