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Save the Date: The Extra Mile 2025

by News and EventsYouth and Community Development & School Partnerships
RSVP & PURCHASE TICKETS HERE

We are delighted to announce that we will be holding our annual staff recognition Extra Mile event in-person on Tuesday, June 10th, from 6-8pm at L’Wren in Sunset Park, Brooklyn!

Please join us here in Sunset Park to celebrate Center for Family Life’s “Life Lines” partnership with public schools, MS 136 and MS 821. Our unique collaboration engages students in interdisciplinary projects that blend academic subjects with the arts to build community in the classroom and enrich student learning.

We are grateful for this partnership and are excited to recognize the MS 136 and MS 821 principals and our Life Lines teaching artists. We look forward to celebrating decades of creative collaboration!

Watch our “A Reflection on 40 Years | Life Lines Community Arts Project Documentary” above to learn more about our partnership which has spanned four decades. 

RSVP & PURCHASE TICKETS HERE

You can purchase tickets for the event by clicking the button above or by visiting this website. 

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Save the Date: The Extra Mile 2024

by Economic Well-being ProgramsNews and Events

We are delighted to announce that we will be holding our annual staff recognition Extra Mile event in-person on Wednesday June 5th, from 6-8pm at L’Wren in Sunset Park, Brooklyn!

 

Please join us here in Sunset Park and meet some of our amazing ESOL staff and students as we celebrate the strength of our life long learners!

 

Since the fall of 2022, very high numbers of newly arrived individuals and families have come to our immigrant community in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. The majority share stories of difficult passages here to the US and most continue to experience challenges as they establish their new lives in Sunset Park. New arrivals come to Center for Family Life looking for a variety of supports to build new lives for themselves and their families, and most have a pressing need to learn English so that they can find work and make the most of their new lives in NYC. Our ESOL staff team has gone above and beyond to support new arrivals and to encourage them as they move forward in their journey to learn English.

 

Come celebrate our incredible ESOL staff and hear directly from staff and students in our program about what the program means to them!

 

You can purchase tickets for the event by clicking here!

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Sun Rays _ Houses - Retreat 2023 _1_

November: Our Annual All Staff Retreat

by News and Events

On November 7th 2023, Center for Family Life held our Annual All Staff Retreat at MS 136/821. More than 325 staff from across our main office and ten neighborhood school sites engaged in a day full of thought-provoking and team-building activities. The Annual Retreat is a unique opportunity to refresh staff’s commitment to our agency mission while enhancing their knowledge about the community we serve and the different programs within CFL.

Prior to the Retreat, each program created a visual art piece to communicate what their program does and how it contributes to our work in the community.

School children's artwork in a collaborative art mural.

These pieces were then combined into one collaborative art mural that welcomed staff when they arrived in the auditorium.

The event began with a “Take a Stand” welcome activity where staff commonalities were highlighted, and each program team was introduced. Suddenly, the lights dimmed and staff were transported to the “Universe of Sunset Park,” as brave “superhero” staff flew down the aisle ready to take on leadership of 15 discussion groups (D Groups). As members of these smaller cross-program leagues of superheroes, staff joined forces in the mission to dismantle systemic inequity, promote social justice, and unleash the potential for growth and change.

Three women smiling with superhero masks.
Our superhero D Group leaders are energized and ready to guide staff on their mission.
An African American woman with a purple super hero cape and eye mask.

Once in their D Group headquarters, staff got better acquainted as they took on mini missions and group challenges. Together, they analyzed community district data, identified and mapped special features in Sunset Park, and pooled their knowledge about CFL’s different programs, sites, and staff roles. They then brainstormed ideas for new cross-site collaborations to meet the emerging needs in our community.  

Each staff member designed a personal emblem that became part of their

D Group’s colorful ray of energy. Later, as a final reveal at the culmination of the retreat, the full spectrum of sunrays created a spectacular backdrop combining each individual staff member’s “superpower” into an unstoppable force for good in Sunset Park.

Staff shared their final reflections in their D Groups over a delicious meal catered by Sea & Soil, a cooperative sandwich shop in Brooklyn formed by two former CFL staff members.

Our neon green D Group proudly displays their map of notable locations in Sunset Park that reflect our vibrant community.

The All-Staff Retreat concluded back in the auditorium with a recognition ceremony where staff members with educational milestones, including those who had recently graduated and those currently in college or grad school, were enthusiastically cheered and congratulated for their achievements.

Multi-Site Supervisor and SPHS Program Director Kristie Mancell recognized for her 20 years of service.

Staff were also recognized for longevity milestones including 16 staff celebrating 5 years. We were especially excited to honor 8 of our longest staff members with heartfelt speeches and personalized videos showing their journey and growth over 10, 15, 20 and 25 years of service.

