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Open Tuesday | BronxWorks: Immigration Programs

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“Feeling Here”, an Art Exhibition Featuring BronxWorks Participants

"Love Is Love" a self-portrait by Manny R. on display at the Boricua College Art Gallery
“Love Is Love” a self-portrait by Manny R. on display at the Boricua College Art Gallery

“Oh, my God, that’s me!”

Manny R. walked into the Boricua College Art Gallery and immediately burst into tears of joy, running up to his self-portrait on the wall.

Manny posed for pictures with his two art pieces on the wall, fighting back tears and flashing two thumbs up. His self-portrait, titled “Love Is Love” is one of the Signature Artworks for the “Feeling Here” exhibition on display at the Boricua College Art Gallery on Washington Avenue in the Bronx, in partnership with BronxWorks programs.

“Oh! That’s mine too!”

Manny literally jumped up and ran across the gallery to his sculpture, “Safe House”, on the other side of the gallery and was overcome with emotion. “I just can’t believe it,” he says through tears. “This is so incredible.” He turned to one of the attendees and told him, “I have never been in an art gallery! I have never had my work or my name in an art gallery! That’s why I’m crying.”

For Manny, seeing his art displayed prominently alongside some of his friends is an emotional catharsis, indicative of the work he’s done to get to where he is in life.

Manny, like some of the other artists displaying work at the gallery, is a formerly homeless individual now living at BronxWorks Supportive Housing. BronxWorks Supportive Housing residences are part of the Housing First model, believing that providing homeless individuals with access to stable housing is an essential first step to resolving many life issues. Residents receive supportive social services and on-site access to behavioral health services and case management. Manny has lived at a BronxWorks residence for a number of years, where he met BronxWorks Artist-In-Residence and Activity Coordinator Francis Palazzolo.

BronxWorks Artist-in-Residence Francis Palazzolo takes a picture of BronxWorks Resident Manny R. at the “Feeling Here” exhibition at the Boricua College Art Gallery.

Francis has been collaborating with Manny and other burgeoning artists for a few years now, guiding them through creating art in different forms, including drawing, painting, sculpture, and mixed media. “I may offer suggestions as questions and frame situations as a series of choices,” Francis said about collaborating with the artists. “There are times when my position entails demonstrations, for example, on a separate piece of paper or canvas. Surprisingly, there are only rare circumstances when hand-over-hand or working on the same piece of paper occurs.”

"Triple Crown", a decoupage by Terrenceo H., a BronxWorks Supportive Housing resident
“Triple Crown”, a decoupage by Terrenceo H., a BronxWorks Supportive Housing resident

Another artist and BronxWorks resident on display at the gallery, Terrenceo H., has even come so far in his practice of art that he taught two decoupage classes at the gallery. Decoupage is the art of assembling and gluing paper cut-outs to another object, similar to collage.

Terrenceo H. teaches a decoupage class to people in attendance at the Boricua College Art Gallery.
Terrenceo H. teaches a decoupage class to people in attendance at the Boricua College Art Gallery.

BronxWorks staff and residents in attendance at one of Terrenceo’s classes worked together to create different works of decoupage, all of which were later displayed in the gallery.

BronxWorks Activity Coordinators like Francis at our Safe Havens and Family Shelters give residents opportunities to communicate and collaborate. “The goal of our joint venture is to share in the formation of ideas, decision-making, hands-on craftsmanship, and to learn from each other,” said Francis. “The only parameter is that we work together, and negotiate directly on the piece of art, when the participating artist or artists are present. This collaboration may be a one-time creative engagement or an ongoing alliance. Co-creating with artists at BronxWorks has often served as a trigger for an artist to undertake one’s own creative pursuit.”

Artist Ron G. shows off his sculpture, “Moving with Visions of Time”
Artist Ron G. shows off his sculpture, “Moving with Visions of Time”
BronxWorks Supportive Housing resident Peter J. discusses two of his art pieces with some gallery attendees.
BronxWorks Supportive Housing resident Peter J. discusses two of his art pieces with some gallery attendees.

That creative pursuit can help some residents process their feelings and personal struggles. For Manny’s sculpture, “Safe House”, the project started off as a group request to make a sculpture. However, only Manny returned week after week for a year to complete the project, using handmade concrete molds of owls they created in the studio. “He took ownership,” Francis recalled, “He painted and decorated each owl to his liking. Manny then found two blocks of wood laying around the studio and used those as a base for the owls. He painted the blocks his favorite color, red, and then stuck the blocks and owls together. His building had grand protectors, owl gargoyles guarding its safety. We discussed his desire to get a big house, a mansion, so he could return to living with all his family and friends.”

“Safe House” by Manny R. on display at the Boricua College Art Gallery. The sculpture looks like a red building, with gold doors and windows painted on. The building is adorned with three owls in black, green, and red.
“Safe House” by Manny R. on display at the Boricua College Art Gallery.

At the gallery, Manny showed “Safe House” to Barbara Miliano, BronxWorks Program Director at The Brook, smiling from ear to ear. “Isn’t this cool?” Manny asked her. “Let’s take a picture!” Barbara offered a peace sign and Manny a #1, no doubt how he felt in the moment.

