Community Corner

Play Time on Kosciuszko Street

Northeast Brooklyn Housing Development Corporation provides a weekly play space for neighborhood kids during the month of August

Kosciuszko Street closed down to transform the normally-bustling roadway into a play space for dozens of neighborhood kids this past Thursday. 

Lisa Everett, Manager of Human Services for the Northeast Brooklyn Housing Development Corporation (NEBHDCO) organized the weekly event. "We wanted to invite the kids in the neighborhood to come out and have a good time," Everett said. "It gives the kids a safe place to play." 

The main goal is to provide entertainment for school children during the idle summer months, specifically every Thursday this August, but Everett decided to kill two birds with one stone by also emphasizing fitness at the recurring event. 

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"Obesity is a problem in Bed-Stuy Brooklyn," she said. "Kids stay inside instead of enjoying the parks and the streets, and I thought this would be a good opportunity to raise awareness."

The snacks provided included 100% juice, granola bars and foods that would give the kids positive energy, and even the coloring books emphasized healthy eating with pictures of fruits and vegetables. Everett also made a point of making sure that people knew about the free summer meals available for kids through the Department of Health and Hygiene

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The resources came from a number of sponsors that helped out with the event, including local philanthropist MSKM Presents, who provided a lot of the games for children to use in the streets.

The Resource Room offered arts and crafts activities, as well as books and puzzles. New York Roadrunners set up obstacle courses for the day campers who came from St. Philip's Day Care, Oasis Summer Camp and Young Scholars Academy, ranging in age from three to about 12.  

Sophia Durall, a resident of the Northeast Brooklyn Housing Development and a volunteer for the event, was enthusiastic about the importance of letting the kids play outside.

"Most parents work during the day and their kids are at day camps," she said. "When they get home from work, they're tired and don't want to take their kids to the parks, so this is an opportunity to make that happen."

Gerald Johnson lives on the block, so he always knows when the kids are going to come out to play. He got involved because he thought it was nice to have activities available for children in the neighborhood. As a future Pratt student, he will be doing his part by providing face painting at the Play Street's last Thursday event on the 25th. 

The finale will also include a moon bounce, along with volunteers teaching modern and jazz dancing, and other volunteers teaching the kids how to play chess. All of the funders will be invited to join the event and there is going to be a raffle for free bike helmets. The usual games and obstacle courses will be available for the kids to participate in as well.

"When I was a kid, we didn't have that opportunity to play in the street," Durall said. "Personally as a senior citizen, I enjoy seeing children playing and being safe and having fun."


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