About 400 Queens residents gathered last week to celebrate the Lunar New Year at our Rego Park, Pomonok, and Forest Hills Older Adult Centers.

150 neighbors were in attendance for the celebration at the Rego Park Older Adult Center. The festivities included live music, dancing, food, and games.

“Older adults have been missing in-person celebrations since the pandemic, so it was so great to see so many of our members having a great time together,” said Nicole Vaughn-Robinson, QCH Deputy Director of Older Adult Services.



Lunar New Year celebrations continue this Friday, February 3 at 3pm at the QCH Beacon Community Center at PS 149 in Jackson Heights (93-11 34th Avenue). Join us for mural painting, an open mic of performances, candies and oranges, crafting, raffles, and more as we celebrate the Year of the Rabbit with the community.

From January 10 t0 12, QCH's Queens Childcare Network (QCCN) partnered with Women for Afghan Women (WAW) to provide three "Caregiver Seminars" for newly arrived immigrant parents from Afghanistan. WAW is a nonprofit dedicated to protecting and promoting the rights of disenfranchised Afghan women and girls in Afghanistan and the United States. During the workshops, QCCN staff reviewed milestones for child development, recommended nutrition guidelines, and explained common academic and socio-emotional challenges that parents should be aware of.

"The series was a great success," said Dawn Mastoridis, QCCN Director. "Our team was happy to pass along new information and critical concepts on caregiving for Afghan women." QCCN was issued a letter of appreciation and support from WAW for this unique collaborative effort.

On January 12, 150 Queens residents lined up for meals from the reopened food pantry at the Forest Hills Older Adult Center. This marked the food pantry's first day in operation since summer 2021, when the Center closed for renovations. "Many of our older neighbors have relied on the Center, both for the food pantry and also for the opportunities our activities provide for them to connect with their peers," said Toolarie Iqbal, Director of the Forest Hills Older Adult Center. "We're excited that the Center gets to return to being a space of support, social engagement, and healthy living for seniors in the community."

The food pantry will be open at 108-25 62nd Drive in Forest Hills every Thursday from 8:30am to 10:30am. Government ID is required with name, address, and date of birth.

Now that the Center has reopened for programming, we have in-person activities every week for older adults, such as table tennis, chair yoga, board games, and art classes, including our new acrylic painting class. "With the help of instructor Wendy Donaghy, participants had a great time making beautiful art while socializing with their peers," said Iqbal. To learn more about our programs and services, email Toolarie at tiqbal@qchnyc.org.