Olga R., a grandmother of four and a great-grandmother of six, is a frequent visitor and beloved member of our Heights Older Adult Center, going back as early as 2009. She loves to dance, talk with her friends, do art projects, read, and play BINGO!

In 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, all older adult centers across the Bronx closed. As the centers remained closed, she said, “It was horrible. I felt kidnapped in my own house and I lost mobility.”

The elderly population was among the most heavily affected by the pandemic. Olga recalled, “I had to do my errands alone, like going to the supermarket, looking for medicines at the pharmacy, going to medical appointments. Having to go out scared me a lot, but above all I missed everything I could do in the center. Not being able to go to the center during the pandemic affected me a lot because the center is my only source of entertainment and where I can do different programs that keep me active.” Even after things started to open up, Olga was reluctant to return to the center, isolating herself despite being incredibly active prior to the pandemic.

In 2023, BronxWorks began the Bingocize program. Bingocize is an evidence-based health management program for seniors, based on playing the famous BINGO game beloved by so many while doing easy exercises for the elderly. The program lasted ten weeks. All the seniors who participated at the Heights Bingocize class received certificates of completion at the conclusion of the class.

Olga said of Bingocize, “I have always liked playing BINGO, and combining it with exercises is a great idea. I like that we do exercises and at the same time we play and win prizes. In my case, doing this program helped me feel better physically, and I had a lot of fun. My legs feel stronger and I feel like I can walk faster without getting tired quickly.”

With a newfound interest and fun program to look forward to, Olga is now back to being one of the more active members of the older adult center! In addition to Bingocize, Olga could be found this year handing out flower ribbons at an event recognizing International Women’s Day and dancing with her friends at the end-of-summer senior trip.

“I have my freedom back,” Olga said. “I do many more activities than before and every day I wake up motivated to go to the center and share with others.”

Olga R., a grandmother of four and a great-grandmother of six, is a frequent visitor and beloved member of our Heights Older Adult Center, going back as early as 2009. She loves to dance, talk with her friends, do art projects, read, and play BINGO!

In 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, all older adult centers across the Bronx closed. As the centers remained closed, she said, “It was horrible. I felt kidnapped in my own house and I lost mobility.”

The elderly population was among the most heavily affected by the pandemic. Olga recalled, “I had to do my errands alone, like going to the supermarket, looking for medicines at the pharmacy, going to medical appointments. Having to go out scared me a lot, but above all I missed everything I could do in the center. Not being able to go to the center during the pandemic affected me a lot because the center is my only source of entertainment and where I can do different programs that keep me active.” Even after things started to open up, Olga was reluctant to return to the center, isolating herself despite being incredibly active prior to the pandemic.

In 2023, BronxWorks began the Bingocize program. Bingocize is an evidence-based health management program for seniors, based on playing the famous BINGO game beloved by so many while doing easy exercises for the elderly. The program lasted ten weeks. All the seniors who participated at the Heights Bingocize class received certificates of completion at the conclusion of the class.

Olga said of Bingocize, “I have always liked playing BINGO, and combining it with exercises is a great idea. I like that we do exercises and at the same time we play and win prizes. In my case, doing this program helped me feel better physically, and I had a lot of fun. My legs feel stronger and I feel like I can walk faster without getting tired quickly.”

With a newfound interest and fun program to look forward to, Olga is now back to being one of the more active members of the older adult center! In addition to Bingocize, Olga could be found this year handing out flower ribbons at an event recognizing International Women’s Day and dancing with her friends at the end-of-summer senior trip.

“I have my freedom back,” Olga said. “I do many more activities than before and every day I wake up motivated to go to the center and share with others.”

With great sadness, BronxWorks shares that our beloved and fiercely loyal board member, Emily Menlo Marks, passed away last week at the age of 85. For so many years and in so many ways, Emily made countless contributions to BronxWorks, the communities we serve, and the New York City settlement house community. A New York City native, Emily earned a Bachelor’s degree from Smith College in 1959, a Master’s degree from Columbia University Graduate School of Business, and a certificate from Columbia School of Social Work. Her life of service, leadership, and commitment to community is marked by a long and successful career spent at various organizations, boards, and agencies. Most notably, Emily Menlo Marks was the Executive Director of United Neighborhood Houses (UNH) from 1988-2002. During that time, she revitalized UNH and the settlement house movement. Under her leadership, BronxWorks, then Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), joined the UNH network.

