Thursday, November 30, 2023

DENNY'S PUB ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY AND TOY DRIVE

 
Denny's Pub Annual Christmas Party
and Toy Drive
Friday, December 1st
7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
 
Denny's Pub will hold its annual Christmas party and toy drive on Friday, December 1st, from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
 
The price of admission is an unwrapped toy with a minimum value of $25. Toys will be donated to the U.S. Marines Toys for Tots program for children in need. Denny's asks that toys be child-appropriate--no toy guns, for instance.
 
Enjoy food and drinks.
 
Big G's Karaoke will be your host for karaoke. 

SUPPORT LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES.

Location
Denny's Pub
106 Beverley Road
corner of McDonald Avenue and Church Avenue
Kensington, Brooklyn
(718) 435-2156
 

Sunday, November 26, 2023

HOLIDAY TOY DRIVE BY BROOKLYN COMMUNITY BOARD 7

 
Community Board 7 welcomes donations of new, unwrapped toys for children (infants to 18-year-olds) for its annual Holiday Toy Drive.
 
Toys will be accepted at the board office until Wednesday, December 20th. The office is open Mondays through Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

If you have any questions, contact the board office by calling (718) 854-0003 or sending an e-mail to bk07@cb.nyc.gov.
 
Community Board 7 covers Windsor Terrace, South Slope, Greenwood Heights, and Sunset Park.

Location
Community Board 7 office
4201 4th Avenue
entrance: 43rd Street and 4th Avenue
Sunset Park, Brooklyn 

phone: (718) 854-0003
fax: (718) 436-1142
bk07 @ cb.nyc.gov
 

Saturday, November 25, 2023

CHRISTMAS TREES, WREATHS, AND POINSETTIAS FOR SALE

Christmas Trees, Wreaths,
and Poinsettias for Sale 
Saturday, December 2nd
Sunday, December 3rd
Saturday, December 9th
Sunday, December 10th
9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
 
Update, December 9th: All of the trees were sold during the first weekend, so none are available for purchase during the second weekend. Wreaths and poinsettias are still available.

-------------------------------------
 
Wreaths will be for sale at $25 each, poinsettias will cost $15 each, and Christmas trees (prices vary by size) will be sold for the first time at the Boy Scout Troop 187 and Cub Scout Pack 187 annual holiday fundraiser.
 
The sale is scheduled for Saturday, December 2nd, Sunday, December 3rd, Saturday, December 9th, and Sunday, December 10th , from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church.
 
Scouts are taking pre-orders, allowing you to reserve a tree, wreath, or poinsettia in advance.
 
Location
Immaculate Heart of Mary Church
2805 Fort Hamilton Parkway
corner of E. 5th Street
Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn
 

Friday, November 24, 2023

FREE KOSHER FOOD WILL BE DISTRIBUTED AT FLATBUSH JEWISH CENTER


Mobile Kosher Food Pantry
Thursdays, 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Free kosher fresh and canned food items will be distributed at Flatbush Jewish Center on Thursdays, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. through Met Council's mobile food pantry
 
The pantry is usually open on the fourth Thursday of the month, but that varies. Before you go, check the blog's calendar to see which Thursday the pantry will be open.
 
Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty is America’s largest Jewish charity dedicated to serving all needy New Yorkers. Its partner pantries, such as Flatbush Jewish Center, serve food-insufficient clients of any race, faith, ethnicity, sexual identity, or gender.
 
In 2022, nearly 9.7% of New Yorkers reported that they experienced food insufficiency, defined as "inadequacy in the amount of food intake because of a lack of money or resources to access enough food."

Location
Flatbush Jewish Center
327 E. 5th Street
corner of Church Avenue
Kensington, Brooklyn
phone: (718) 871-5200
fax: (718) 871-5204
office@flatbushjewishcenter.org
https://www.facebook.com/FlatbushJewishCenter
 

Wednesday, November 22, 2023

METROCARD VAN COMING TO WINDSOR TERRACE

 
Metro Card Van
Thursday, November 30th
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The MTA Metro Card Van will be parked in front of the Windsor Terrace Library on Thursday, November 30th, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. to provide the following services:
 
  • Get help with a Reduced-Fare application
  • Transfer MetroCard balances (Full fare and Reduced-Fare)
  • Exchange a damaged Reduced-Fare MetroCard for a temporary replacement
  • Report a lost/stolen Reduced-Fare MetroCard
  • Answer questions about any MetroCard-related issues
  • Answer questions about the OMNY Program

Note: Sales buses and vans are not making credit card transactions. You can still buy a MetroCard using cash or transfer value from a Reduced-Fare MetroCard.

