"Taste Of Red Hook" Promotes Neighborhood Unity, Outreach
To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.
Then come back here and refresh the page.
A Brooklyn community came out Wednesday to support a neighborhood group that in turn, empowers its residents. NY1's Jeanine Ramirez filed the following report.The event was called a "Taste of Red Hook" and the crowd reflected the diversity of the neighborhood today. A mix of artists and new residents with those whose families have been here for generations. Wednesday night's fundraiser was in support of Red Hook Initiative, a nonprofit group that provides a wide range of services to those living in the Red Hook Houses.
"This being our 4th annual Taste of Red Hook and we're still being supported when times are rough, I think it's a marvelous thing. They must believe in us as well as we believe in ourselves," said Sheryl Nash-Chisholm of the Red Hook Initiative.
Red Hook Initiative started in 2002 as a health awareness project but grew into a youth development organization.
"We realize if we want to break the cycle of poverty that exists among young people we need to provide support in education, employment, community development and physical and social emotional health as well," said Red Hook Initiative Executive Director Jill Eisenhard.
Almost the entire staff of 60 is from the Red Hook Houses. So are the dozens of teens who have paid, part-time jobs. They are trained as peer counselors and then organize community workshops.
"A teen who learns about physical, emotional, social and mental health and then with the information that we learn, we go out to different schools and communities and teach the youth everything that we learned," said Peer Health Educator Shaniqua Smith.
It was back in February when Red Hook Initiative moved into its current space, a former warehouse.
The community center is open six days a week, 12 hours a day and attracts its biggest crowds for its after-school programs, including tutoring and college admissions assistance. The center is located right across the street from the housing project.
"Our slogan is we're changing from within and that's exactly what we're doing. When they come in, there's no sagging. Don't sag in the pants or I"ll have a fit and you're going home," Nash-Chisholm said.
Staffers say their job is to develop leaders. And for this event, the teens helped plan it and sought donations from local restaurants and beverage companies. Not only was the night a success, but in the process some of the students were hired by neighborhood businesses.