Upon her retirement, Emily became a dedicated member of the BronxWorks Board of Directors and served as the Development Committee Chair, and more recently as the Governance and Nominating Committee Chair. She was passionate about our work and extremely proud of the BronxWorks staff for all of their collective accomplishments and commitment to the BronxWorks mission. Emily was as strong an advocate for the underserved and vulnerable as anyone, and she relished her role as a very active board member. Emily’s impact on the Bronx is immeasurable and we will truly miss her steadfast, invigorated presence.

We send our deepest condolences to all those who she held dear; her family and her countless network of friends and associates. As an organization, BronxWorks will strive to honor her legacy.

In June 2023, we sat down with Emily to discuss her history working in the nonprofit sector and to reflect on 50 years of BronxWorks. Here is a brief excerpt from that interview.

Read Emily Menlo Marks’s full obituary here.

With great sadness, BronxWorks shares that our beloved and fiercely loyal board member, Emily Menlo Marks, passed away last week at the age of 85. For so many years and in so many ways, Emily made countless contributions to BronxWorks, the communities we serve, and the New York City settlement house community. A New York City native, Emily earned a Bachelor’s degree from Smith College in 1959, a Master’s degree from Columbia University Graduate School of Business, and a certificate from Columbia School of Social Work. Her life of service, leadership, and commitment to community is marked by a long and successful career spent at various organizations, boards, and agencies. Most notably, Emily Menlo Marks was the Executive Director of United Neighborhood Houses (UNH) from 1988-2002. During that time, she revitalized UNH and the settlement house movement. Under her leadership, BronxWorks, then Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), joined the UNH network.

Upon her retirement, Emily became a dedicated member of the BronxWorks Board of Directors and served as the Development Committee Chair, and more recently as the Governance and Nominating Committee Chair. She was passionate about our work and extremely proud of the BronxWorks staff for all of their collective accomplishments and commitment to the BronxWorks mission. Emily was as strong an advocate for the underserved and vulnerable as anyone, and she relished her role as a very active board member. Emily’s impact on the Bronx is immeasurable and we will truly miss her steadfast, invigorated presence.

We send our deepest condolences to all those who she held dear; her family and her countless network of friends and associates. As an organization, BronxWorks will strive to honor her legacy.

In June 2023, we sat down with Emily to discuss her history working in the nonprofit sector and to reflect on 50 years of BronxWorks. Here is a brief excerpt from that interview.

Read Emily Menlo Marks’s full obituary here.

Men at BronxWorks Jerome Avenue Men’s Shelter (JAMS) preparing to move into permanent housing took a cooking and nutrition class together led by BronxWorks Community Health Programs.

JAMS is a NYC Department of Homeless Services shelter providing beds to 200 men with mental illness who are experiencing homelessness. The site offers multiple social services to its residents, including housing case management, programming to address mental health and substance abuse issues, and other social activities. Residents can remain at the shelter until they are placed into permanent housing.

The class began with all the residents and staff in attendance sharing their favorite fruits and vegetables and discussing the health benefits of different types of fruits and vegetables. “BronxWorks is committed to food justice for our neighbors,” said Rachel Gill, Director of Community Health Programs at BronxWorks. “Part of addressing food insecurity is providing nutrition education to our neighbors. We wanted the men taking this class to learn not only about the health benefits of vegetables but how to incorporate them into meals that are easy and inexpensive to cook.”

Rachel and her staff, including some SYEP interns, taught the JAMS residents how to make a chicken, broccoli, and pepper stir-fry. The dish incorporated sliced chicken breast as well as fresh broccoli, onion, and bell pepper. In preparing and cooking the dish, Rachel’s staff gave tips on food safety and how to prepare and safely cook all the ingredients.

Ernest J., a resident preparing to move into permanent housing soon, is a former chef. He really appreciated the class, saying, “There’s a lot to it. They’re teaching us how to be able to prepare a meal for ourselves once we’re home. I also appreciate them teaching us important food safety techniques like not leaving chicken on the counter all day. A lot of us didn’t know that sort of thing growing up.”

Like Ernest, all the men in the class were getting ready to move out of the shelter and into permanent housing within the next couple months. Joshua R., another shelter resident planning to move into his own apartment soon, was grateful for the class. “I liked learning how you can use parts from the broccoli that we cut off and use it to make soups,” he said. “This class will definitely help me when I move out.”

For taking part in this class, each of the men will receive a set of pots and pans and a bag of groceries to bring with them to their new housing. The grocery bag will contain all of the items that were used in the recipe.

“It’s good that y’all are doing this,” said another resident. “This is a huge help.”

