Queens Community House

Add links
Coordinates: 40°44′10″N 73°51′00″W / 40.7362377°N 73.850097°W / 40.7362377; -73.850097
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Queens Community House
Founded1976; 48 years ago (1976)[1][2]
11-2375583[3]
Legal status501(c)(3) nonprofit organization[3]
PurposeQueens Community House provides individuals and families with the tools to enrich their lives and build healthy, inclusive communities.[1]
Headquarters108-25 62nd Drive
Forest Hills, Queens 11375, U.S.
Coordinates40°44′10″N 73°51′00″W / 40.7362377°N 73.850097°W / 40.7362377; -73.850097
Region
Queens, New York
Ben Thomases[3]
Revenue (2023)
$43,370,189[4]
Employees (2023)
400[4]
Websitewww.qchnyc.org
Formerly called
Forest Hills Community House

Queens Community House (QCH) is a non-profit human services agency in Queens, New York that operates programs for children, young adults, families, and older adults.[1][3][5] Like other settlement houses in New York City, QCH combines many community services under one roof; it is the largest organization in Queens, serving 25,000 individuals across 40 sites in 15 neighborhoods.[2][6]

The flagship site is the Forest Hills Community Center, a 26,000 square foot facility at 108-25 62nd Drive in Forest Hills, Queens. It was renovated 2022–2024 for $16 million.[2][7][8]

History[edit]

QCH was founded in 1976 as part of a compromise to allow for the creation of low-income housing. New York City Mayor John Lindsay launched a program to place low-income housing projects in middle-class neighborhoods. Forest Hills neighborhood residents objected to the proposal. Mario Cuomo, who later became governor of New York, mediated the dispute and worked with the community to accept a proposal led by the American Jewish Committee to create the Forest Hills Community House as part of the compromise.[1][2][9] Mario Cuomo wrote a book, Forest Hills diary: The crisis of low-income housing, recounting this.[10]

In 2007, Forest Hills Community House (FHCH) changed its name to Queens Community House (QCH), to reflect its numerous sites outside of Forest Hills. As of 2024, QCH operates 40 sites in 15 neighborhoods of Queens, including Long Island City, Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, Corona, Rego Park, Forest Hills, Kew Gardens, Briarwood, Jamaica, Springfield Gardens, Ozone Park, South Ozone Park, Flushing, Bayside, and Queens Village.[6]

Queens Community House is not associated with the Church In The Gardens (CITG) Community House, which is also located in Forest Hills.

Services[edit]

QCH's programs serve children, young adults, adults and families, and older adults.[2]

Children and Youth Services[edit]

QCH has programs in 19 NYC public schools, including after-school and summer programs for elementary school and middle school students.[11]

Young Adult Services[edit]

For young adults transitioning to adulthood, QCH's programs include teen/young adult centers, youth workforce initiatives, programs for struggling high school students, college counseling, summer employment programs, and tech training.[12][13]

Adult and Family Services[edit]

For adults and families, QCH holds food pantries, childcare network, housing assistance, family support services, and community organizing.

Older Adult Services[edit]

For older adults, QCH has 6 senior centers, social adult day programs,[14][15] home-delivered meals,[16] visiting programming, transportation services, and sponsors the Naturally Occurring Retirement Community in Forest Hills.[17]

Other demographics[edit]

For immigrants, QCH provides immigration services and free English classes. For women, QCH has young women leadership programming.[18] For LGBT, QCH has an LGBT teen center and an LGBT senior center.[19]

Financial[edit]

QCH's 2023 funding was $43 million, which included the capital project to renovate the Forest Hills Community Center.[3] QCH's funding comes from state and local governments, foundations such as the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation and Pinkerton Foundation, and private donors. It has had 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status since its 1976 founding; its EIN is 11-2375583.[3]

The $16-million renovation of the Forest Hills Community Center 2022–2024 was financially supported by the New York State agency Empire State Development and elected officials including Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, Senator Joseph Addabbo Jr., Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi, Councilwoman Lynn Schulman, and corporations including Goldman Sachs.[2][7][20] The administrative headquarters is located nearby at 108-69 62nd Drive.[1][21] As part of its plans for the renovation project, QCH purchased the building in 2021, which had previously been owned by the Forest Hills Coop.[22][23]