Barbara Miliano, BronxWorks Program Director at The Brook Supportive Housing and BronxWorks Supportive Housing resident Manny R. posing with his sculpture, “Safe House”
Barbara Miliano, BronxWorks Program Director at The Brook Supportive Housing and BronxWorks Supportive Housing resident Manny R. posing with his sculpture, “Safe House”

The “Feeling Here” exhibition displayed May 4, 2023 – May 29, 2023. For more pictures from the gallery and of the artwork, click here.

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BronxWorks Prom Dress Giveaway

A mother and daughter hold up a prom dress, a gift bag, and a mocktail.

BronxWorks Children & Youth programs hosted a Prom Dress Giveaway just in time for New York City proms at the BronxWorks Carolyn McLaughlin Community Center! We distributed about 100 dresses to Middle & High School Seniors, and suits were also available for those who needed them. Mothers also had the chance to pick out a dress to attend graduation ceremonies!

A student browses the dresses available.

Attendees sipped on curated mocktails and were provided with gift bags filled with makeup, eyelashes, nails, and other beauty accessories.

Dresses were donated by our incredible supporters and community members. Thank you to everyone who helped to make our students’ proms special!

Families came together and enjoyed mocktails while picking out dresses.
A girl poses in a pink and gold dress. A friend poses behind her.
A happy student shows off her new dress!

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BronxWorks SNAP-Ed Director Featured In Hunter College NYC Food Policy’s 40 Under 40: The Rising Stars in NYC Food Policy (Class of 2023)

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The BronxWorks 50th Anniversary Gala

Join The Call To Action!

Thank you to our incredible guests for joining BronxWorks as we celebrated 50 years of supporting the community!

The BronxWorks 50th Anniversary Gala took place on May 18, 2023, at the New York Botanical Garden!

Thanks to all of our amazing sponsors, supporters, staff, and guests, the BronxWorks 50th Anniversary Gala was a resounding success. Special thanks to our Champion sponsor of the night, Ørsted, and our Advocate sponsors, Doug & Suzanne Tween, Christian & Ting Lee, JP Morgan Chase, and Bruce Phillips & Joan Feeney. We enjoyed a wonderful evening at the beautiful New York Botanical Garden, with cocktails served outside overlooking the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory and live music by Tres Gatos, followed by dinner in the Garden Terrace Room.

We could not be more thankful to our Host and Special Ambassador for the evening, the incomparable Seth Meyers, who helped us celebrate this remarkable evening with even more laughter and festivity.

Thank you as well to New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson for honoring the 50th Anniversary of BronxWorks and sharing our vision and mission to build a better future for the communities of the Bronx.

Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson (left) and New York City Mayor Eric Adams (right).
Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson (left) and New York City Mayor Eric Adams (right).

Huge thanks to our 50th Anniversary Gala Honorees. We were so thrilled to honor long-time member of the BronxWorks Board of Directors, Doug Tween. A partner at Linklaters, Doug has dedicated many years as a Board Member at BronxWorks providing steady guidance and support to help us focus and grow our impact. We were also so happy to honor The Monadnock Family Of Companies, an important partner in our work to improve the communities of the Bronx. Monadnock shares our vision of a borough filled with beautiful and affordable housing options and has worked with BronxWorks to bring effective support programs to their residents and households that can prevent evictions and keep people stably-housed. Thank you to Doug and thank you to the Monadnock Family of Companies for your support in this milestone celebration!

Doug Tween (left) is a partner at Linklaters LLP and a member of the BronxWorks Board of Directors. Kirk Goodrich (right) is a partner at Monadnock Development LLC and accepted the award on behalf of the Monadnock Family of Companies.

Thank you to all of our staff and partners who worked to make this night happen. Thank you to the BronxWorks Development Department and staff volunteers, to the middle school essay writers for being our future stars, to BLB Consulting for their indispensable help putting the night together for many months, to BronxNet for their work on our video programming, to the New York Botanical Garden for the venue, food, and drinks, to the BronxWorks Board of Directors for their unyielding support and leadership, and of course, to all of the staff in the 50-year history of BronxWorks who have contributed their efforts to building this organization and to improving the lives of countless Bronx residents.

Support the BronxWorks 50th Anniversary Gala Call To Action.

More Photos Available Here

See our Digital Journal

Watch the BronxWorks 50th Anniversary Gala Video!

Thank You To Our Gala Sponsors!

Recognizing Our Top Donors!

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BronxWorks Stories

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Celebrating 50 Years of Serving the Bronx as Ørsted Makes $50K Commitment to Support BronxWorks Programming at Upcoming 50th Annual Gala

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Half of NYC’s working households can’t afford basic needs: Here’s what several Bronx nonprofits have to say about it

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“Feeling Here” Art Exhibit Reception Curated By BronxWorks Artist-in-Residence Francis Palazzolo

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Centers Health Care, American Heart Association hold Bronx event to combat hypertension

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The BronxWorks April 2023 Newsletter

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Newsletters

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