Rain Didn’t Dampen Ribbon Cutting and Festivities with NY Knicks 7th Avenue Squad
Hurricane Debby may have brought the rain to the East Coast, but it couldn’t wash away the excitement of the children and youth in Saratoga Family Residence’s Afterschool & Recreation program as they unveiled an outdoor multi-purpose recreational space and basketball court at the residence in Jamaica, Queens last week.
The Garden of Dreams Foundation (GDF) partners with the NYC Department of Homeless Services who connected GDF with HFH’s Saratoga Family Residence to make this dream a reality. Seven years ago, GDF provided a temporary basketball court for the kids, but this donation included a complete refurbishment with a brand-new court, score table and scoreboard, outdoor projector for family movie nights, and equipment for volleyball and pickleball.
Joining in on the ceremony were NYC Department of Homeless Services’ Administrator Joslyn Carter, Assembly Member Khaleel Anderson, Kahleel Bragg from Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Office, VP Executive Director of GDF Stacey-Ann Easy, Knicks Alumni Larry Johnson, GDF Board Member and Actor Matthew Modine, Administrator of Saratoga Family Residence Mike Fahy, Director of Afterschool & Recreation at Saratoga Michael Chapman, HFH Executive Director John Greenwood and HFH Deputy Executive Director Gretchen Hernandez, GDF Inspire Scholar Alumni and News 12 Reporter Josiah Darnell, and Hannah, a child from Saratoga who shared a thank you video created by the afterschool program’s multimedia program and shared that she is thrilled about the court because they have a great place to play directly outside of the facility.
Families were treated to a delicious lunch from Wanna Empanada and the kids enjoyed tunes from the DJs and the hijinks of relay races, mini-basketball dunking contests, and spinning balls on their fingertips with the 7th Avenue Squad and Jack ‘BLACK JACK’ Ryan.
“At the NYC Department of Homeless Services, we have made tremendous progress opening high-quality shelters with innovative programming to provide a nurturing environment that prioritizes the needs of our youngest New Yorkers, and we absolutely cannot do this work alone,” said NYC Department of Homeless Services’ Administrator Joslyn Carter. “We are incredibly grateful to our long-standing partner at the Garden of Dreams Foundation and not-for-profit provider-partner Homes for the Homeless for helping us create beautiful and lively spaces which will offer the children and youth residing at these shelters holistic avenues to grow and thrive even through the most challenging of times.”
