SHARE:  
Queens Community House Partners with Rapper Meyhem Lauren and Timberland to Surprise Youth with Turkeys and Boots
Queens Community House (QCH) partnered with New York rapper Meyhem Lauren and Timberland to surprise over 100 youth program participants with free turkeys and Timberland boots on November 23.
 
The "Turkey and Tims" giveaway was held at QCH’s Pomonok Community Center two days before Thanksgiving. Among the recipients were participants of QCH’s YouthBuild/Queens program, which assists out-of-school and out-of-work young adults in attaining their High School Equivalency (HSE) Diploma and provides skills training in construction and other labor trades.
 
“Holidays during COVID-19 have been difficult for many of the individuals and families we serve, for various reasons – isolation, need for food, loss of a loved one, financial troubles” said QCH Executive Director Ben Thomases. “This collaboration with Meyhem Lauren and Timberland comes at a crucial time for the community, addressing essential needs and providing much-needed support during the holidays.”
Meyhem Lauren, a rapper from Queens and founding member of the Smart Crew collective, is also a former QCH staff member. He reached out to Patrick Pinchinat, the Pomonok Center Director, to set up the event.
 
“We wanted to spread holiday cheer the best we could, and I had an opportunity to partner with Timberland and bring them to the Pomonok Community Center,” said Lauren. “It was great see a a bunch of kids leave here with turkeys, Timberlands. Everybody was happy.”
 
“This is a part of QCH’s ongoing commitment to supporting this community,” said Pinchinat. “We’re very thankful to the Timberland team and Meyhem Lauren for partnering with us on such a great event.”

QCH Gets Grant from Queens District Attorney for Queens Community Youth Development and Crime Prevention Program

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that QCH is one of 28 community-based organizations that will receive funding for the implementation of her Office’s Community Youth Development and Crime Prevention Project (CYDCPP). The District Attorney’s initiative aims to provide youth activities and wrap around services to help prevent crime and keep young people out of the criminal justice system.

QCH will use the funds to expand programming for older teens at its Pomonok Community Center in Flushing.

“We're really excited about all of this – we feel that this will put us in a position to strengthen relationships in the community between youth and institutions like law enforcement,” said Patrick Pinchinat, Pomonok Center Director. “Very often, if young people just don't have opportunities to engage in the right way, they end up hanging out in the street, involved in things that may not always be positive and that could lead to crime and violence. But if young people are engaged, and we support, guide and facilitate that engagement, then they're much more likely to be successful.”
QCH Aims to Enhance Older Adult Services After Being Awarded Five Fully Funded Older Adult Centers

QCH has been awarded five fully funded Older Adult Centers (OAC): Forest Hills OAC, Rego Park OAC, Pomonok OAC, Kew Gardens Community Center, and Queens Center for Gay Seniors.

With five fully funded OACs (two of which are being fully funded for the first time), QCH looks forward to implementing its enhanced models in response to the needs and wants of older adults across the borough.

"We will be able to continue to provide critical programs and services for older adults such as providing meals and case assistance, while enhancing our health, wellness, and educational/recreational offerings," said Nicole Vaughn-Robinson, QCH Deputy Director of Senior Services. "We are also really excited to introduce our Virtual Reality Program, which will allow older adults opportunities to view attractions via 3D at museums, parks, and other attractions all over the world. I’m so proud of the work we have done, and I'm equally excited for all of the incredible programs that are in the works ahead."
Queens Community House provides individuals and families with the tools to enrich their lives and build healthy, inclusive communities.