Celebrating It's My Park Day and Red Hook Little Legague Opening Day

The New York Juvenile Justice Corps and our John Jay College of Criminal Justice partners joined the Brownsville Community Justice Center in celebrating “It’s My Park Day” on May 3^rd, 2013 in Betsy Head Park in Brownsville Brooklyn. New Yorkers across the five boroughs gathered to beautify their local green spaces and parks in celebration of “It’s My Park Day.” 

AmeriCorps members alongside members from the Brownsville Justice Community spent the afternoon scrapping and repainting a large retaining wall on the perimeter of the park. Visitors to the park are no longer greeted by a wall of peeling paint but a bright newly painted wall. Volunteers also worked in the garden weeding, removing debris, and laying wood chips. Members conducted park audits at several other local Brownsville Parks, assessing parks’ level of activity, quality, safety, signage, and aesthetics.





 

John Jay members working in the garden

JJC members scrapped and repainted a large retaining wall

JJC members after providing a fresh coat of paint

JJC members, John Jay members, and Brownsville Justice Community members after an afternoon of beautifying Betsy Head Park

 

The 16^th Annual Red Hook little league baseball season kicked off Saturday May 4^th, 2013. Opening Day commenced with Red Hook youth in their bright new uniforms bursting with energy to play. The opening balls were thrown by Councilwoman Sara Gonzalez, Honorable Judge Alex Calabrese of the Red Hook Community Justice Center, Captain Jeffery Schiff of the 76^th Precinct, and Jessica Colon Deputy Director of the Red Hook Community Justice Center. 

AmeriCorps members helped to found the League and continue to support every aspect of the league through their service coaching, recruiting, or distributing uniforms. Hyne’s Heroes and The Defenders quickly got to the business of playing ball. JJC members along with family and friends were happy to cheer on the players at their first game! 

Red Hook Little League 16th Annual Opening Day Hynes Heroes Vs The Defenders

Before thorowing out the Opeining Ball Honorable Judge Alex Calabrese of the Red Hook Community Justice Center
Council Woman Sara Gonzalez, Captain Jeffery Schiff of the 76^th Precinct


 

Let's Play Ball!!



JJC memebers cheering on the players



Making Justice Present on MLK Day

"True peace is not merely the absence of tension: it is the presence of justice."
- Martin Luther King Jr., in a 1955 response to an accusation that he was "disturbing the peace" by his activism during the Montgomery Bus Boycott in Montgomery, Alabama

Youth from Red Hook and throughout New York City made signs and participated in a peace march through the neighborhood to celebrate Dr. King's lecacy.

Monday was a big day for Red Hook. Over 200 volunteers came to the Red Hook Recreation Center to honor the birthday and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by pitching in towards the neighborhood's continued recovery from Hurricane Sandy, facilitating workshops on nonviolence and inequality, and participating in a peace march through the neighborhood. Choosing to make Monday "a day on, not a day off" when schools and many businesses are closed was particularly poignant in light of this year's MLK Day coinciding with President Obama's 2nd inauguration, the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, and the 20th anniversary of the murder of beloved local educator Principal Patrick Daly. 

The day began with a visit from Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who came to Red Hook to celebrate the service of AmeriCorps members from the New York Juvenile Justice Corps and volunteers from NYC Service. Volunteers donned face masks and plastic jumpsuits to scrape paint and restore the flood-damaged basement of the Recreation Center, an important community resource that has not been fully functioning since the storm.

In the Recreation Center's gym, dozens of local youth and teen participants from the Center for Court Innovation's youth programs, including the Red Hook Youth Court, the Brownsville Youth Court, and the Harlem Youth Court, were treated to a presentation on Dr. King's life and lecacy, followed by workshops facilitated by AmeriCorps members that connected his achivements and activism to the role of leaders and role models in participants' own lives. Afterwards, AmeriCorps and Youth Court members served as role models themselves to younger participants by working together to create signs and crowns for our peace march, and to paint MLK-themed murals to be distributed to local community organizations. 

