Van Cortlandt Park Alliance - Volunteer with VCPA in April

 

Wetland Wednesdays

Wednesdays (except 4/19) - Meet at 9am

Van Cortlandt Park is home to the largest swath of freshwater wetlands in the Bronx!

Wetland ecosystems are essential for flood protection, freshwater quality improvement, and shoreline erosion control but they need constant vigilance to stay healthy. Join us for a wetland workday. Make sure to wear long pants, sturdy closed-toe shoes, and bring lots of water. All other tools will be provided. No prior experience needed.

RSVP Now

Meet at Van Cortlandt Golf House.

Forest Fridays

Fridays (except 4/14) - Meet at 9am

With 640 acres of urban woodland, Van Cortlandt Park could use your help!

Make sure to wear long pants, sturdy closed-toe shoes, and bring lots of water. 

All other tools will be provided. No prior experience needed.

RSVP Now

Meet at VCPA Garden and Compost Site.

Community Volunteer Days in the Garden

Tuesdays, April 11 + 25, 10am to 1pm

Wednesday, April 12, 10am to 1pm

Saturday, April 15, 10am to 1pm

Let’s prepare for this year’s growing season! 

Volunteers are needed for weeding, building, and maintaining the compost bins.

Make sure to wear comfortable clothing, sturdy closed-toe shoes, and bring lots of water. All tools will be provided. No prior experience needed.

RSVP For Weekdays Now

RSVP for Saturday Now

Meet at VCPA Garden and Compost Site.

 

Woodlawn Beautification Day

Join VCPA, Women of Woodlawn, and Woodlawn Taxpayers Association as we continue to beautify the area around Woodlawn Playground.  Projects will include removing non-native invasive plants, planting native species, and general clean-up around the playground and in the wildflower patch.
Make sure to wear long pants, sturdy closed-toe shoes, and bring lots of water. 

All other tools will be provided. No prior experience needed.

All other tools will be provided. No prior experience needed.

RSVP Now

Meet at Woodlawn Playground.

 

Northwest Corner Care

Saturday April 29 - Meet at 2pm

Show the northwest corner of VCP some TLC with VCPA and RMSA (Riverdale Main Streets Alliance). Volunteers needed to help us beautify the 261st Street Garden and field. We will move toward the city line as time allows. 

RSVP Now

Meet at the Wildflower Garden at W. 261st and Broadway.

 

Support Our Work in Van Cortlandt Park

 

East Meets West

Tuesday, April 11 from 6-8pm

Join VCPA and Friends of Pelham Bay Park for a fun fundraiser to support programs in the two largest parks in the Bronx at the Rambling House in Woodlawn.

Tickets!

 

Springtime Shindig!

Thursday, May 11 from 6:30-8pm

VCPA’s annual fundraiser to support our education, restoration, research, and community stewardship programs in Van Cortlandt Park.

Honoring Courts of Dreams Junior Board and the Friendly Fridge BX.

Tickets, Sponsorships and Journal Ads

Make a Donation

The park is really big. Our staff is really small. Only with your help can we grow our capacity, hire more staff, and take on projects to improve Van Cortlandt Park… for YOU!  Please consider a gift to Van Cortlandt Park Alliance today.

Donate!

VCPA Merch Shop!

Show your love for Van Cortlandt Park while supporting the Alliance!

Shop Now!

 

Become a Member

Members get VCPA merch and invitations to member only hikes while supporting their favorite park!

Join Now

Our Contact Information
Van Cortlandt Park Alliance
80 Van Cortlandt Park, Ste. E1
Bronx, NY 10463
718-601-1460
http://vancortlandt.org

MAYOR ADAMS ANNOUNCES CITY HALL, MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS TO BE LIT TURQUOISE, PINK, AND PURPLE TONIGHT IN HONOR OF WORLD DYSLEXIA ASSEMBLY BEING HELD IN NEW YORK CITY

 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced that City Hall and two additional municipal buildings will be lit turquoise, pink and purple tonight as part of Made By Dyslexia’s World Dyslexia Assembly being held here in New York City.

 

“Made By Dyslexia has made it their mission to train every teacher and help every workplace to spot, support, and empower every dyslexic mind,” said Mayor Adams. “As a student, I struggled with identifying my dyslexia until long after leaving the public school system. By changing the way we approach dyslexia, we can unlock the untapped potential in students who may feel insecure about their dyslexia or any other language-based learning disabilities they may have. I am proud to welcome the World Dyslexia Assembly here to New York City as we highlight great dyslexic thinkers in our city.”

 

“We are committed to going back to basics, strengthening our classroom instruction and supports, and focusing on ensuring every student becomes a skilled reader and confident learner,” said New York City Department of Education Chancellor David Banks. “I am proud to partner with Mayor Adams and Made By Dyslexia to provide the resources and interventions our educators need to best support our students with dyslexia.”

 

“New York City is leading the way in empowering dyslexic thinking in its schools,” said Kate Griggs, founder and CEO, Made By Dyslexia. “By holding the World Dyslexia Assembly here in the city, we are celebrating what has been achieved and the limitless power of dyslexic thinking for all.”