Call Assemblymember Robert Carroll's office at (718) 788-7221 if you have any questions about it or send an e-mail to CarrollR@nyassembly.gov.
 
Location
Windsor Terrace Library
160 E. 5th Street
corner of Fort Hamilton Parkway
Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn

Sunday, November 19, 2023

SAVE COMMUNITY COMPOSTING; IT'S ON THE NYC BUDGET CHOPPING BLOCK

Update from GrowNYC:
As you may know, GrowNYC received temporary financial support from an anonymous donor allowing us to continue our food scrap collection program beyond this month’s scheduled closure dates. This will allow us to continue important work as we advocate for the restoration of the program in FY25 city budget.

Our partners in the NYC Compost Project (Big Reuse, Earth Matter, LES Ecology Center) announced a new philanthropic campaign led by our friends at Mill to support community composting programs impacted by the city’s budget cuts.

$350k in funding has been provided by Mill and other donors. Learn more about how to get involved in this effort at mill.com/nyc or reach out to nyccompost@mill.com!

Why it matters: For decades, the local New York composting community has been hard at work keeping wasted food out of the landfill, supporting our gardens, trees and parks and helping the planet! GrowNYC and others rely on these essential partner sites to process the scraps collected at our collection sites.

We celebrate this temporary reprieve but we want to make it clear: our collective effort to preserve community composting continues until city funding is restored for all community composting initiatives!  
Signatures are still needed on the petition at https://www.grownyc.org/blog/save-community-composting.
 
 -----------------------------------------
 
In Brooklyn and in Queens, the Sanitation Department's curbside composting program now includes mandatory separation of leaf and yard waste from other trash:
Leaf and yard waste separation from trash is now mandatory. Beginning October 2 [2023] in Brooklyn, there is a 3-month warning period before residents are subject to fines.
In addition to that,
Separation of food waste and food-soiled paper from trash is now mandatory. The warning period for Brooklyn (and all boroughs as service expands) runs through Spring 2025. Starting Spring 2025, ALL NYC residents will be subject to fines.
If the fines by the city are severe, it's possible that every owner of every building in every borough will comply with the law. 
 
But the fine for not separating compostable matter won't go into effect for another year-and-a-half. And that's a major reason for GrowNYC's petition to halt the elimination of community composting.
 
If the City does not restore funding for community composting, the East Fourth Street Community Garden won’t be able to offer food scrap collection via Big Reuse next spring. Please sign the petition, if you compost at the garden!

From Big Reuse:

We need your help! Sign our petition to tell the Mayor and city council that we need community composting in NYC! Go to https://www.grownyc.org/blog/save-community-composting to sign.

The city’s harsh budget cuts eliminate the entire NYC Compost Project, including programs at Big Reuse, the LES Ecology Center, Earth Matter NY, GrowNYC, and the four botanical gardens [including Brooklyn Botanic Garden].

These projects divert 8.3 million pounds of organic waste from the landfill every year!

Together we produce and distribute hundreds of thousands of pounds of compost to community gardens, parks, and the public annually.

We need composting for NY’s sustainability and ecology, spread the word!
To tell New York City's mayor and city council to continue funding community composting, sign the petition at https://www.grownyc.org/blog/save-community-composting.

Saturday, November 18, 2023

GREEN-WOOD CEMETERY ENTRANCE HOURS FOR FALL AND WINTER

 
Green-Wood Cemetery Entrance Hours
November 5, 2023, through April 2024

Green-Wood Cemetery is open 365 days a year. Every April and November, the hours that its four entrances are open to vehicles, pedestrians, or both are adjusted. 
 