QCH's annual gala raises about half a million dollars each year.[24] Gala honorees have included people such as Jack Lew, the 76th Secretary of the Treasury and later US Ambassador to Israel.[25][26]

Employees and Leadership[edit]

Queens Community House employs 400 staff.[4] The executive director of QCH is Ben Thomases and the president of the board is Michael Stellman.[3][14]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e "About Us | Queens Community House". www.qchnyc.org. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Empire State Development Announces Completion Of Queens Community House's $16 Million Renovation Of Forest Hills Community Center". esd.ny.gov. 2024-05-09. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Roberts, Andrea Suozzo, Alec Glassford, Ash Ngu, Brandon (2013-05-09). "Queens Community House Inc - Nonprofit Explorer". ProPublica. Retrieved 2024-05-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ a b c "Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax" (PDF). GuideStar. 2023-06-30. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  5. ^ "Queens Community House, Inc. - GuideStar Profile". www.guidestar.org. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  6. ^ a b "Map of Services | Queens Community House". www.qchnyc.org. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  7. ^ a b Medina, Anthony (2024-05-14). "Queens Community House completes $16 Million Forest Hills Community Center renovation project". qns.com. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  8. ^ Dorgan, Michael (2022-11-04). "Queens Community House Renovates Forest Hills Headquarters". Jackson Heights Post. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  9. ^ "History | Queens Community House". www.qchnyc.org. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  10. ^ Cuomo, Mario (1974-01-01). Forest Hills diary: The crisis of low-income housing. Random House. ISBN 039448763X.
  11. ^ Medina, Anthony (2023-12-20). "Community Board 9 gifts over 400 toys in Ozone Park". Queens Post. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  12. ^ CompTIA. "Free tech skills training available to young adults in Queens through new program from Queens Community House and CompTIA". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  13. ^ Parry, Bill (2022-08-02). "Queens Community House programs connects youth with valuable skills this summer". qns.com. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  14. ^ a b Rose, Naeisha (2023-07-06). "New senior center opens in Jamaica". Queens Chronicle. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  15. ^ Parry, Bill (2023-09-08). "Queens Community House reopens Social Adult Day Services program in Forest Hills after pandemic hiatus". qns.com. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  16. ^ "NY Connects: Home Delivered Meals". www.nyconnects.ny.gov. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  17. ^ Chen, Michelle (2017-04-01). "The Aging City: In a Migrant Metropolis, When New Arrivals Grow Old, Where Do They Go?". Truthout. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  18. ^ Queens Gazette on (2015-11-25). "Queens Community House Announces New Associate Executive Director". Queens Gazette. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  19. ^ Tracy, Matt (2023-12-28). "Queens Center for Gay Seniors fosters inclusive atmosphere for LGBTQ older adults". gaycitynews.com. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  20. ^ "Community Development Champions". Goldman Sachs. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  21. ^ Parry, Bill (2023-10-30). "Speaker Adams supports Queens Community House after-school program at P.S.106Q in Jamaica". qns.com. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  22. ^ Griffin, Allie (2021-02-10). "Queens Community House Buys Its Longtime Forest Hills Headquarters". Flushing Post. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  23. ^ Brand, David (2021-02-08). "Queens Community House purchases long-time Forest Hills headquarters". Queens Daily Eagle. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  24. ^ Parry, Bill (2019-11-07). "Queens Community House raises nearly half a million dollars at annual gala in Astoria". qns.com. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  25. ^ "Queens Gazette: QCH honors Jacob Lew, Forest Hills Native and 76th Secretary of the Treasury". www.qchnyc.org. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  26. ^ Davenport, Emily (2018-09-14). "Jacob Lew to be honored at upcoming gala in Astoria hosted by Queens Community House". qns.com. Retrieved 2024-05-28.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Queens_Community_House&oldid=1226296947"