On August 7, something truly magical happened: our Coney Island Seaside Older Adult Center and Haber House Older Adult Center, took 53 bright and enthusiastic seniors on a full-day adventure to the Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, NJ.

JCCGCI operates a network of Older Adult Centers across Brooklyn, each providing a warm and welcoming environment where seniors can connect, learn, and thrive. From daily hot meals to fitness classes, cultural programming, and enriching day trips, our centers serve as vital lifelines—helping older adults remain active, independent, and socially engaged.

Pictured Above: Members from JCCGCI’s Coney Island Seaside and Haber House Older Adult Centers enjoying a joint day trip to the scenic Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, NJ.

From 9 to 5 PM, our group wandered the park’s 42 lush acres, soaking in over 270 contemporary sculptures by renowned artists and enjoying the serene beauty of this one-of-a-kind arboretum and museum. The day was enlightening, inspiring, and ultimately heartwarming; a perfect example of what our older adult programming is all about.

Grounds for Sculpture is much more than a museum: it’s a living, breathing canvas. Founded in 1992 and set on the former New Jersey State Fairgrounds, the park features sculptures by artists like Kiki Smith, George Segal, and Beverly Pepper, all displayed beautifully among meandering paths, enchanting reflecting pools, groves of bamboo, and carefully sculpted gardens. As our group explored, hidden sculptures peeked from behind trees, and large-scale installations invited reflection and conversation. For many participants, this was their first visit to such a beautifully curated park. Their faces lit up as they wandered through Monet-inspired gardens, rested by koi-filled ponds, and admired sculptures that sparked memories and started conversations. 

Pictured above: Crossing Paths (1994), a life-scale bronze sculpture by Seward Johnson, depicts two older women engaged in conversation on a park bench at Grounds for Sculpture.

This day was so much more than a scenic outing. It was a reminder of how art can nourish the soul, how nature can comfort the heart, and how shared experiences can strengthen community bonds. We’re immensely proud of the Coney Island Seaside and Haber House Older Adult Centers for prioritizing outings like this; programming that brings light, inspiration, and joy into the lives of our elders. Such trips are made possible by our amazing staff and volunteers who support every step of the way.

Pictured above: Staff members from JCCGCI’s Coney Island Seaside Older Adult Center and Haber House Older Adult Center joined with several members for a group photo during their enriching day trip to Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, NJ.

Thank you to everyone who helped make August 7 so special for our seniors! We are especially grateful to the NYC Department for the Aging, whose support made this memorable day possible.

Our commitment to enriching lives through creative, engaging programming continues. Stay tuned for more adventures ahead—whether through art, nature, culture, or simple joy.

Pictured above: Monet’s Bridge at the Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, NJ. Created by sculptor J. Seward Johnson II in 1999, the piece was inspired by Claude Monet’s famous painting Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies.

ABOUT JCCGCI

Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island (JCCGCI) is a community-based organization with a citywide scope, providing a wide-spectrum of senior citizen, career, educational, crime-reduction, mental health, community revitalization and related services benefiting all segments of the population. JCCGCI is also a technical assistance provider, offering capacity building services to nonprofits in all five boroughs through its NonProfit HelpDesk division (www.nphd.org). With 40 program sites throughout New York City staffed by almost 400 social service professionals, JCCGCI assists an average of upwards of 2,500 needy individuals and families each day.

JCCGCI’s Holocaust Survivor Support Services is one of the largest in the world, providing critical assistance to over 4,000 Holocaust Survivors annually. Services include Homecare, Transportation, Case Management, Friendly Visiting, Medicaid Appeals, Socialization, and Home Delivered Meals.