The City Council released funding to help a Sheepshead Bay community organization to expand its capacity and services for families, older adults and youth living in southern Brooklyn.
City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and Council Members Justin Brannan and Alexa Avilés said the city is providing Homecrest Community Services with $2.5 million in capital funding towards the organization’s new, larger headquarters in Sheepshead Bay. The funding will help acquire property and build a new community center as its hub.
"Since its founding nearly three decades ago in 1997, Homecrest has been a lifeline for the diverse communities of southern Brooklyn, and especially for Asian American residents, said Speaker Adams.
"The need for support, and the increase in demand for services, has outpaced the capacity at Homecrest's current home," she said in a statement.
With the larger space, the organization will be able to host more educational workshops on financial literacy, immigration rights, and workforce development, as well as health screenings and large-scale community events.
"This is more than a building; it’s a promise to the people we serve," said Wai Yee Chan, president and chief executive officer of Homecrest Community Services. "This investment ensures we can continue to meet the evolving needs of older adults, families, and youth by providing social services, access to resources, and community education–all under one roof.”
The new location will also include state-of-the-art technology and be built to guarantee client privacy. In the interim, operations will continue uninterrupted at its current location in Homecrest Presbyterian Church, which has served as the organization's home since 1997.
“Homecrest cares for our aging [Asian American and Pacific Islander] neighbors in a way that keeps them happy, healthy and engaged into their golden years," said Brannan. "That in turn uplifts our everyone in our neighborhoods, creating a safer and stronger home to all in southern Brooklyn."
The city has not invested enough in Brooklyn's Asian community, added Avilés.
"No community's needs should be pushed aside, particularly as the federal government wages attacks on our services," she said.