This fall and winter, from November 5, 2023, through April 2024 (exact date not yet announced), the entrances are open at these times:

  • Main Entrance, 5th Avenue and 25th Street: 
    • Pedestrians: Open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
    • Vehicles: Open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  • Sunset Park Entrance4th Avenue and 35th Street: 
    • Pedestrians: Open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 
    • Vehicles: Open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Fort Hamilton Parkway EntranceFort Hamilton Parkway and Micieli Place: 
    • Pedestrians: Open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Open Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 
    • Vehicles: Open Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Prospect Park West Entrance, Prospect Park West and 20th Street: 
    • Pedestrians: Open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Open Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 
    • Vehicles: Open Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Advice about closing time from the cemetery's website:
We remind you to always exit the premises at least ten minutes before the stated closing time, as the gates are closed and locked promptly on the hour. If you find yourself locked in after hours, please contact security at 347-865-4816.
Guidelines for visitors to the cemetery are posted on its website at https://www.green-wood.com/rules/.


Friday, November 17, 2023

BEAT COPS WILL MEET WITH WINDSOR TERRACE, SOUTH SLOPE, AND GREENWOOD HEIGHTS RESIDENTS

 
72nd Precinct Sector A
 Build the Block Meeting
Wednesday, December 13th
6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Share your safety and quality-of-life concerns at the next Build the Block neighborhood safety meeting.
 
Residents and business owners in Windsor Terrace, South Slope, and Greenwood Heights will meet with the Neighborhood Coordination Officers (NCOs) of the 72nd Precinct's Sector A. 
 
In addition, Arrow Action ("Housing Not High-rises") will speak about Arrow Linen Supply Company's rezoning request for Prospect Avenue. To increase its chances of selling its property to a developer, Arrow has requested that a portion of the block be rezoned. That would allow a developer to build residential towers that are thirteen stories tall, a height that is more than double that of any existing homes on the block.
 
Meet on Wednesday, December 13th, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
"These "Build the Block" neighborhood safety meetings are strategy sessions between local police officers and the people they serve. The meetings have two simple goals: identify the public safety challenges of a specific neighborhood and discuss potential solutions." 
 
Detective Daniel McGrath (e-mail: Daniel.McGrath@nypd.org) and Detective Francis Ghanney (e-mail: Francis.Ghanney@nypd.org) are the NCOs for Sector A, the faces of neighborhood policing.
"Neighborhood Policing is "a comprehensive crime-fighting strategy built on improved communication and collaboration between local police officers and community residents. Neighborhood Policing greatly increases connectivity and engagement with the community without diminishing, and, in fact, improving the NYPD's crime-fighting capabilities.

The same officers work in the same neighborhoods on the same shifts, increasing their familiarity with local residents and local problems."
At this Build The Block neighborhood policing and safety meetingthe officers will update residents about neighborhood public safety issues.
 
They'll answer your questions and listen to your concerns about assaults and robberies on the street, home burglaries, packages stolen from porches and lobbies, street safety for drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists, and any other issues that are on your mind.
 
NYPD precincts are divided into sectors as part of the policing model known as "community policing." The same officers work in the same neighborhoods on the same shifts. The radio dispatchers, supervisors, and sector officers work together. Sector officers and sector cars stay within the boundaries of their assigned sectors, except in precinct-wide emergencies.

Find out the dates and locations of upcoming Build the Block meetings by going to https://www1.nyc.gov/site/nypd/bureaus/patrol/find-your-meeting.page and entering your street address (although the date for this meeting is given as December 12th, which is incorrect; an attempt is being made to correct it).

Location
Holy Name of Jesus Church
245 Prospect Park West
between Windsor Place and Prospect Avenue
Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn

------------------------------------------

72nd Precinct
830 4th Avenue
between 29th and 30th streets
Sunset Park, Brooklyn
Phone number: (718) 965-6311
Facebook, 72nd Precinct:  https://www.facebook.com/NYPD72pct
 

Thursday, November 16, 2023

AUTUMN IS BEAUTIFUL IN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

 

HOLIDAY GIFT DRIVE: GIFTS REQUESTED FOR THE CHILDREN AND ADULTS AT THE KENSINGTON FAMILY SHELTER

 
This is a request for donations of holiday gifts for the children and adults living at The Kensington Family Shelter. It's from Tracy and Catherine, our neighborhood's volunteer liaisons to the shelter.
Hello friends and neighbors,

We hope you and your loved ones are healthy and well. The holiday season is upon us, so it's time to spread some cheer to our neighbors living at the Kensington Family Shelter.  

