On Sept. 21, RaisingHealth Partners, a Brooklyn-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting the health and well-being of immigrant New Yorkers, and more than 50 organizations brought 1,500 participants to Sunset Park for its 11th annual Health Empowerment Celebration.
Sunset Park’s Central Lawn became a gathering space for families and healthcare providers. Events ranged from preventive health screenings to traditional Chinese dance performances.
RaisingHealth’s food pantry was a large component of the celebration, as 120 volunteers distributed more than 5,000 bags of food to more than 350 families.
The dedicated Mental Health Pavilion offered resources to community members for stress reduction and connection through activities led by local resident artists.
Beyond health care resources, CUNY Citizenship Now! offered immigration resources and connected residents with information on workplace health and workers’ rights.
The United Chinese Association of Brooklyn put on its Youth Lion Dance performance to bring cultural traditions to the neighborhood engagement event.
Alongside local New Yorkers, attendees included Council Member Alexa Aviles, Assemblymember Marcela Mitaynes and Representative from the U.S. Congressman Dan Goldman.
Other participating organizations included NYU Langone Health, the Chinese American Nurses Association, Korean Community Services, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, CUNY Citizenship Now!, Workers Justice Project, Brooklyn Community Services and the United Chinese Association of Brooklyn.
The 2026 celebration also marked RaisingHealth's 16th year of work , as it has worked to expand essential services across city agencies since 2010.