Check out photos of the workshops and art projects (click to enlarge):

In the afternoon, over 100 youth, AmeriCorps members, staff, and other community members braved the weather to brighten up the bitterly cold, gray day with colorful messages of peace in a march through Red Hook. The march was a powerful visual reminder to the community that Dr. King's legacy lives on, and an inspiration to continue to embrace his message of unity and nonviolence, and to persevere in achieveing "true peace."

Check out photos of the peace march (click to enlarge):

Juvenile Justice Corps members give tribute to volunteerism in the wake of Hurricane Sandy at AmeriCorps Kick-Off in Albany

New York Juvenile Justice Corps members awoke bright and early this morning to make a 6:00 AM bus to Albany for the annual AmeriCorps kick-off event hosted by the New York State Commission on National and Community Service. More than 1,000 AmeriCorps members from across New York State gathered at the Empire State Plaza for a jam-packed agenda, filled with fun, reflection, and of course, service. 

Among the highlights of the day were Juvenile Justice Corps members being selected to deliver a tribute to AmeriCorps service in the wake of Hurricane Sandy and share some personal testimony from their relief efforts in Red Hook. The full text of the speech delivered by Corps members Salam Mustafa, Pete Martin and Claudia Choi is below.

Additionally, Corps members took the AmeriCorps oath of service, pledging to "get things done for America!" A video of Corps members reciting the pledge is below.

Finally, Corps members had the opportunity to mingle with AmeriCorps programs from other parts of the state such as Buffalo, Rochester and Long Island during the service fair. Corps members also participated in numerous service projects with other AmeriCorps programs, including gift-wrapping holiday presents for children of military families and writing letters to service men and women abroad. Photos from these projects are displayed in the slideshow below.

Congratulations, New York Juvenile Justice Corps members on a fantastic start to your service year! We could not be more thrilled to have you aboard!   

“A Tribute to AmeriCorps Service in the Wake of Hurricane Sandy”

Three weeks ago today, millions of New Yorkers woke to find their community forever changed. Many lost loved ones to the storm. Flooded neighborhoods were barely recognizable. And lifetimes’ worth of worldly possessions were lost in corrosive seawater. In addition, millions of people were left for weeks without power, heat, or running water. In the face of heartbreak and devastation, we witnessed something powerful: volunteers mobilized, donations poured in, and communities learned what they were really made of, as they pulled together to rebuild.

Good morning everyone. My name is Salam Mustafa and I am here with Claudia Choi and Pete Martin. We are members of the New York Juvenile Justice Corps, which is based in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Red Hook is a small waterfront community that was hit hard by Hurricane Sandy. Our offices were flooded with 5 feet of water and remained without power until last week.

Although most of us hadn’t set foot in Red Hook before last month, because Red Hook has had an AmeriCorps program for the past 18 years, our bright shirts immediately made us a welcome and familiar sight in the neighborhood. I want to share one story to illustrate that:  

Two days after the storm when it was first reported the National Guard would be coming with food and water, Red Hook residents lined up for hours in near freezing temperatures, hoping the goods would arrive before dark. As frustrations mounted, we walked up and down the line trying to reassure everyone that help was on its way. Toward the back of the line, a woman caught sight of us and called out “AmeriCorps is here! Now you know it’s gonna be okay!” That made us feel very proud, but also humbled, realizing the powerful legacy we’ve inherited by joining AmeriCorps.

We are here today to recognize the many AmeriCorps members who rose in service after Sandy. The subway shutdown in New York City could not stop us from being at the frontlines of relief efforts from day 1. We rode bikes, took multiple busses, and drove across town on that last quarter tank of gas – whatever it took to get there!

