Somewhere today in Coney Island, as the final class was dismissed and the school day came to an end, a young man made his way to a classroom where homework help and mentors were waiting for him. A few hours later he heads home, and after a tough day, he calls up his counselor to let off steam and decompress.

It isn’t dramatic, and it isn’t supposed to be. A young person who has somewhere to be and people who notice when they aren’t there is far more likely to stay engaged in school, surround themselves in constructive environments, and see a future worth working toward. That steady, unseen network of community and support is crucial for the development of our youth, and it is a commitment that JCCGCI works to expand to more New Yorkers year after year. Doing so, however, requires a great deal of citywide funding and collaboration, which is why we are honored to announce that on October 7, Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island (JCCGCI) welcomed Deputy Mayor for Community Safety Renita Francois and Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Community Safety Dr. Ayesha Delany-Brumsey to our headquarters to hear firsthand about opportunities to bolster our impact and reinforce community safety through our social service and early intervention initiatives. 

We are deeply grateful for the time that they gave us, as well as for the chance to speak directly with city leadership about the challenges and opportunities facing the Coney Island community. Upholding a strong line of communication between our representatives and the organizations that show up every day for struggling communities provides a window of opportunity for quick and dramatic change for the betterment of the lives of New Yorkers. 

The response from our team was evident of the potential for tangible improvement that this visit offered. Our conference room was packed door to wall with our program directors and staff who came to discuss the importance of the work that they do and how it can grow with further city-level support. 

The meeting opened with several members of our Operation H.O.O.D. team introducing  themselves and the work they do, sharing what community safety looks like from the street level from mediating disputes between rivaling groups to checking in on young people who’ve endured trauma or violence. 

Executive Director Rabbi Moshe Wiener then formally introduced the Deputy Mayor and Commissioner, taking the stage to explain his vision for the growth of JCCGCI as well as the barriers we are currently facing in expanding our support for the individuals and communities that rely on us. 

From there, the conversation turned to the young people of Coney Island. Our program directors spoke to how funding cuts have narrowed the services that keep our youth engaged once the school day ends, from after-school programming to the mentorship and mental health support that surround it. They described the strain of watching demand outpace capacity, and the weight of not always being able to show up for the children they’ve built close bonds with when a crisis comes up in their lives. These constructive spaces are at the heart of community safety. When young people have uplifting environments to be in and mentors who believe in and empower them, they are far more likely to avoid the groups and situations that give way to conflicts that escalate into violence.

As our program directors concluded their remarks, Deputy Mayor Francois thanked our team for bringing these realities to light. She reflected that when it comes to community safety, we too often take a reactive approach, waiting for harm to occur and then directing resources toward a strong handed response. To reach the root of the problem, she noted, we must invest in local programs — like those of JCCGCI, many of which focus on prevention before violence ever becomes a possibility, by reaching young people early and keeping them out of harmful environments.

As the meeting drew to a close, our guests and staff gathered for a group photo and spent time eating and conversing before the Deputy Mayor departed. For JCCGCI, the visit was a reminder of how valuable it is when the people shaping city policy speak candidly with the organizations carrying it out. 

“When city leaders sit down with the people who know these neighborhoods and the challenges they face the best,” says JCCGCI Executive Director Rabbi Moshe Wiener, “it allows the City and JCCGCI to move as one team toward a single mission: showing up for New Yorkers in need.” 

We are deeply grateful to Deputy Mayor Francois, Commissioner Delany-Brumsey, and their team for visiting us and listening so thoughtfully. We also thank our program directors and staff, whose dedication and candor made the conversation productive and mission-driven. We look forward to continued collaboration with the Mayor’s Office of Community Safety, because when community organizations and city leadership work side by side, young people are met with opportunity long before they are met with crisis.

👉 Want to learn more about how JCCGCI supports New York communities? Visit https://www.jccgci.org/programs/community-services/

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