You are welcome to order off the list and have an item shipped directly to the shelter, or you can purchase the exact item somewhere else and have it shipped or drop it off (the shelter address is 385 McDonald Ave., Brooklyn, NY, 11218, and all items should be sent attention Uniquia Parker (uniquia.parker@camba.org)). 
 
Gifts have been hand-picked for each child, so we ask that you do not donate items not on the list.  If you do purchase somewhere besides Amazon, please be sure to mark the gift as purchased on the list.


Please note that, due to storage constraints, the Kensington Family Shelter is not accepting any other donations at this time. 

Thank you so much for your continued generosity. When this tradition began in 2015, who could have guessed that we would all still be here together for our ninth year?!  With so much grief and pain around the world, we cherish the opportunity to share in this act of community love and kindness.

Love,

Tracy and Catherine 

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

NEIGHBORHOOD AUTHOR BOOK RAFFLE


 
Update: The deadline to buy raffle tickets has been extended to Sunday, December 3rd.
 
-------------------------------------
 
Cold weather and early sunsets are here. Curl up with a book--or three!
 
Buy your raffle tickets ($10 each) to enter a drawing for a set of three new books donated by neighborhood authors to raise money for the Kensington-Windsor Terrace Mutual Aid  (KWTMA) food project. All proceeds go to support fresh food for food-insecure neighbors.
 
You can buy as many raffle tickets as you like for yourself and loved ones.
 
The books are
 
Enter the raffle by Tuesday, November 21st at https://tinyurl.com/KWTBookRaffle. (The new deadline date is Sunday, December 3rd.)
 
KWTMA is "neighbors helping neighbors cope with the physical, mental, emotional, and economic needs intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing inequality."

72ND PRECINCT COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETING TONIGHT

 


72nd Precinct Community Council Meeting
Tuesday, November 14th
7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
 
The 72nd Precinct Community Council's next meeting with the public and the NYPD will be held in person on Tuesday, November 14th, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Talk with the precinct's Commanding Officer, Deputy Inspector Krystin Suarez, its Community Affairs Officers, and the Neighborhood Coordination Officers (NCOs) for each of the precinct's sectors.

Everyone who lives or works in Windsor Terrace, Greenwood Heights, South Slope, and Sunset Park is invited to the meeting to discuss past crimes and learn the precinct is doing to prevent future crimes. Find out about the types of crime that have been taking place, their frequency, any enabling factors, and how to prevent them.

Members of the public are invited to voice their concerns about criminal activity, including armed robberies, rape and other forms of sexual assaults, home break-ins, burglaries in local stores, bank robberies, speeding drivers, stolen bicycles, package theft, and other crimes.

Receive e-mail announcements about future meetings by sending an e-mail to Council President Tina Ponce at tinaponce76@gmail.com or calling her at (570) 540-5016.

Location
P.S. 503/506
330 59th Street
Sunset Park, Brooklyn
 
------------------------------------------
 
72nd Precinct
phone: (718) 965-6311
 

Sunday, November 12, 2023

KOSHER FOOD DISTRIBUTED FOR FREE AT FLATBUSH JEWISH CENTER THIS WEEK


Mobile Kosher Food Pantry
Wednesday, November 15th
11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Free kosher fresh and canned food items will be distributed at Flatbush Jewish Center on Wednesday, November 15th, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. through Met Council's mobile food pantry.
 
Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty is America’s largest Jewish charity dedicated to serving all needy New Yorkers. Its partner pantries, such as Flatbush Jewish Center, serve food-insufficient clients of any race, faith, ethnicity, sexual identity, or gender.
 
In 2022, nearly 9.7% of New Yorkers reported that they experienced food insufficiency, defined as "inadequacy in the amount of food intake because of a lack of money or resources to access enough food."