Seeing that we were in need, AmeriCorps members from across the country also organized and deployed to New York. They came from Missouri, Vermont, Montana, Washington State, Minnesota, Iowa, Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico  – not to mention hundreds of FEMA Corps members who came up from Washington DC just a few weeks into their service year!

Can we see a show of hands, how many in this room have been a part of Sandy relief efforts in the past 3 weeks? Look around… That’s amazing! Give yourselves a round of applause!

In this room alone are AmeriCorps members who have supported countless relief efforts across the state. We wish we could share all of your stories but only have time to give few brief snapshots here today.

In the hardest hit sections of New York City, Civic Corps and Juvenile Justice Corps members worked side by side with the National Guard to distribute essential items- including water, ready-made meals, and wool blankets. Corps members of City Year led craft-making, and fun activities for children while they waited with their parents in long distribution lines.

Corps members went door to door in New York City Housing Authority developments, checking on seniors and homebound individuals. These deliveries involved climbing as many as 14 flights of stairs in a pitch black, narrow stairwell, balancing cases of water, boxes of food, and a flashlight. Everyone who was home opened their door with bright eyes and great appreciation.

Civic Corps members made city evacuation centers comfortable for families by giving out warm clothes and personal items. On Long Island, AmeriCorps members with the Red Cross dispatched to a high school being used as a shelter for one of the hardest hit beachfront communities. 

Civic Corps members also led massive beach cleanups in the Rockaways, Coney Island, and Brighton Beach. AmeriCorps members from Green City Force and the New York Restoration Project picked up chainsaws, rakes and shovels and removed literally tons of downed trees and debris from city parks and green spaces. New York Restoration Project Corps members actually couldn’t make it to Albany today because their service is still so critically needed on the ground.

Our volunteer service does not only have an impact on communities, it impacts us as well. We are going to share a few reflections on the meaning of service in the aftermath of Sandy. 

As the storm hit, I watched my city shut down, and then become overwhelmed. The destruction was painful to watch, and I didn't want to sit by, doing nothing in response to such tragedy so close to home, so I jumped at the opportunity to help.In Red Hook, the differences between the National Guard and groups of volunteers diminished and we were just people working together to be stronger than we each could be individually. It was amazing to be surrounded by other individuals who wanted to help as much as I did. I think we were all inspired by one another to get as much as we could done.

I found it very gratifying to see the warm response from the community and to be greeted by huge smiles and sometimes even hugs. Though many were without water or electricity, our outreach comforted them in the sense that they were not going to be ignored. For me personally, I was humbled by the experience and proud that I was able to be part of history and contribute my efforts to help New Yorkers get back on their feet.

I was really excited about being able to give of my time and not looking for anything in return, I mean it just touches my heart to see the relief on peoples' faces when I delivered the packages to them. I never in my life would had thought that it would be so fulfilling doing volunteer work and see how many people came out to help. I always had love for people no matter who they are and to be apart of something so wonderful is a blessing, and I'm proud to be a AmeriCorps member. Thank you, AmeriCorps, for showing me what it truly means to give of yourself selflessly! 

As we speak, many New Yorkers are still without power, heat and water. Even when those services are restored, rebuilding will take years. At a community meeting in Red Hook last week, one resident stood up and said “Sandy brought us together, but let’s stay together!”

We say the same. If we continue work together like we have the past 3 weeks, there is no limit to what we can do. Thank you everyone for all you have done. And thank you for making us so proud to be a part of this program that lets us be of service where our communities need us most. 

The Meaning of Service Post-Sandy: AmeriCorps Members Reflect

Members of the New York Juvenile Justice Corps have been key to the volunteer efforts in Red Hook, one of the New York City neighborhoods hardest hit by Hurricane Sandy and home to the Red Hook Community Justice Center, our AmeriCorps' program's home base. Here is their story in their own words:

Gregory Mason:  I was really excited about being able to give of my time and not looking for nothing in return, I mean it just touched my heart to see the relief on people faces when I delivered the packages to 
them. I never in my life would had thought that it would be so fulfilling doing volunteer work and seeing how many people came out to help. I always had love for people no matter who they are and to be apart of something so wonderful is a blessing, and I'm proud to be an AMERICORPS member.

