SCS News

NY1 Noticias spoke to Bertha Motta, a Home Health Aide for Sunnyside Community Services, about receiving her first shot of the Covid-19 vaccine. Watch the video online at https://www.ny1noticias.com/nyc/noticias/noticias/2021/01/12/profesionales-de-la-salud-aconsejan-vacunarse.

The Queens Gazette features our free ESOL classes in a recent issue. Read more at https://www.qgazette.com/articles/scs-offers-free-esol-classes-instruction-begins-january-12/

Read about our free virtual ESOL classes, which will be held this winter via Zoom: http://sunnysideblog.org/sunnyside-community-services-offers-free-esol-classes-on-january-12/ Register by December 30.

Sunnyside Community Services will teach English to New Yorkers this winter through a series of free classes. The English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes will be held entirely online from January 12 – March 25.  

The classes will consist of four levels – Beginning I, Beginning II, Intermediate I, and Intermediate II – and will be offered in a choice of morning and evening sessions. Classes will include interactive Zoom sessions, and online activities on Google Classrooms and other platforms that will include speaking, writing, reading, and listening. Instructors will also collaborate with other NYC-based partner organizations and institutions to engage and support students as they practice their English learning skills. Classes will be held three days a week, Tuesday – Thursday. Morning sessions will run from 9 am – noon, and evening sessions will run from 6 – 9 pm. 

“Learning English can help a recent immigrant thrive in their new community,” said Johan Lopez of Sunnyside Community Services. “Understanding English can make it easier to find a job and to take advantage of all that New York City offers. We can’t wait to meet our new students!”  

This year, due to Covid-19 restrictions, Sunnyside Community Services created a remote version of the ESOL classes. Recent students have praised the remote format, saying the greater flexibility offered by online courses makes it easier to manage their jobs, families, and other obligations that might have prevented them from attending classes in person on a consistent basis.  

Every year, approximately 450 students take ESOL classes offered by Sunnyside Community Services. The free ESOL classes are open to applicants living in New York City. Classes are limited to 35 students per class. Registrations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. The deadline to register is December 30. Register online at https://bit.ly/2K8FdeD. 

ESOL classes at Sunnyside Community Services are funded by the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development.   

For more information about the ESOL program, call 929-433-7257, or email English@scsny.org. 

In addition to ESOL classes, Sunnyside Community Services offers a number of other resources, including case management, Covid-19 education, and cash assistance to those most in need. Beginning January 4, the organization, in partnership with the Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement, will also provide free legal assistance and information to immigrants in New York City, funded by an ActionNYC grant from the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs and Department of Social Services/Human Resources Administration. For more information, email info@scsny.org.  

Instead of holiday lights, the Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce decided to raise funds for local food pantries, including Sunnyside Community Services. Read more in this Sunnyside Post article: https://sunnysidepost.com/skillman-holiday-lights-taken-down-businesses-decide-to-fund-food-pantries-instead

With food pantries experiencing a decline in funding, legislators and providers ask that the state use unspent CARES Act funding and rainy day funds to help New Yorkers. Learn more in this New York Focus article: https://www.nysfocus.com/2020/12/04/food-pantry-funding/.

Sunnyside Community Services will train 120 New Yorkers to be Home Health Aides, thanks in part to a $10,000 grant from TD Charitable Foundation. Read more about this program via this article from the Queens Gazette.

NY1 Noticias talked to caregiver Lucía León and Sunnyside Community Services (SCS) Division Director of Senior Services Shyvonne Noboa about the Care NYC program. SCS is in danger of losing funding for this important program, which offers support and assistance to family caregivers who are caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or other dementias. View the story online on Facebook Watch. 

Sunnyside Post talks to our Executive Director Judy Zangwill and Associate Executive Director Monica Guzman about a $10,000 challenge matching grant offered by FJC: A Foundation of Philanthropic Funds. This grant will match all donations made to Sunnyside Community Services by December 31. Read more about the work that we’ve done so far during the pandemic, and how your donation is urgently needed to help residents as the situation for many of our community’s families and residents continues to deteriorate: https://twitter.com/sunnysidepost/status/1333498842164170752

This Thanksgiving, instead of the usual group meal, volunteers and staff from Sunnyside Community Services delivered more than 200 bags directly to the homes of seniors. The bags were filled with Thanksgiving meals and treats, including fruit cake and non-alcoholic bubbly drink. 

Learn more about our programs for seniors at https://scsny.org/programs/senior-programs