Men at BronxWorks Jerome Avenue Men’s Shelter (JAMS) preparing to move into permanent housing took a cooking and nutrition class together led by BronxWorks Community Health Programs.

JAMS is a NYC Department of Homeless Services shelter providing beds to 200 men with mental illness who are experiencing homelessness. The site offers multiple social services to its residents, including housing case management, programming to address mental health and substance abuse issues, and other social activities. Residents can remain at the shelter until they are placed into permanent housing.

The class began with all the residents and staff in attendance sharing their favorite fruits and vegetables and discussing the health benefits of different types of fruits and vegetables. “BronxWorks is committed to food justice for our neighbors,” said Rachel Gill, Director of Community Health Programs at BronxWorks. “Part of addressing food insecurity is providing nutrition education to our neighbors. We wanted the men taking this class to learn not only about the health benefits of vegetables but how to incorporate them into meals that are easy and inexpensive to cook.”

Rachel and her staff, including some SYEP interns, taught the JAMS residents how to make a chicken, broccoli, and pepper stir-fry. The dish incorporated sliced chicken breast as well as fresh broccoli, onion, and bell pepper. In preparing and cooking the dish, Rachel’s staff gave tips on food safety and how to prepare and safely cook all the ingredients.

Ernest J., a resident preparing to move into permanent housing soon, is a former chef. He really appreciated the class, saying, “There’s a lot to it. They’re teaching us how to be able to prepare a meal for ourselves once we’re home. I also appreciate them teaching us important food safety techniques like not leaving chicken on the counter all day. A lot of us didn’t know that sort of thing growing up.”

Like Ernest, all the men in the class were getting ready to move out of the shelter and into permanent housing within the next couple months. Joshua R., another shelter resident planning to move into his own apartment soon, was grateful for the class. “I liked learning how you can use parts from the broccoli that we cut off and use it to make soups,” he said. “This class will definitely help me when I move out.”

For taking part in this class, each of the men will receive a set of pots and pans and a bag of groceries to bring with them to their new housing. The grocery bag will contain all of the items that were used in the recipe.

“It’s good that y’all are doing this,” said another resident. “This is a huge help.”

With a large portfolio of Community Health Programs and a SNAP-Ed Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Program covering the entire borough, BronxWorks is deeply committed to addressing the persistent health challenges in the Bronx. But the expectations of improving health and wellness do not stop with our clients and participants. As a major employer of the Bronx with over a thousand employees, many of whom are a significant part of the community, our commitment must of course extend to our staff and colleagues.

In previous issues of our newsletter, we shared deep dives into our Community Health Programs, SNAP Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Program, Farm Stands, and our Saturday Family Wellness Program. In this issue, we will share an update on new community health activities, as well as our internal employee wellness initiatives.

Community Health Activities

BronxWorks Community Health Programs encompass a large set of activities that range from community organizing, operating two seasonal farm stands, at Padre Plaza Park in Mott Haven and at the Carolyn McLaughlin Community Center (CMCC) at 1130 Grand Concourse, providing a whole curriculum of nutrition education through our SNAP-Ed Program, cooking classes, Teen Battle Chef, food pantries, a commercial kitchen providing hundreds of meals made from scratch every day at dozens of BronxWorks programs and sites, and a dedicated Family Wellness Program on Saturdays, just to name a few. You can read more about this extensive programming in previous issues here.

With a workforce passionate about health and wellness, we are constantly searching for new activities to bring to our communities. We are excited for the official re-opening of the BronxWorks Community Pool at CMCC in the fall. The pool, which has undergone a complete renovation, will offer a suite of aquatics programming for all age groups, including swim lessons, mommy and me classes, water aerobics, and more. In addition to the pool re-opening, BronxWorks Community Health Programs are offering free yoga classes at CMCC on Saturday mornings and Wednesday afternoons starting in August.

Through a mini-grant from Bronx Health REACH, a CDC-funded coalition to reduce racial and ethnic health disparities, the BronxWorks SNAP-Ed Program has started walking groups with participants and staff at different program sites. The grant provides technical assistance from Equity Design, a partner that provides program modeling for physical activities to help transform communities, to help the team design safe walking routes, understand and share metrics, and incorporate strategies and safety plans to ensure the well-being of all participants. Walks are adjusted depending on the age and physical abilities of participants, so they can be designed for any age group and ability level, including seniors and families with young children.

The first group walk took place this month setting out from the BronxWorks Morris Older Adult Center, visiting nearby farm stands and community resources, before looping back. The idea behind the group walks is a train-the-trainer type of activity, where participants can take the experience and organize group walks of their own.

In partnership with the Tremont Health Action Center, the Cross Bronx Preservation Community Services Program, part of the BronxWorks Workforce Development Department and based at Baychester and Murphy Houses NYCHA complexes, also started a walking group to visit nearby farm stands and community partners, espousing the often overlooked but amazing health benefits of simply walking.

BronxWorks Health Committee

The BronxWorks Health Committee is a group of staff members who volunteer and commit their time to support fellow colleagues in pursuing healthier habits by promoting health and wellness initiatives and sharing information and resources. The Chair of the Health Committee rotates every two years and is currently occupied by Andrew Lin, Development Manager. Members of the Health Committee come from throughout BronxWorks and include representation from Community Health Programs, SNAP-Ed Nutrition Education, Access to Benefits, Children & Youth, Adult Homeless Services, Family Shelters, Training Department, Human Resources, and more.

To build a culture of health and wellness throughout BronxWorks, the Health Committee implemented a number of initiatives. The first initiative is a monthly Health Committee Newsletter shared with all BronxWorks staff, covering a range of topics from exercise and nutrition resources to healthy shopping tips during the holidays, healthy recipes, mental health awareness, employee benefits, and more. With a focus on design and entertainment, the newsletters provide a brief and digestible editorial for staff to enjoy during the work week.

The second initiative comes in the form of agency-wide health and wellness challenges for staff to engage with and compete against each other for prizes. This initiative kicked off in the Fall of 2022 with the first ever Health Committee Hydration Challenge, encouraging staff to cut back on sugary drinks and consume more water throughout the day. The Committee created rulebooks, a scoring rubric, and weekly logs for participants to record their hydration. During the 4-week challenge, the Health Committee organized weekly workshops to engage challenge participants with information and resources around hydration and the benefits of drinking water. For the Fall 2022 Hydration Challenge, 106 staff members registered.

Building on that experience in the Fall, the Health Committee organized a Summer 2023 Walking Challenge, called Bronx Walks. This challenge implemented a bonus scoring system that encouraged staff to once a day take group walks with their colleagues. During this challenge, 116 staff enrolled for the 4-week challenge, with over 60 participating week to week. Additionally, 58 staff engaged with weekly health workshops, and the bonus scoring encouraged 151 instances of BronxWorks staff taking time to walk with other staff members in a group.

The Health Committee continues to plan future challenges covering a range of topics, like eating healthy, mental health awareness, fitness and exercise, and more. The goal of the challenges is to create experience for our staff, encourage moderate behavior change, engage staff with resources and information, and to expand the reach of the Health Committee to be a staff-driven internal group to increase the well-being of our colleagues.

With a large portfolio of Community Health Programs and a SNAP-Ed Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Program covering the entire borough, BronxWorks is deeply committed to addressing the persistent health challenges in the Bronx. But the expectations of improving health and wellness do not stop with our clients and participants. As a major employer of the Bronx with over a thousand employees, many of whom are a significant part of the community, our commitment must of course extend to our staff and colleagues.

In previous issues of our newsletter, we shared deep dives into our Community Health Programs, SNAP Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Program, Farm Stands, and our Saturday Family Wellness Program. In this issue, we will share an update on new community health activities, as well as our internal employee wellness initiatives.

Community Health Activities

BronxWorks Community Health Programs encompass a large set of activities that range from community organizing, operating two seasonal farm stands, at Padre Plaza Park in Mott Haven and at the Carolyn McLaughlin Community Center (CMCC) at 1130 Grand Concourse, providing a whole curriculum of nutrition education through our SNAP-Ed Program, cooking classes, Teen Battle Chef, food pantries, a commercial kitchen providing hundreds of meals made from scratch every day at dozens of BronxWorks programs and sites, and a dedicated Family Wellness Program on Saturdays, just to name a few. You can read more about this extensive programming in previous issues here.

With a workforce passionate about health and wellness, we are constantly searching for new activities to bring to our communities. We are excited for the official re-opening of the BronxWorks Community Pool at CMCC in the fall. The pool, which has undergone a complete renovation, will offer a suite of aquatics programming for all age groups, including swim lessons, mommy and me classes, water aerobics, and more. In addition to the pool re-opening, BronxWorks Community Health Programs are offering free yoga classes at CMCC on Saturday mornings and Wednesday afternoons starting in August.