Danny Conyers: On Wednesday October 31st, a day after hurricane Sandy I came to Red Hook seeing the damage it had taken. After seeing the devastation left behind by the storm I knew there would be a lot of work to be done. Residents lost power, heat, and running water by the storm but manage to stay calm and work together during the struggle. Volunteering with Red Hook Justice Center, the National Guard and other community based organizations we manage to serve over 500 residents daily with food, water and other supplies. Making home deliveries to home bond residents, walking up 14 stories in the dark to residents who couldn’t leave their homes because of medical reasons or didn’t feel safe coming out of there apartment. The relief effort was a lot of work but worth it, as residents managed to get what they needed till things are restored. Volunteering during the aftermath of the storm it felt good to serve the residents in this time of need.

Salam Mustafa: Moving to New York from California was an adjustment for me and I did not know what to expect from New York and the AmeriCorps experience. I had only been in the Big Apple for a few months when Hurricane Sandy hit the Tri state area. I was lucky enough to not lose power or water but many New Yorkers were not as lucky. From the television and radio, I heard reports of fires destroying neighborhoods and families displaced with nowhere to go. It wasn’t till I got the call from Viviana that the AmeriCorps members were going to Red Hook to help the National Guard. As part of the volunteer efforts we helped distribute food and water, and make home deliveries to the elderly and disabled. It was very gratifying to see the warm response from a community and to be greeted by huge smiles and sometimes even hugs.Though many were without water or electricity, our emergency meals and outreach comforted them in the sense that they were not going to be ignored and it helped raise community morale among all residents of Red Hook.  For me personally, I was humbled by the experience and proud that I was able to be part of history and contribute my efforts to help New Yorkers get back on their feet.

Rebecca Schwartz: Volunteering in Red Hook and at other sites after Hurricane Sandy was an eye opening and heart warming experience. Prior to volunteering in Red Hook, I sat paralyzed in front of the news watching my city shut down and be overwhelmed. It was very painful to watch but feel helpless in the face of such tragedy so close by, so I jumped at the opportunity to help. The differences between those in the National Guard and each other group of volunteers diminished and we were just people working together to be stronger than we each could be individually. It was wonderful to be surrounded by other individuals who wanted to help as much as I did, and I think we were all inspired by one another to get as much as we could done.

Corps Members Volunteer for Local Firefighters in honor of 9/11 Day of Service

In remembrance of the anniversary of September 11^th, the New York Juvenile Justice Corps organized a service project to benefit local firemen and family members affected by the attacks. Corps members spent the morning volunteering at Friends of Firefighters, a community-based organization formed by a small group of volunteers in the days after September 11^th. Friends of Firefighters is based in a recently renovated 1800s era firehouse, a setting where many firemen feel comfortable seeking mental health and wellness services at no or low cost. Services include talk therapy, biofeedback, massage, acupuncture and peer support group workshops. Many active and retired firemen continue to volunteer with Friends of Firefighters, restoring the building and staying connected to the brotherhood that still provides them with so much strength and comfort. Corps members did a deep clean of the space, sweeping, mopping, organizing and dusting, and then ventured outside to do a community clean-up of the neighboring blocks. 

Everyone was grateful for the opportunity to be of service at a time when the pain of 9/11 is on all of our minds, and to contribute in a small way to the important work Friends of Firefighters does every day of the year.  

 Corps members volunteered alongside active and retired firemen to help complete the renovation of the office space.

 Corps Members in front of Friends of Firefighters, formerly an active firehouse from 1873-1960.
  

Cops Members with Friends of Firefighters founder and executive director, Nancy Carbone.

AmeriCorps Members organize Red Hook's National Night Out Against Crime!

