Kids & Family

7 Good News Stories in Brooklyn This Year

Some stories put a smile on your face. Here's our wrap-up from around Brooklyn in 2013.

As a local news organization, Patch covers stories of all kinds, from heartbreaking tragedies to nitty-gritty breakdowns of government and school district issues. But some stories are simply inspiring, often showing that at the heart of our communities is a desire to do good. Here are some of the touching headlines from the past year around Brooklyn.

Bed-Stuy Teen Speaks Out Against Domestic Violence Through Art

A local teen from Bed-Stuy was chosen as the winner of a domestic violence awareness contest that will award him his very own sneaker desig.!   

Max Desir, 17, a junior at Leadership and Public Service High School in Manhattan, won first prize for his entry, “Nobody Has the Right to Control You,” in the Sexual Assault Awareness Month poster contest sponsored by the New York City Department of Youth & Community Development (DYCD).   

After Shoe Drive, Students Hope to Bring Supplies in Return to Cambodia

One year ago, Anna Malafronte and a class of students from Poly Prep organized a shoe drive and brought hundreds of shoes to needy Cambodian youth. While there, Malafronte noticed another need: school supplies.

With that, another trip to Cambodia is set and another drive is ongoing at Runnin' Wild Kids Shoes in Cobble Hill where Malafronte works. From now through Christmas Eve, donations of composition notebooks, non-mechanic pencils and erasers are being accepted.

'Solar for Sandy' Introduced at Red Hook Rec Center

The Red Hook Recreation Center in Brooklyn recently became the first official beneficiary of Global Green USA's ‘Solar For Sandy’ resiliency initiative.

A ribbon-cutting celebration for the installation, which took place in collaboration with lead funder IKEA, took place Oct. 23.

Hundreds Get a Taste of Red Hook, Benefit Youth Programs

Since taking place at a board member’s home seven year’s ago, Red Hook Initiative’s Taste of Red Hook event has grown in more ways than one.

From a beginning with 10 restaurants and 75 people, the seventh annual event -- held at the Pioneer Works Center for Art and Innovation -- featured around 50 businesses with 600 people getting a taste before the night was over.

Prospect Heights School Gets Jets Visit

Students at Prospect Heights' P.S. 9 got a big surprise Tuesday when their school was named an NFL Play60 partner: a visit from two New York Jets players.

Jets players Quinton Coples and Jaiquan Jarrett visited with students at P.S. 9, bringing with them the NFL's Play60 campaign, that encourages children to get active for 60 minutes a day. Coples is a linebacker and Jarrett plays in the Jets' secondary.

Park Slope Dad Honored for Role in Catching Alleged Groper

A suspected child groper is in police custody thanks to a big assist by a Park Slope dad.

Lawrence Abdullah has received recognition by Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly and local pols including Brad Lander for his role in catch Jesse Dailey last week. Dailey was arrested and charged with multiple counts of sexual assault tied to a number of 'forcible touching' incidents involving young girls between the ages of 10 and 14.

One Man's Mission to Assemble a Portrait of Brooklyn

Art curator Dexter Wimberly not only was a witness to some of the biggest and most tumultuous moments in Brooklyn’s recent history, he was a player.


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