 

 In addition to City Hall, the following municipal buildings will be lit up starting tonight at sundown:

•  Bronx Borough Hall: 851 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10451
• The David N. Dinkins Manhattan Municipal Building: 1 Centre Street, New York, NY 10007

Carl Heastie puts Unions and Criminals over Children and Safety

 

NYGOP Chair Ed Cox released the following statement in response to the release of polling data demonstrating that Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie’s constituents overwhelmingly support charter schools and cash bail for criminals:

“New Yorkers are demanding safe streets and better schools, but Speaker Heastie listens only to Albany’s special interests and power players. He pays lip service to the needs of his constituents but puts teachers unions’ clout and cash ahead of the parents and children of the Bronx, where the people want more charter schools, and he puts progressive ideologues, who threaten primaries, ahead of public safety for New York’s families and small businesses.”

NYS Office of the Comptroller DiNapoli: Are You Missing Money?

 

$118 Million in Lost Money Returned in 2023

The Office of the New York State Comptroller’s initiative to help New Yorkers access their unclaimed funds has resulted in $1.5 million in lost money being returned every day. As of March, the Comptroller's Office holds over 46 million unclaimed funds accounts worth a total of $17.5 billion. The Comptroller's Office is committed to helping individuals access their rightful money and is actively reaching out to communities throughout the state. Staff members will be attending community events and offering free one-on-one sessions to assist individuals with searching for and filing claims for their unclaimed funds. Educational materials and workshops are also available to help individuals understand the process of retrieving their money.  "Our office is dedicated to returning every dollar of unclaimed funds to its rightful owner," said New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. "The unclaimed funds system puts the power back in the hands of the people, making it simple and convenient to access and claim their unclaimed funds." New Yorkers can access an online database administered by the Comptroller's Office. The unclaimed funds consist of a wide range of financial assets, including bank accounts, uncashed checks, and insurance policies, that have been dormant for decades. The Comptroller's Office is responsible for safeguarding these funds and making them available to New Yorkers. The Comptroller's Office urges all residents of New York to search for unclaimed funds and to take advantage of this opportunity to claim what is rightfully theirs. Residents can search for themselves, family members, friends, churches, synagogues, mosques, and other organizations that matter to them. To claim the funds, individuals must provide proof of their identity and ownership of the funds. The Comptroller's Office will then process the claim and issue a check to the rightful owner. For more information on OSC's unclaimed funds initiative, visit OSC's website or contact their office directly. Residents who cannot attend events can search for and claim their money by using the online claim system or by calling 1-800-221-9311. View a map of unclaimed funds owed to New Yorkers by county and region. Learn more about Unclaimed Funds. Date Event Location County Capital Region April 29 9AM – 3PM PEF Community Wellness Fair Washington Avenue Armory 195 Washington Avenue Albany, NY 12210  Albany Hudson Valley Mid and Upper April 5 Wed. 11AM - 3PM Senator Michelle Hinchey’s OUF Outreach Event Catskill Public Library 1 Franklin St Catskill, NY 12414 Greene April 13 Thurs. 11AM - 3PM Senator Michelle Hinchey’s OUF Outreach Event Elting Memorial Library 93 Main Street New Paltz, NY 12561 Ulster April 18 10AM - 2PM Senator Michelle Hinchey’s OUF Outreach Event Red Hook Public Library 7444 S Broadway Red Hook, NY 12571 Dutchess April 20 11AM - 3PM Senator Michelle Hinchey’s OUF Outreach Event Hudson Area Library 51 North 5th Street Hudson, NY 12534 Columbia Hudson Valley Lower April 5 Wed. 1PM In-Person Unclaimed Funds Workshop South Salem Firehouse 1190 Old Post Road (Rte. 35) South Salem, NY 10590 Westchester April 12 Wed. 11:30AM In-Person Unclaimed Funds Workshop Mount Kisco Fox Senior Center 198 Carpenter Ave Mt Kisco, NY 10549 Westchester New York City April 29 Sat. 11AM – 1PM Financial Literacy Awareness St. Luke's Episcopal Church 777 East 222 Street Bronx, NY 10467 Bronx Long Island April 19 Wed. 1PM In-Person Unclaimed Funds Workshop Floral Park Public Library 17 Caroline Pl Floral Park, NY 11001 Nassau

Albany Phone: (518) 474-4015 Fax: (518) 473-8940 NYC Phone: (212) 383-1388 Fax: (212) 681-7677  Internet: www.osc.state.ny.us E-Mail: press@osc.state.ny.us

MAYOR ADAMS MAKES PUBLIC SAFETY-RELATED ANNOUNCEMENT WITH NYPD COMMISSIONER SEWELL

 

Mayor Eric Adams: Thank you. Thanks. Thanks so much, Phil. This morning when the police commissioner and I spoke at our morning briefing with the other team, we were clear that tomorrow is a day that's going to draw a great deal of attention to our city. And we know there are many questions around the movement of the city, and we want to make sure that we send a very clear and loud message. As the deputy mayor stated, New York City's always ready. We know that this is a city where our NYPD and other law enforcement entities must be prepared at any given moment for anything that happened in this city. To start, I want to make it clear. The commissioner has stated over and over again, there has been no specific credible threats to our city at this time and all New Yorkers should go on with their regular activities.