Location
Flatbush Jewish Center
327 E. 5th Street
corner of Church Avenue
Kensington, Brooklyn
phone: (718) 871-5200
fax: (718) 871-5204
office@flatbushjewishcenter.org
https://www.facebook.com/FlatbushJewishCenter

FREE BBQ AT THE KOKO LOT IN WINDSOR TERRACE

BBQ
Wednesday, November 15th
3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
 
Koko NYC will host a BBQ on Wednesday, November 15th, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. It's free, and everyone is invited.
 
Koko NYC is the arts education program of Open Source Gallery, a non-profit arts organization based in Brooklyn inspired by the open source movement.
 
SUPPORT LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES.

Location
KoKo Lot
440 19th Street
between Prospect Park West and 8th Avenue
Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn
  

Friday, November 10, 2023

CRAFT AND VINTAGE HOLIDAY MARKET


 
Craft and Vintage Holiday Market
Sunday, December 3rd
10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
 
The Craft Salon will have a Craft and Vintage Holiday Market on Sunday, December 3rd, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
 
The Craft Salon's students and teachers and local artists will sell their wares, including handmade art, bags, wreaths, ornaments, prints, pins, stickers, jewelry, bows, ceramics, handbags, totes, and DIY holiday craft boxes.
 
Peruvian hot chocolate, cider, and treats will be served. 
 
SUPPORT LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES.
 
Location
The Craft Salon
625 Church Avenue 

ARROW ACTION/HOUSING NOT HIGH-RISES COMMUNITY MEETING

 Arrow Action/Housing Not High-rises Community Meeting
Tuesday, November 14th, 7:00 p.m.
 
Holy Name of Jesus Church,
Shepherd’s Hall
enter via the parking lot
at 245 Prospect Park West
(near Windsor Place)
 
Arrow Action/Housing Not High-rises is a community-based group. We live in Windsor Terrace, South Slope, and Kensington. We came together a couple of months ago when we learned that Arrow Linen Supply Company on Prospect Avenue, between Prospect Park West and 8th Avenue, wants to develop massive 13-story mid-block luxury towers.
 
Arrow Linen has applied to the city to rezone the block–allowing it to sell its property to a developer for maximum profit and then leave.
 
This drawing is copied from Arrow Linen’s proposal. 

If Arrow Linen gets permission to build these towers, greedy developers will do the same everywhere we live.
 
We have better ideas. We want AFFORDABLE HOUSING. We do NOT want high-priced high-rises.
 
Arrow Linen has hired lobbyists and lawyers…. We are organizing.
 
We are meeting with our elected officials to share feedback from our neighbors and make our goals clear. We would like to see a housing plan that creates community-based housing that works with our neighborhood, not luxury towers.
 
Please join us. Go to https://housingnothighrises.org/ to sign our petition, join our mailing list, and get meeting updates. See our ideas, city planning information, and Arrow’s proposal. Come to our next community meeting at Holy Name of Jesus, Shepherd's Hall, listed above.
 
Please contact our City Councilmember, Shahana Hanif. She is central to what is actually built. See our website for suggested messages. Contact her at 718-499-1090 / district39@council.nyc.gov / #ShahanaFromBK.
 
Let Councilmember Hanif know that we want housing that supports our neighborhood, not high-rises that enrich landowners.
 

Thursday, November 9, 2023

HOLIDAY FOOD DRIVE FOR THE COMMUNITY FRIDGE AND PANTRY

Holiday Food Drive
Saturday, November 11th
Saturday, November 18th
8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
 
Kensington - Windsor Terrace Mutual Aid (KWTMA) has maintained a Community Fridge for perishable food and a Tiny Purple Pantry for non-perishable food since February 2021. The members of the group do this out of their desire to help relieve food insecurity and hunger in the neighborhood and decrease food waste.

KWTMA will have a community holiday food drive on Saturday, November 11th, and Saturday, November 18th, from 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
 
For the Tiny Purple Pantry, donations of rice, beans, flour, pasta, sugar, canned food, etc. would be appreciated.
 
For the Community Fridge, you're asked to donate eggs, milk, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, butter, meat, frozen foods, etc.
 
KWTMA is "neighbors helping neighbors cope with the physical, mental, emotional, and economic needs intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing inequality."
 
Location
Windsor Farms Market/Key Food
589 Prospect Avenue 
between 10th and 11th avenues
Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn