Mayor de Blasio Celebrates Grand Opening of Major R. Owens Health and Wellness Community Center in Crown Heights

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New center will offer sports and educational classes, camps and programming for children and community members, including free, low-cost and discounted opportunities to ensure access regardless of income

NEW YORK — Mayor de Blasio, New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), members of the Owens family, and elected leaders today celebrated the grand opening of the Major R. Owens Health and Wellness Community Center. The state-of-the-art, 60,000 square-foot retrofitted drill shed will serve Crown Heights as a neighborhood recreation center, complete with a 25-meter, six-lane competitive swimming pool, basketball courts, and a multi-purpose court able to accommodate a wide variety of sports, including soccer and community programming. 

“Investing in our people and communities, especially in ones that have often been overlooked, is how we build a recovery for all of us,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “The Major R. Owens Health and Wellness Community Center will provide New Yorkers a place to thrive and grow for generations to come.”

“The Major R. Owens Health and Wellness Center is a transformational project that exemplifies New York City’s commitment to providing historically underserved communities with critical resources for generations to come,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Vicki Been. “This center honors the legacy of Congressman Owens -- a tireless advocate for the residents of Crown Heights. I want to thank all of the leaders who partnered together to help bring this vision to fruition as we continue to work towards a Recovery for All.”

“The Major R. Owens Health & Wellness Center is rooted in community and is for the community,” said NYCEDC President & CEO Rachel Loeb. “NYCEDC and our partners worked hard to deliver a recreational center that captured former Congressman Major Owens’ vision, a place where people of all ages, all walks of life and from different communities could come together and have access to critical services and programming that open doors to opportunity. Now, children, families and seniors can benefit from this center for years to come and be inspired when they walk inside. We thank the Mayor, the State, Majority Leader Cumbo, BFC Partners, the Community Advisory Committee, our nonprofits, and all who worked on and supported this project.”

“Congressman Major Owens had a vision for Central Brooklyn, and this new community resource makes real one part of that vision -- providing Central Brooklyn's communities with the world-class recreational and educational resources they deserve,” said Chris Owens, son of the late Congressman Major R. Owens.  

“The new Major R. Owens Health and Wellness Center will offer needed recreational and enrichment opportunities for the surrounding community. We have seen in the past year how young people in underserved areas can fall victim to cycles of violence when they are not given proper outlets, and Crown Heights was no exception. By ensuring local kids have a place to go, and effective youth programming at their fingertips, this center will ensure we are creating a safer, healthier Crown Heights for all residents. In particular, I am very proud to have allocated funding toward the new Brooklyn Pride Center headquarters inside the armory, which will be a critical resource for the borough’s LGTBQ+ community. I thank Majority Leader Laurie Cumbo and all the local stakeholders for ensuring this center serves the needs of the community,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams.

“Former Congressman Major Robert Odell Owens committed his life to advocating for those who have been unfavorably impacted by unjust systems,” said Council Member and New York City Council Majority Leader Laurie Cumbo. “Whether it was speaking out on civil rights, disability rights, education rights, and furthermore, all aspects of social justice, he did so with conviction, compassion, clear vision, and he delivered. The Major R. Owens Health & Community Wellness Center is a reflection of years of dedication from Major Owens, and all those who were focused on the bigger picture both then and now, a testament to those who had the capacity to see how this space could support and enhance the rich and unique communities within Crown Heights and beyond. The hard work between BFC Partners, NYCEDC, Community Board 9, and my office has revived the Bedford Union Armory as the jewel of Crown Heights, and I look forward to all the generations who will learn, grow, and thrive within this great community."

The wellness center is now open to the public. Standard memberships for the gym within the center cost $30 per month, while seniors and low-income adults below the 200% Federal Poverty Level can join for $10 per month and youth memberships are as little as $8 per month. Additionally, 50% of memberships will be discounted to $10 per month for residents who live in Community Board 9.

The Major Owens Center will also welcome a variety of tenants to provide the following services and community programming at an accessible rate. With 35,000 square feet of office space for nonprofits, members will have access to a number of Brooklyn community-based organizations that will be permanently housed at the Center, including the Boys’ Club of New York will be the operator of the gym at the Center, providing high quality and diverse programming to the community. 

Other local groups offering classes and programs include Imagine Swimming, Inc.; New Heights Youth; Brooklyn Pride; Digital Girl, Inc.; Ifetayo Cultural Arts Academy; Globall Sports Center; and Betty Carter Auditorium for the Arts (BCAA). The partners who operate classes, camps, and programs at the Major R. Owens Health & Wellness Community Center will work to ensure that their offerings are available to those across the Crown Heights community.

The Major Owens Center also has an onsite cogen plant, which will meet all of the project’s heating, cooling and electrical demand, effectively taking the entire 500,000 square-foot project off the ConEd grid, and providing safe haven to the community during brownouts or blackouts during periods of extreme heat.

Also part of the Major R. Owens Health and Wellness Community Center project is 415 units of housing, 60% of which will be much needed affordable housing for low income New Yorkers, as well as a 25,000 square-foot health center, run by Brooklyn Plaza Medical Center. These projects are expected to be completed by 2023.

“Major R. Owens was a visionary. His passion and dedication towards public service will continue to inspire so many with this community center named in honor of him,” said Trenelle Gabay, wife of the late Carey Gabay. “In these unprecedented times a safe haven space where creative solutions and resources are needed to strengthen and improve lives. This community center will address issues in our communities today, but also dynamically adapt to solve the issues of tomorrow as well.”

"Mom would be honored to have a performing arts space that’s devoted to the betterment of her beloved Brooklyn community named after her,” said Betty Carter’s son, Myles Redding.

“After tremendous outreach, selling, convincing and just "you betta'," we are finally here! The point where all of our works will be measured, not just by Major Owens’ family, friends, students and others familiar with him, but community members and ourselves,” said Beverly Newsome, Ebbets Field TA President. “With every tour, I looked at each person's face as we passed the spaces to capture their reaction. We worked to provide as much information as possible to each question, not just to the person asking, also to the listeners. Every meeting, every decision, every presentation was for this moment. This is one of the biggest challenges I have ever experienced! Can you imagine years from now people will be using the space I helped to formalize? Wow!”

“This Center has already begun to live up to its promise as the place where young people from every racial, economic, and religious background can play, swim, and participate in activities, in a positive environment. The community’s needs and aspirations have been heard, and the result is amazing,” said Rabbi Eli Cohen, Executive Director of Crown Heights Jewish Community Council. 

“In 2008, Congressman Owens began to envision a future for the Armory as a full-time community center with recreational opportunities and gathering spaces for Crown Heights children, families, and local community stakeholders,” said Joseph Coello Sr., Chairman, Major R. Owens Community Ctr., Advisory Committee. “As we celebrated today’s ribbon cutting, we honor and cherish the legacy of the late Congressman Major R. Owens, our longtime advocate, our fearless leader, and trusted loved one.” 

“Brooklyn Community Board 9 is excited for the grand opening of the Major R. Owens Health & Wellness Community Center,” said Fred Baptiste, Chair of Community Board 9. “There is a critical need for enriching programs that provide positive outlets of physical and mental creative energy, training and skills for a 21st century economy, and the promotion of overall wellness. The Board looks forward to working with the various vendors and organizations in servicing the residents of the district and Central Brooklyn.”

“We are absolutely thrilled to stand alongside our partners in celebration of the Major R. Owens Health & Wellness Center, welcoming in Crown Heights and Central Brooklyn residents. From afterschool programming and dance lessons to camps and lifesaving swim classes, the Major Owens Center will become a key part of the lives of local Brooklynites,” said Donald Capoccia, Principal of BFC Partners. “We are grateful for the support of our elected officials, community advocates and representatives, and nonprofit partners. All of it was necessary to bring this project to life, and we are ecstatic to begin providing safe, reliable and accessible programming and social services to this community.”

“We are excited to extend our mission rooted in youth empowerment to Brooklyn with The Major R. Owens Health & Wellness Community Center,” said Carlos Velazquez, Chief Program Officer, The Boys’ Club of New York. “We want to thank Crown Heights for welcoming us into the neighborhood, and we look forward to bringing BCNY to you.”

“We cannot overstate how life-changing this new space for our College Bound program will be for thousands of underserved youth throughout New York City,” said Ted Smith, New Heights Executive Director. “Our new home at the Major Owens Center will give kids every advantage they need to thrive on the court, in the classroom and in their communities. We are delighted to become a part of this spectacular new community.”

“We are thrilled to have this opportunity to expand into Crown Heights and to develop new partnerships and activities that promote health and wellness for LGBTQ+ Brooklynites,” said Floyd Rumohr, Chief Executive Officer, Brooklyn Pride. “We are excited to learn what will best serve the community, whether that's fitness courses presented in tandem with our tenant neighbors, recovery programs, peer-led support groups, sexual wellness and STI prevention, or connecting our community with culturally appropriate health services. We also expect to just have a lot of fun with art classes, movie screenings, or game nights that will augment behavioral health services provided by Callen-Lorde Community Health Center. More information will be available at www.lgbtbrooklyn.org.”

“We are thrilled to be a part of this historical moment. For the first time Digital Girl, Inc. will be able to offer consistent STEM programming from our own dedicated space and soon to be a State of the Art Technology Center. The Center will be the first of its kind located within Central Brooklyn and will be accessible to the community for their digital needs,” said Michelle Gall, Executive Director of Digital Girl, Inc.

“Ifetayo starts from an African-centered perspective to help young children explore who they are, where they come from, and how to see themselves. These are some of the most important questions for a young person,” said Naima Oyo, Ifetayo Cultural Arts Academy, Inc. Executive Director. “We are excited to be able to offer our community a space to COME HOME to at MOCC! A safe space to develop their identity, artistic talents, creative experiences, and gain a deeper understanding of their ancestral roots.”

“The rebirth of the West Indian American Carnival Association continues with the organization taking full occupancy at Major R. Owens Health & Wellness Center,” said Michelle Gibbs, Board Chair Of West Indian American Carnival Association (WIADCA). “We are excited to welcome a bright future for our organization at our new home. This move is definitely a huge step for our organization.  We will be able to provide additional programs and be more accessible to our youth, young adults and seniors within the community in ways we never imagined.”

“Since the beginning of discussions, six years ago, Imagine Swimming has been a committed partner and advocate in the development of the Bedford Union Armory. Swimming is a fundamental, lifesaving skill that, too often, does not find its way into underserved communities. With the opening of the Major R. Owens Health & Wellness Community Center, Imagine is thrilled to bring its programming to all - and save lives in the water,” said Casey Barrett, Founder and Co-CEO, Imagine Swimming, Inc.

“We are very excited to provide the community access to a state-of-the-art turf field,” said Peter Zaratin, Globall Chief Executive Officer. “The 60 x 40-yard field, with a 90-foot ceiling height, provides that open-outdoor space playing feeling, but with the benefits of being indoors while allowing multi-sport organizations the needed home to schedule multi-year programming.” 

“Marvel is thrilled to be part of the team that has preserved a significant piece of Brooklyn’s history and transformed it into a magnet for Crown Heights,” said Jonathan Marvel, founding partner of Marvel. “We oriented our design around this iconic early 20th-century structure while adding new homes for many, abundant community amenities and services, and a variety of recreational spaces, which are uncommon in New York. In addition to reusing the existing building, we incorporated sustainable features to reduce energy and water use that will lessen its impact on the environment.” 

CBS News: Nonprofits Now Have New Home In Brooklyn, Thanks To Transformation Of Bedford-Union Armory

By Aundrea Cline-Thomas

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NEW YORK (CBS New York) — After years of planning and debate, the Bedford-Union Armory has been transformed into a recreational facility and housing.