 

That means going to work, going to school. We are going to do our job as we always do. If you usually drive, we stated to take public transportation. It is easy to get around on public transportation because we expect some disruptions and additional traffic. There's a great deal of additional traffic that may come in the city and there will be street closures near the courts and throughout the city. While there may be some rabble rousers thinking about coming to our city tomorrow, our message is clear and simple: control yourselves. New York City is our home, not a playground for your misplaced anger.

 

We are the safest large city in America because we respect the rule of law in New York City, and although we have no specific threats, people like Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is known to spread misinformation and hate speech, stated she's coming to town. While you are in town, be on your best behavior. As always, we will not allow violence or vandalism of any kind, and if one is caught participating in any act of violence, they will be arrested and held accountable, no matter who you are. And I want to again, thank the Police Department, the commissioner for their response and for the necessary preparation as we deal with this major historical potential event that would take place in the city. At this time, I'd like to introduce the police commissioner of the City of New York.

 

Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Good afternoon everyone. Thank you for being here. As always, the NYPD is prepared to ensure that everyone is able to have their voices heard peacefully while exercising their first amendment rights. We do this work in close collaboration with our federal, state, and local partners because keeping our city safe is absolutely a collective effort. As the mayor stated, there are no credible or specific threats to New York City at this time.

 

New Yorkers may see an increased police presence in parts of the city and should anticipate intermittent road closures over the next two days, particularly in Manhattan. To avoid delays, I too urge everyone to use mass transit when possible. As I said, our job is to facilitate and safeguard the rights of people to express themselves and those going about their daily activities. But I will remind everyone that violence and destruction are not part of legitimate lawful expression and it will never be tolerated in our city. But people we serve know this just as they know that the NYPD will be out there today, tomorrow, and every day to make sure that they are safe. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Sure. Sure. Well, we'll take some questions.

                                         

Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson - Community Resources & Updates

 

Dear Neighbor,

 

Thank you for joining us for another week in review. We hope everyone is enjoying the warmer temperatures with friends and family.

Last week, we welcomed over 100 girls from middle schools and high schools in districts 7-12 at Borough Hall to convene a meeting in partnership with Bronx School Districts and the My Brother`s Keeper/My Sister`s Keeper District Leads to announce efforts under the My Sister’s Keeper umbrella to anchor the initiative in the borough. The young women were able to network and ask questions during a career panel discussion featuring women in leadership positions in government (Council Member Pierina Sanchez), education (Dr. Roshone Ault Lee, Principal at South Bronx Academy for Applied Media and G.E.M.s Founder), entrepreneurship and media (TT Torrez Entrepreneur and Hot 97 Radio Personality), and the non-profit sector (Rina Madhani, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Start Lighthouse). The conversation was moderated by our Deputy Borough President, Janet Peguero. Thank you to everyone who joined us.

We would also like to congratulate our newly appointed BOEDC Board Members Nallely De Jesus, Phillip Grant, Winston Peters, Lourdes Zapata, and Julio Reyes who demonstrate exceptional leadership abilities and represent some of the best and brightest in our Borough. In their new positions, they will work with our business community to ensure our entrepreneurs receive the tools they need to succeed in this new economy.

Lastly, don't forget to nominate a Bronx educator to be recognized by the People's Choice Award during Bronx Week! Our application is live on ilovethebronx.com.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our office at 718-590-3500 or email us at webmail@bronxbp.nyc.gov.

 

In partnership,

Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson

IN THE COMMUNITY

During our State of the Borough, we promised to make gender equity a priority. We welcomed over 100 girls from middle schools and high schools in the Bronx to convene a meeting on the Bronx’s My Sister’s Keeper initiative! As our young women move through middle school and high school, we want them to know their power. We want them to know all that they are capable of. My Sister’s Keeper is an investment in the future of our young girls and the future of our Borough. Thank you to our Deputy Borough President, Janet Peguero for moderating our panel discussion. Thank you also to our panelists who joined us today: Rina Madhani, Dr. Roshone Ault Lee, and TT Torrez for sharing their experiences with us. Thank you to everyone who joined our Irish Heritage Month Event at Rambling House in Woodlawn. It was an incredible evening celebrating our Irish American community and their many contributions to the Bronx. Congratulations to our honorees! Your work is vital to the growth of our Borough! Thank you to Rambling House for hosting us and thank you to our sponsors Montefiore, Waste Management, and Bronx Terminal Market for their support. Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Greek Heritage Month Celebration in partnership with the St. Peter the Apostle Greek Orthodox Church! During our celebration, we were proud to honor Greek American businesses and community leaders for their commitment and service to the Bronx. Congratulations to all of our honorees! I also want to thank Ponce Bank and Bronx Terminal Market for sponsoring this event, the St. Peter’s Afternoon School for their beautiful performance and St. Peter the Apostle Greek Orthodox Church for their collaboration on this celebration.

Community Events & Opportunities