CASH FOR GUNS PROGRAM

Cash for Guns Saturday December 11, 2010 Drop off-sites open: 11am - 5pm The New York City Police Department in corporation with the Brooklyn Clergy Coalition to Reduce Violent Crime will be hosting a "Cash For Guns" buyback program. Turn in a weapon and receive a $200 bank card for an operable handgun or $20 bank card for an operable rifles or shotgun. No questions asked! Drop-off sites: First Baptist Church of Brownsville 357 Chester St Brooklyn, NY 11212 Bishop A.D. Lyon, Pastor 718 - 498 - 1074 Southern Baptist Church 820 Stanley Ave Brooklyn, NY 11207 Rev. Clarence Williams, Pastor 718 - 272 - 4848 The flyer containing all the pertinent information can be downloaded and easily printed and displayed in highly visible locations. Also available to download is a list of frequently asked questions. Remember every gun taken off the streets is one less gun that can be used in the commission of a violent crime against you or a loved one. So please encourage your congregants, community leaders and board members to spread the word about this very important event. Together we can make a difference.

VILLAGE ALLIANCE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JOB OPENING

The Village Alliance Business Improvement District is now hiring for the Executive Director position. Download the job description here. To apply, submit a cover letter accompanied by a resume and a one-page writing sample electronically to mdresner@vno.co. On the subject line enter “Executive Director Position. Do not contact the BID office directly regarding this employment opportunity.

FREE WORKSHOP ON STRATEGIES FOR REDUCING DEBT

BridgeStreet Development Corporation is hosting a free workshop: Strategies for Reducing Debt Thursday, December 9, 2010 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm At this workshop you will learn: About options available when you are faced with overwhelming credit card debt Explore the pros and cons of working with a non profit credit counseling agency to consolidate your debt Why Debt Reduction Agencies can be dangerous To manage retirement loans and student loan repayment options when facing a hardship For free registration, call 718.636.7596 Ext 14 Seating is limited.

UPDATED BROOKLYN WORKFORCE CALENDAR

The Brooklyn Workforce Recruitment Calendar for the week of 12/6 is now available for download here. Health care (HHA, CNA, Direct Care Workers, Billerand Coders, LPN, RNs) dominate the open job inventory this week, but there are amply opportunities as well for trained security guards, retail sales associates and experienced food service workers. The exact job requirements for each employer is available to download here.

HANUKKAH PUPPET SHOW AND VODOU BROOKLYN AT FIVEMYLES

Hanukkah Puppet Show Wednesday, December 8th at 6pm FiveMyles, 558 St. Johns Place Fiddlehead Production present The Master of Prayer, a puppet show celebrating Hanukkah, based on a story by Rebbe Nachman. For all ages. With live Kletzmer music. Suggested donation $10. Vodou Brooklyn Saturday, December 18th at 7pm to midnight FiveMyles, 558 St. Johns Place Vodou Brooklyn - Book Signing, Photo Exhibit and Vodou Performance. Hosted by Stephanie Keith and Marie Carmel Moise

APPLY FOR A NEW YORKERS FOR BETTER NEIGHBORHOODS GRANT

Have a great idea for a community improvement project? Citizens Committee for New York City awards grants of $500 to $3,000 to volunteer-led groups for projects that bring neighbors together and have positive community impacts. Application deadline: January 31, 2011 Citizens Committee also offers Mollie Parnis Dress Up Your School Awards of $500 to $3,000 to support student-led projects that beautify schools or neighborhoods immediately surrounding schools. Application deadline: January 31, 2011 Past award recipients have transformed empty lots into community gardens, organized tenants to preserve low-income housing, increased access to fresh, locally grown food, and created projects that foster understanding and collaboration among youth. For more information, visit http://www.citizensnyc.org/grants.html.

CITIZENS COMMITTEE GRANT APPLICATION WORKSHOPS

Come to a Citizens Committee Grant Application Workshop to learn more about their grants and for a Q&A about the application. The next application deadline is January 31, 2011. Manhattan Tuesday, December 7, 6pm Just Food Offices 1155 Avenue of the Americas, 3rd Floor (between 44 and 45 Streets) Queens Thursday, December 9, 6:30pm Queens Borough Hall 120-55 Queens Boulevard Kew Gardens Please be sure to RSVP to Wole Oduye at (212) 822-9563 or email aoduye@citizensnyc.org. Stay tuned for workshops in other boroughs.

TRAFFIC FORUM RELATING TO ATLANTIC YARDS

The Prospect Heights Neighborhood Development Council presents a forum on traffic and transit issues raised by the Atlantic Yards construction and the planned opening of the Barclays Center in 2012. Wednesday, December 8, 2010 7:30pm at P.S. 9 80 Underhill Ave. (b/w St. Marks Ave. and Bergen St.)

