“It’s all the things I’ve always cared about, but right in my own backyard.” Our new board chair at Goddard Riverside and the Isaacs Center has a wealth of experience with city and state issues. Marcia Bystryn says what drew her to get involved here is the chance to make a difference in her neighborhood. […]
Blog & News
From Culinary to Computers, our Education and Workforce Classes are Enrolling Now!
Ready to take the next step toward achieving your dreams? The Isaacs Center is here to help! Our Education and Workforce program has multiple FREE classes starting in early February. For more information and to apply to any of these programs, go to linktr.ee/IsaacsEdWorkforce and fill out the form for that program. Workforce Training These […]
A Culinary Arts Grad Rises to the Top
Jezebel Gomez went through Culinary Arts training in 2022 and wowed the instructors with her teamwork and kitchen hustle. Clearly they weren’t the only ones who noticed: she got hired before she even graduated by her internship site, Hawksmoor, an upscale restaurant in the Flatiron District. After spending a year fine-tuning her skills, Jezebel […]
Year-End Giving Guide: How to Support Us with a Credit Card, PayPal, Venmo and More
The end of the calendar year is the most popular time to support your favorite causes. This year we’re making it easy by providing plenty of quick and secure ways to donate. With check theft on the rise, authorities say you should avoid simply dropping a check in a blue postal box on the street. […]
Year-End Giving Guide: How to Donate Items
As the weather cools, many people start thinking about the holidays: What am I making for Thanksgiving dinner? What gifts do I get my family? Do I need to get out my warm boots? The Isaacs Center also asks these questions, but on a much larger scale. No matter the season, we keep working with […]
“Events Like This Truly Make a Difference”: Celebrating Hispanic Heritage
The Isaacs Older Adult Center honored Hispanic Heritage Month with vibrant cultural performances, activities, and traditional clothing. Members representing different countries throughout Central and South America entered the dining room one by one to music from their country. They wore elaborate costumes and sashes with the country’s name. America Paniagua was participating for her […]
Open House Highlights Isaacs Older Adult Center Offerings
Did you know— the Isaacs Older Adult Center doesn’t just have daily lunches? It also has fitness classes, a book club, daily shopping trips, bigger trips to Broadway and other destinations, activities in multiple languages, access to social workers, art classes and more. Membership in the Older Adult Center is free and open to anyone […]
Expanding Summer Options for Teens
Beyoncé thumped out of the speakers. Staff and young people helped themselves to a full spread of barbecue, rice and beans and fried chicken. In the room next door, a lively pool game was underway. That’s how the Teen Expansion program at our Youth Center brought another summer of good times to a close. Teen Expansion is funded by the New York City Housing Authority to serve […]
Soup’s Up—and So is Fresh Produce
It was a steamy day in East Harlem, but the heat didn’t slow down our Soup’s Up staff. They were chopping up piles of perfectly diced tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers at their usual blinding speed. Each week, Soup’s Up creates a heathy plant-based dish—in this case, a summery chickpea salad—and distributes it to older adults […]
Isaacs Center Volunteer Among Good Neighbor Award Recipients
A longtime Isaacs Center volunteer and three other Upper East Siders are among the six people honored with Good Neighbor Awards this year. “This is a woman who constantly fights for her community. I want to say thank you for the constant work you do,” said Maribel Mejia, who runs one of the Isaacs Center Beacon […]