Through a mini-grant from Bronx Health REACH, a CDC-funded coalition to reduce racial and ethnic health disparities, the BronxWorks SNAP-Ed Program has started walking groups with participants and staff at different program sites. The grant provides technical assistance from Equity Design, a partner that provides program modeling for physical activities to help transform communities, to help the team design safe walking routes, understand and share metrics, and incorporate strategies and safety plans to ensure the well-being of all participants. Walks are adjusted depending on the age and physical abilities of participants, so they can be designed for any age group and ability level, including seniors and families with young children.

The first group walk took place this month setting out from the BronxWorks Morris Older Adult Center, visiting nearby farm stands and community resources, before looping back. The idea behind the group walks is a train-the-trainer type of activity, where participants can take the experience and organize group walks of their own.

In partnership with the Tremont Health Action Center, the Cross Bronx Preservation Community Services Program, part of the BronxWorks Workforce Development Department and based at Baychester and Murphy Houses NYCHA complexes, also started a walking group to visit nearby farm stands and community partners, espousing the often overlooked but amazing health benefits of simply walking.

BronxWorks Health Committee

The BronxWorks Health Committee is a group of staff members who volunteer and commit their time to support fellow colleagues in pursuing healthier habits by promoting health and wellness initiatives and sharing information and resources. The Chair of the Health Committee rotates every two years and is currently occupied by Andrew Lin, Development Manager. Members of the Health Committee come from throughout BronxWorks and include representation from Community Health Programs, SNAP-Ed Nutrition Education, Access to Benefits, Children & Youth, Adult Homeless Services, Family Shelters, Training Department, Human Resources, and more.

To build a culture of health and wellness throughout BronxWorks, the Health Committee implemented a number of initiatives. The first initiative is a monthly Health Committee Newsletter shared with all BronxWorks staff, covering a range of topics from exercise and nutrition resources to healthy shopping tips during the holidays, healthy recipes, mental health awareness, employee benefits, and more. With a focus on design and entertainment, the newsletters provide a brief and digestible editorial for staff to enjoy during the work week.

The second initiative comes in the form of agency-wide health and wellness challenges for staff to engage with and compete against each other for prizes. This initiative kicked off in the Fall of 2022 with the first ever Health Committee Hydration Challenge, encouraging staff to cut back on sugary drinks and consume more water throughout the day. The Committee created rulebooks, a scoring rubric, and weekly logs for participants to record their hydration. During the 4-week challenge, the Health Committee organized weekly workshops to engage challenge participants with information and resources around hydration and the benefits of drinking water. For the Fall 2022 Hydration Challenge, 106 staff members registered.

Building on that experience in the Fall, the Health Committee organized a Summer 2023 Walking Challenge, called Bronx Walks. This challenge implemented a bonus scoring system that encouraged staff to once a day take group walks with their colleagues. During this challenge, 116 staff enrolled for the 4-week challenge, with over 60 participating week to week. Additionally, 58 staff engaged with weekly health workshops, and the bonus scoring encouraged 151 instances of BronxWorks staff taking time to walk with other staff members in a group.

The Health Committee continues to plan future challenges covering a range of topics, like eating healthy, mental health awareness, fitness and exercise, and more. The goal of the challenges is to create experience for our staff, encourage moderate behavior change, engage staff with resources and information, and to expand the reach of the Health Committee to be a staff-driven internal group to increase the well-being of our colleagues.

Judith Leonard, longtime BronxWorks board member, passed away earlier this month. Judith served on the BronxWorks Board of Directors for many years, joining the board of then-Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) after the merger between Girls Club of New York and CAB. Judith was an incredibly dedicated board member, and she provided guidance and support as CAB grew and transformed into BronxWorks in 2009. Her loss is felt throughout the organization and especially by the BronxWorks Board of Directors. We send our thoughts, well-wishes, and our deepest sympathy to her family.

In 2012, in celebration of our 40th Anniversary, Judith wrote a letter about why she had served on nonprofit boards for over 40 years. Read the full letter here.

Judith Leonard, longtime BronxWorks board member, passed away earlier this month. Judith served on the BronxWorks Board of Directors for many years, joining the board of then-Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) after the merger between Girls Club of New York and CAB. Judith was an incredibly dedicated board member, and she provided guidance and support as CAB grew and transformed into BronxWorks in 2009. Her loss is felt throughout the organization and especially by the BronxWorks Board of Directors. We send our thoughts, well-wishes, and our deepest sympathy to her family.

In 2012, in celebration of our 40th Anniversary, Judith wrote a letter about why she had served on nonprofit boards for over 40 years. Read the full letter here.