FORCE AND FLOW'S THIRD ANNUAL

Vendors still needed Sunday, Dec 12 12 - 7PM, Force and Flow 1102 Dean St. #4, Between Franklin & Bedford Ave's To throw a little spice into the holiday shopping season and to offer beautiful, locally crafted alternatives to petroleum based plastic gifts from China, Force and Flow is once again organizing a holiday bazaar. Inspired by the wildly colorful markets of the Morocco, the studio will transform into an exhilarating venue for affordable hand crafted goods. Here's a chance to spend your money on gifts that support the community, sustain the environment and satisfy your taste buds all at once. With live music, bodywork samples and other suprises, this promises to be your most surprising and exhilarating shopping outing this year! We still have space for a few more vendors, so if you would like to sell your goods at the bazaar please contact us at info@forceandflow.com

SOUND WALK

SOUND WALK Sunday, Nov 28th 6PM, meet at Force and Flow 1102 Dean St. #4 $15 suggested donation, no one turned away for lack of funds Our monthly Sound Bath series returns with a very special installment of sonic immersion - a guided Sound Walk! On Sunday, Nov 28 Katie will lead us on a walking meditation on how we hear through the streets of Brooklyn. We will take turns, half the group at a time, walking blindfolded so that our listening senses become heightened as our ears become ever more finely tuned to the sonic environment around us. Walkers will experience the phenomenon of deep listening through other senses such as touch, taste, and smell, getting in touch with the soundscapes we usually take for granted. This is a sonic adventure not to be missed, a great way to get to know the neighborhood and to walk off all that extra Thanksgiving food!!! Bring a warm hat and coat, and if it decides to rain on us we'll do a more traditional Sound Bath indoors. For more info please contact us at info@forceandflow.com

4th Annual Daffodil Bulb Planting on Franklin Ave.

Saturday November 6th @ 10:AM at Park Place and Franklin Avenue  

Join your neighbors as we plant daffodil bulbs on Franklin  Avenue and the front of the Garden. In the spring, watch the flowers that we planted bloom!  

From 10:00 a.m. to noon,  volunteers will loosen soil in tree pits and plant boxes & plant daffodil bulbs  

Wear clothing and shoes that you don't mind getting some dirt on.  

if you can, bring: a hand cultivator, a trowel, a bulb borer, anything else that's useful for digging and planting, extra gardening tools, if you have them, for your neighbors to use.  

Please RSVP so that I know how many people are committed. 

RECYCLE YOUR LEAVES

We are participating in

NYCLeaves: Project Leaf Drop:

http://nycleaves.org/

Please bring your leaves to

the Crow Hill Community Garden

Saturday November 6th

Sunday November 14th

11 AM - 2 PM

Franklin Avenue between Park Place & Franklin

Please bring your leaves to the Crow Hill Community Garden to be used for composting & mulch. If possible, please use paper leaf bags (available at Home Depot) We will have composting information available at the garden during the drop off times. The city no longer collects leaves for composting, if you put them out in your trash, they end up in landfill.

HALLOWEEN PARADE

Our Kids Halloween Parade will be Saturday Oct 30
It will start at 3:30 at the Community Garden at 1099 Dean St
and will end at the Crow Hill Community Garden on Franklin
Afterwards there will be pumpkin painting here at LaunchPad (just across the street) sponsored by Urban River Arts
Bring noise makers/instruments