Co-Executive Director Julia Jean-Francois awarded for her 20 years of service.
Program Coordinator (PS 503/506) Wanda Williams honored for her 25 years of service.

Thank you to our Board members, special guests, and dedicated staff for joining us on this special day and

Happy 45th Anniversary to Center for Family Life!

Our school-based staff speakers! From left to right: Taide Acevedo, Stephanie Ruiz, Shanice Peters, Johnny Tapia, and Andy Li

The Extra Mile 2023

by News and Events

On June 7th, we celebrated our incredible school-based staff and leaders-in-training at our annual Extra Mile event! We are so glad that our guests were able to hear the unique experiences of these outstanding young adults and to appreciate their journey along our “ladder of leadership.” 

 

Our Co-Executive Directors Julia Jean-Francois and Julie Stein Brockway with our school-based staff presenters and Councilmember Alexa Aviles, who personally congratulated our staff on behalf of City Council!

Read below to learn about our school-based staff members’ journeys up the ladder!

Taide Acevedo: Taide was born and raised in Sunset Park, starting her journey with CFL as a 5-year-old participant in the afterschool program at

PS 503/506. As a teen, Taide started volunteering her time at PS 503/506 and joined the Counselor-in-Training Program. Later, she graduated from Sunset Park High School, the first public high school in the neighborhood, and climbed just about every rung of leadership in the school-based programs. Taide is now the Program Director at PS 971 and has a MSW from Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College.

Andy Li: Andy is a junior at Telecommunications High School. He is a graduate of Sunset Park Prep (M.S. 821), where he participated in the “Life Lines” program for all three years. Andy has been a Leader-in-Training (LIT) since 10th grade and still participates in the Life Lines high school program.

Shanice Peters: Shanice was part of the first graduating class from Sunset Park High School where she spent all four years involved in the Life Lines program by participating in their performing arts troupes. Throughout her time at CFL, she has been a participant, group leader, high school advisor, LIT supervisor, an assistant and director of the Life Lines Summer Arts Camp, and a Program Coordinator for Life Lines. Shanice is now the Program Director at MS 136 and holds a MSW from Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service.

Stephanie Ruiz: Over the years, Stephanie has climbed up the ladder of leadership in the school-based programs including office aid, assistant group leader, group leader, CIT coordinator, high school advisor, and activity specialist. Stephanie is now the PS 169 Co-Director, has her BSW, and is attending Hunter College to obtain her MSW!

Johnny Tapia: Johnny started CFL in 2015 as a Life Lines group leader. He has also been a high school advisor, LIT supervisor, parent liaison, activity specialist, CIT supervisor, and an AmeriCorps supervisor. This summer, Johnny has been promoted to Program Coordinator and will co-lead the PS 94 program.

 

Bonnie Greaves, Vice-Chair
Our Board Vice-Chair, Bonnie Greaves
Tim Sheehan, Chair
Our Board Chair, Tim Sheehan

Thank you to our Board of Directors, esteemed guests NY City Councilwoman Alexa Aviles and Congressional Field Representative Mayra Molina from the office of Congressman Dan Goldman, along with CFL staff members and all of those who attended and supported our special event. We are so proud of our young leaders and are excited to see them continue to grow!

 

The Extra Mile Celebrating the Strength of Youth: Our Ladder of Leadership June 7, 2023

The Extra Mile

by News and Events

We are delighted to announce that we will be holding The Extra Mile event in-person and online on Wednesday June 7th, from 6-8pm at L’Wren in Sunset Park, Brooklyn!

Please join us here in Sunset Park and meet some of our amazing school-based staff leaders as we celebrate the strength of youth!

A hallmark of CFL’s program model is our ladder of leadership that provides meaningful roles and opportunities for young people and fosters long-term relationships that enrich our program environments. Participants build leadership skills in elementary school group experiences, move up into middle school service learning activities and then, in high school, become Counselors-in-Training (CITs) who serve as role models for younger children. CITs become our hiring pool of youth workers and group leaders who staff our elementary and middle school programs during their college years. Our ladder of leadership continues to recognize leadership potential and to promote capacity as group leaders move up to AmeriCorps members and Instructors. As staff progress through higher education and demonstrate increasing levels of competence, they advance to BA level Activity Specialists and then to Program Coordinators and MSW Program Directors!

Seventy Eight percent of our current school-based staff, including 10 of our Program Directors and Coordinators began as our participants, demonstrating the success of our ladder of leadership and ensuring that our programs are both responsive to and representative of the diverse community of Sunset Park.

We hope you will join us in celebrating our incredible school-based staff!

You can purchase tickets for the event by clicking the ticket link above or visiting our website centerforfamilylife.org.

We look forward to seeing you in-person or online!

RSVP & PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
Sunset Park view with cherry blossoms