Senator Chuck Schumer Attends Queens Power Rally of 1,200 Residents to Address Affordable Housing and Transit Issues
On March 27, over 1,200 Queens residents gathered at Rufus King Park in Jamaica for the Queens Power Rally to address the borough’s need for affordable housing, the mental health crisis, and transportation issues. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Chair and CEO Janno Lieber were among the speakers who voiced their support for Queens Power and commitment to addressing the pressing needs of Queens. 

Queens Power is comprised of faith communities, nonprofit organizations, schools, and unions dedicated to organizing Queens residents to build the leverage needed to address a variety of borough issues – including affordable housing, the lack of transportation options, poorly performing public schools, and “quality of life” issues, such as dirty train stations and unsafe intersections. 

Queens Community House (QCH) is a member institution of Queens Power. Among the 150 QCH staff, program participants, and neighbors at the rally, QCH Senior Housing Specialist Joel Ponder spoke out about the lack of affordable housing in Queens. “Every week, I assist families and seniors who are struggling to put food on their tables, pay their medical bills, and pay the rent,” said Ponder. “In my neighborhood, there was a brand-new building being advertised as ‘affordable’, but the rent for those apartments is $2,000. We need apartments that are affordable for all of our Queens families and seniors.” 

Senator Schumer voiced his support for Queens Power's push to build affordable homeownership opportunities and rental units at Creedmoor, rehabilitate NYCHA apartments and build housing for older adults on NYCHA properties, and improve public transit in Queens. “As we plan [better] transit in Queens, we need Queens Power to be at the table to help discuss what happens and not have it dictated to them, and I’m going to make sure that happens,” said Senator Schumer.  

“Thanks to Senator Schumer’s leadership in delivering $15 billion in federal relief funds for the MTA, we now have an opportunity to build a public transit system that works for all Queens residents,” said QCH Executive Director and Queens Power Co-Chair Ben Thomases. “Our top priorities are elevators at train stops that need them, more shelters at the nearly 5,000 bus stops in Queens, and making sure that Queens riders and drivers have a real say in the upcoming bus re-design.”  

Lieber agreed to meet with Queens Power leaders within 30 days of the rally to discuss the Queens bus re-design. “There is no place that has more equity issues about transit than Queens, let’s just be honest about it,” Lieber continued. “The dependence on buses means that we must get this re-design right.”
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Secures Funding for Queens Community House to Support Alternative High Schools
On March 10, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez announced that she secured funding for QCH's alternative high schools as part of the federal omnibus bill. QCH was one of 10 community projects nominated by Rep. Ocasio-Cortez to serve New York’s 14th Congressional District.

QCH will receive $225,000 to establish Family Support Coordinators in VOYAGES Preparatory High School in Elmhurst, the Young Adult Borough Center (YABC) at the High School for Arts & Business in Corona, and at QCH's Youth Development Center at Newtown High School in Elmhurst.

“We thank Rep. Ocasio-Cortez for supporting our alternative high schools in Queens,” said Ben Thomases, QCH Executive Director. “With in-school family support coordinators, students and families impacted by the pandemic will access much-needed services to ensure achievement of a diploma.”

QCH currently partners with the DOE on five Queens high schools to engage students who have dropped out or are at risk of dropping out of school and to provide them with the support they need to graduate. Students at these schools are primarily first-generation Americans or recent immigrants from low-income and working poor families. Many are older youth working to contribute to family income while still attending school.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the students’ families have been facing numerous challenges related to health, employment, housing, and food access, creating an unstable home environment that puts further stress on the youth and threatens their ability to successfully complete school. To address these needs, QCH will provide case management services through a Family Support Coordinator, who can help households with a variety of issues, such as child and elder care, mental health, education, eviction prevention, food access, and immigration status.

“Students who were already struggling to stay in school and graduate are facing even more obstacles to their academic success,” Thomases says, “so our Family Support Coordinators are even more crucial at this time. A stable household makes it more likely our young people will earn their high school diplomas.”

“I know these projects will be deeply impactful to our families throughout Queens and The Bronx,” said Rep. Ocasio-Cortez in a statement. “We are thrilled these projects will now become reality -- and we are confident that all these projects fulfill our nation's collective goals, advance our collective pursuit of justice, and are deeply worthy of federal support."
Rep. Grace Meng Hosts Community Diaper Bank at the Pomonok Community Center

On March 19, Rep. Grace Meng hosted a Community Diaper Bank at the Pomonok Community Center. Queens neighbors stopped by to either donate new/unused diapers or pick some up if they needed them.

“We thank Rep. Grace Meng for her continued support of our Pomonok residents. This was a great event to provide free diapers and blankets to families that need them.” - Zani Simmons, QCH Director of Community Engagement
Volunteer Opportunity with QCH Friendly Visiting Program

Our Friendly Visiting program pairs kindhearted individuals with homebound older adults in need of companionship. Through regular visits in our participants' own homes, these unique relationships quickly grow into lasting friendships.

  • The time commitment for this program is one hour per week for at least six months
  • Flexible visiting schedule
  • Must be 18 years or older

If you're interested in becoming a compassionate volunteer for this program, email volunteer@qchnyc.org!
Queens Community House provides individuals and families with the tools to enrich their lives and build healthy, inclusive communities.