OCTOBER MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Public Safety: Without being alarmist, we want people to continue to be aware of crime in the community: there was an attempted rape this past month on a Sunday, at 10:30 p.m. at 679 Sterling Place (between Franklin & Bedford Avenue). The victim was unable to give a description of the man because he approached her from behind and she didn't see his face. Please be alert when you are on the street, especially when you are entering your vestibules. Burglaries are still up, it is critical that we keep our windows locked, especially those on fire escapes. Intake Center at the Armory: A brief update from CBAAR (Coalition for Bedford/Atlantic Armory Reform) The news regarding the Bedford Atlantic Armory is both good and bad. We have been in contact with the new Commissioner for the Department of Homeless Services: Seth Diamond. In response to our queries he has said that there are no immediate plans to open the intake center for single homeless men at the Bedford Atlantic Armory shelter. However when the intake center at Bellevue closes, the city still intends to open the intake center at the Armory. We are holding the city off but we must remain vigilant and continue to oppose the intake center. We have requested that DHS keep us informed about the status of the intake center. However there is no guarantee they will do this. Right now and for the foreseeable future, it is imperative that each of us keep an eye on the shelter and report any changes back to us November Elections EVERYONE MUST VOTE: This is the most important community effort that you can make in November! It is crucial to the work that the Association undertakes that Crown Heights (and specifically Crow Hill) is seen as a caring and vocal community. The issues that we face are duplicated throughout the City and there are limited resources to deal with them. The communities which get out and vote and make the most noise, are going to be the communities that receive the most attention, it is that simple. Please be sure to vote on November 2. Landmarking Crow Hill: On Tuesday, October 26th the Landmarks Preservation Commission will be holding a meeting at which a group of 13 buildings on Park Place between Franklin & Bedford will be presented for landmarking. Landmark status has already been granted to parts of Prospect Heights and other areas of Crown Heights North, we ask everyone who has an interest in extending this status into Crow Hill to attend this meeting in support. Again, the meeting is Tuesday, October 26th at 11:35 in the Public Meeting Room of the Municipal Building: 1 Centre St, 9th floor North in Manhattan. SOS Peace March: On Wednesday (tomorrow) there will be a walk sponsored by Save Our Streets beginning at 6 PM at the northwest corner of Utica & Eastern Parkway. We will walk west towards Franklin Avenue ending at Franklin and Eastern Parkway. There we will recognize the lives lost and those affected by gun violence in Crown Heights North. For more information contact Lisa Jones, S.O.S. Program Manager at 718-679-9410. Garbage The Go Green/Go Clean committee has been working to get a Big Belly Solar powered trash receptacle/compactor for Franklin Avenue. It would be EXTREMELY helpful if whenever you see an overflowing city garbage can any corner of Franklin Ave. if you would call 311 and give its location.

SOS CROWN HEIGHTS PEACE MARCH

S.O.S. CROWN HEIGHTS PEACE MARCH Wednesday, Oct. 20th at 6 PM. March will begin at the Northwest corner of Eastern Parkway and Utica Avenue. We will walk West towards Franklin Avenue ending at Franklin and Eastern Parkway. There we will recognize the lives lost and those affected by gun violence in Crown Heights North. For more information and to RSVP, please contact Lisa Jones, S.O.S. Program Manager at 718-679-9410. Please visit the Crown Heights Mediation Center blog for more information. And here's a link to S.O.S.'s brand new blog: http://soscrownheights.blogspot.com/.

FREE FINANCIAL LITERACY COURSES

the Pratt Area Community Council is hosting FREE financial literacy courses just up Franklin Avenue at Lefferts Place this November, and registration is open now. Call 718-783-3549 or email Charrisse Smith at Charrisse_Smith {at} prattarea {dot} org for more information or to register. (via http://ilovefranklinave.blogspot.com/)

Free Art Classes at LaunchPad

Free Art Classes at LaunchPad Adults & children Mondays, Tuesdays & Thursdays 3-6PM until 10/22 721 Franklin Ave Interns also needed for Sunday 10/24 noon-6PM see this flyer for more information or contact Kimberly urbanriverarts@gmail.com or 917-584-4616

SOS Shooting Response, Wednesday 8/18

Job Openings at the Mediation Center

Job Openings at the Mediation Center The Mediation Center is recruiting for three full-time AmeriCorps positions. AmeriCorps is an intensive service program designed to meet the nation’s critical needs in education, public safety, health, and the environment. Participants receive a bi-weekly stipend check and upon completion of their service hours an educational award of $5,350. At our office, AmeriCorps members will assist clients, create and run programs, and ensure that the storefront operations run smoothly. These jobs have tremendous responsibility and provide plenty of opportunity for learning and professional development. For more information please visit the Mediation Center's Website

From DA Hynes

Read the current Community Newsletter from Kings County D.A. Charles Hynes: click here

27th ANNUAL NIGHT OUT AGAINST CRIME

TUESDAY 8/3 - BROWER PARK (Park Pl between Kingston & Brooklyn) 11 AM - 8 PM presented by: 77th Precinct Community Council & the 77th Precinct Please Join us for a fun filled day of food, music, fashion, games, Brooklyn Steppers, Health Fair, etc.

Mural Project

The 25th anniversary of the mural project takes place in the fall. We are looking for individual artists and children groups to propose artwork for a panel painting, which will be done the weekend of September 18th to the 19th. We are excited to bring more art to the Crow Hill community! Your ideas are welcomed. Submit your proposal to the panel by filling out the commitment form or visit the CHCA website for more info.