Yesterday the Red Hook community came together to celebrate our 18^th annual National Night Out Against Crime. This long-standing event is in partnership with the Red Hook Community Justice Center, the NYPD 76^th Precinct and PSA 1 Housing Police, Kings County District Attorney’s Office, the New York State Office of Court Administration, and the New York Juvenile Justice Corps.  This event provides an opportunity for residents, law enforcement and local organizations to come together, break down barriers, and take a stand against violence in our communities.

Hundreds of neighbors gathered in Red Hook’s Coffey Park for the festivities, food, positive messages, and a community resource fair with over 40 local organizations. Some highlights from the day included an anti-violence poetry slam by our local young poets, an exhibit of art work by young teens from the Justice Center’s art program, a Cops and Kids baseball game, and a teen dating violence PSA from the Justice Center’s Youth Echo program. And of course, there were plenty of fun activities including, pony rides, face painting, cotton candy, Youth Olympics, and an impromptu electric slide dance-off!

Local dignitaries and elected officials also came out and called for the community to come together and work with law enforcement to combat violence. Speakers included Brooklyn District Attorney, Charles Hynes, Senator Velmanette Montgomery, 76^th Precinct Police Captain Jeffrey Schiff, City Council Members Sara Gonzalez and Brad Lander, Housing Police Captain Carlos Valdez, Felix Palacios of Council Speaker Quinn’s Office, Andrew Olsen of the Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit, and our own, Honorable Judge Calabrese.

Collaboration and unity like we saw yesterday in Coffey Park has been critical to making the 76^th precinct among Brooklyn’s safest and will continue to strengthen our community in years to come.

The pictures were taken by local teen participants in the Justice Center's JustArts Photography Program

Cops and Kids Baseball Game

  A Corps member shares his poem during the Anti-Violence Poetry Slam

Residents and Volunteers Join in for an Impromptu Electric Slide Dance Off!

The Red Hook Baseball League thank Kings County District Attorney Charles Hynes and City Council Member Sara Gonzalez for their continued support of the league and the neighborhood.

Pony Rides are always a hit!

Residents Celebrating a beautiful evening in Red Hook.

Apply to be a New York Juvenile Justice Corps member!

Do you want to serve your community and make a difference in the lives of New York City youth and families? Apply to be an AmeriCorps member with the New York Juvenile Justice Corps today!

What is the New York Juvenile Justice Corps?

The New York Juvenile Justice Corps is an AmeriCorps national service program and project of the Center for Court Innovation. The Juvenile Justice Corps places Corps members at full-time, year-long job placements in courthouses, detention centers, schools and community centers throughout New York City. Corps Members provide wraparound interventions and positive programming to divert young people out of the justice system and break the cycle of unmet needs and delinquent behavior. Throughout the year, Corps members participate in meaningful service projects to have a visible impact in the community as well as monthly trainings to support their professional development.

What are the benefits?

• Educational grant award of $5,550 which can be used toward tuition or student loans
• Living stipend of $12,100
• Basic health coverage
• Childcare reimbursement
• On the job and supplemental job training
• Professional development and networking opportunities
• 85% of Corps graduates go on to a full-time job or college!

What are the Requirements?

• Commit to serve for 1 year from October 1^st 2012 – September 30^th 2013
• Serve a minimum of 35 hours per week (for a total of 1,700 hours in 1 year)  
• Participate in monthly trainings and service projects with the Corps including some weekend and evening obligations
• High school diploma or GED
• Must be at least 18 years old by October 1^st 2012
• An interest in public service, youth development, law and community service
• United States citizen or legal permanent resident with a green card
• Bi-lingual skills a plus 

How do I apply?

Please review positions available online at www.courtinnovation.org/employment and submit a resume and cover letter directly to the hiring manager. For questions about benefits, eligibility or the application process contact Viviana at VGORDON@courts.state.ny.us or 718-923-8274. The deadline to apply is September 1^st, 2012.