NYCFD RECRUITING FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN FIREFIGHTERS

Because of their previous discriminatory hiring practices, New York City Fire Department is under strict Federal court order to fix their numbers therefore NYFD is recruiting HEAVILY in the African-American communities in order to hire approximately 1,000 new firepersons in the next two years. College credit requirement has been waived. NYFD will hire persons with a high school diploma and will pay for these new hires to attend John Jay College to earn the required 60 credits. NYFD will be holding tutorials classes prior to the test to prep applicants in order to get the highest number of African Americans qualified as possible. Both men and women should apply. The base salary starts at approximately $48K and raises to $100K after 5 years. Excellent benefits, retirement, security and work schedules. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TO BE INFORMED ABOUT THE UPCOMING TEST (which will be given early next year).

3rd Annual Kids Day Event

Come out and enjoy a beautiful fun-filled day at the 3rd Annual Kids Day Event! This Saturday, July 24th from 12-5PM, Franklin Avenue between Park Place and Sterling Place will be closed and transformed into a carnival. Let your hair down and feel like a kid again-there’s no doubt that you will have fun. Come celebrate the neighborhood as well as the children within the Crow Hill community. There will be rides, prizes and entertainment at no expense to anyone who wished to attend. The event is paid for entirely through donations from local businesses as well as successful fund raising efforts; About Time Boutique made it a point to involve everyone especially the children residing within the Crown Heights community which was seen in their enthusiastic participation at weekly bake sales held on Franklin Ave. So Show Some love and support and come out to the 3rd Annual Kids Day Event.

GREAT NEWS

We just heard from Community Board 8 that the Impact Zone WILL remain in effect on Franklin Avenue. Thank you to everyone who sent in letters, building community is an important step towards deterring crime!!! Please take a minute to contact Commissioner Kelly and thank him, either by mail or through this email link: http://www.nyc.gov/html/mail/html/mailnypd.html

IMPORTANT LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN

UPDATE 7/20 The Impact Zone WILL remain on Franklin Avenue (see next post) By this time, you probably know a young man was shot in the leg on Franklin Avenue, Saturday afternoon at about 2:30. What you might not know is that Commissioner Kelly is planning to pull the Impact Zone from Franklin and Nostrand Avenues at the end of the month. This means we will lose the increased foot patrol that has had such a positive effect on our community since January. We got the first Impact Zone as the result of a very strong letter writing campaign. We need to do another immediately!!! Even while our neighborhood continues to improve, this is the 3rd shooting on Franklin since the middle of May. We urge you to write a letter asking Commissioner Kelly to keep the Impact Zone on Franklin Avenue. You can either print the PDF version to sign and send, or you can download the .doc to customize with any personal concerns. PLEASE do it today.

Unclaimed Funds Assistance Workshops

Want to learn more about Unclaimed Funds? Assemblyman Karim Camara is sponsoring Unclaimed Funds Assistance Workshops for the community. There are over $65 million in unclaimed funds in the 43rd Assembly District alone! Attend one of these workshops to find out if some of this money belongs to you and learn more about how simple it is to claim these unused funds. Businesses are required by New York State law to surrender inactive accounts to the State. These accounts are known as unclaimed funds. The Office of the State Comptroller serves as custodian of this money. Until the money is claimed, it is used by the State’s General Funds. To learn more please attend any of the following workshops: · TUESDAY July 20th, 2010 6PM-8PM Marcus Garvey Nursing Home 810 Saint Marks Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11213 · THURSDAY July 22nd, 2010 6PM-8PM Jewish Children’s Museum 792 Eastern Parkway Brooklyn, NY 11213 · TUESDAY July 27th, 2010 5PM-8PM Saint Gabriel’s Senior Center 331 Hawthorne Street Bklyn, NY 11225

BlockStar2: Brooklyn Presented to the Community

Calling all skaters! Want a day of skating without too many restrictions? The Park Place Improvement Block Association with the aid of the Hampton,Sterling,Virgina Place, and Kingston Avenue Block Association in conjunction with SDC Productions are inviting all skaters to BlockStar2:Brooklyn on July 17, 2010. If you are a beginner do not hesitate, The Uptown Skate School will be there from 1-3PM providing any adventurous new comer with the opportunity to pick up a new hobby. All levels of skater skills are invited to come and enjoy the food, exercise, and fun. With its previous success, this is the second time this year that BlockStar2:Brooklyn is being presented to the community. So let’s make the event more successful than the first time around!

Free Outdoor Movie Nights Series

While taking a stroll down Franklin Avenue, stop by the Brooklyn Museum to watch a free movie and enjoy the warm summer night. Wednesday July 21st at 8:30PM marks the commencement of the Free Outdoor Movie Nights series sponsored by Senator Eric Adams of the 20th senatorial district. Gather your family and friends, and get ready to experience a memorable night filled with laughter at the presentation of Paul Blart: Mall Cop. For more information regarding the upcoming movie nights and location please visit Sen. Eric Adam’s homepage.