The complex was named after civil rights activist and former Congressman Major Owens in the spirit of his efforts to bring much-needed resources to the Brooklyn community, CBS2’s Aundrea Cline-Thomas reported Wednesday.

Nearly a whole city block of retrofitted space, a recreation area honoring slain former Gov. Andrew Cuomo aide Carey Gabay, complete with basketball courts and a swimming pool, is a long way from the origins of the Bedford-Union Armory.

“It was built for the New York State Calvary Troop C, so what used to happen here is the commanders would stand where we are now and they would observe the drills,” said Donald Capoccia, managing principal of BFC Partners.

Now the space embodies the hopes of former Rep. Owens, who the entire facility is now named after.

He envisioned it becoming a hub of opportunities for the underserved Crown Heights community.

“We tell our young people to say no to gangs, drugs, violence, but we don’t give them what to say yes to. This is what they have to say yes to,” City Council Majority Leader Laurie Cumbo said.

Nonprofits now have a permanent home, like New Heights, which provides basketball and college prep classes to high school students, and the Brooklyn Community Pride Center, which will offer mental and behavioral health services, along with co-working spaces, for the LGBTQ community.

“For us to have safe brave spaces for us to be ourselves and not have to code switch when folks come into the room is very, very important,” said Floyd Rumohr, CEO of the Brooklyn Community Pride Center.

The project includes 415 new apartments. Residents initially raised concerns about gentrification, causing a change in the original plans that ended with 60% of units are designated as affordable housing.

“Ten percent of units will be transitional housing for those that will be coming out of a shelter. So, we made every effort to make sure this is truly affordable housing,” Cumbo said.

Nearly a decade in the making, what’s old is new again and the hope is to create a spark for the next generation.

The cost of memberships are provided on a sliding scale based on income, and ranges from $8 for youth to a standard rate of $30 per month.

For more information on the Bedford-Union Armory, the Brooklyn Community Pride Center and New Heights, please click here, here and here.

Fast Company: Brooklyn is the gentrification capital of America. This $256 million experiment tries to change that

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By Nate Berg

Filling nearly a full city block in the lower-income Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, a gigantic barrel-vaulted building sits as a vestige of a distant past. The 67,000-square-foot building—about a professional soccer field worth of space—was home to a troop of horse riders for the New York State Cavalry when it was built in the late 1800s. Today, after years of vacancy and a takeover by the city of New York, a large-scale renovation has turned that historic space into a massive community-focused recreation center, with health services, offices for local nonprofits, and mixed-income housing.

The historic Bedford-Union Armory is now the Major Owens Health and Wellness Community Center. The former horse training shed with its high arched roof is now a bright, massive recreation space with three basketball courts, one soccer field, and a six-lane swimming pool. The former administrative building of the cavalry commander now houses heavily discounted offices and studios for community organizations. The project also includes a performing arts space with seating for 500 people, and a 25,000-square-foot federally qualified health center providing ambulatory, dental, psychiatric, maternal, and orthopedic care. More than 400 new apartments line the edge of the site. Built with some state and local grants and tax credits, the entire project cost about $256 million.

Designed by Marvel, the restored horse training structure and its former cavalry offices will now be home to a collection of nonprofits, with rents held at affordable rates for 99 years in order to provide small community-focused organizations some much needed stability.

“Throughout the city, for nonprofit organizations, no matter how good of a service they provide, they’re only able to provide for a short period of time because the cost of real estate just keeps going up and up and up, and eventually they’re priced out,” says Donald Capoccia, managing principal of BFC Partners, which developed the project. “The goal here was to give a number of nonprofits a permanent home.”

One of the nonprofits moving into the facility is New Heights, a basketball-based after-school academic program for children in fourth through twelfth grade. Before moving into the new community center, which has its ribbon cutting this week, New Heights had been nomadic for the past decade, according to executive director Ted Smith. “We used 12 to 15 sites throughout New York City,” he says. “Every year was a scramble for us to find gyms and classroom spaces in schools, churches, community centers. It’s been really challenging for us.” Moving into a long-term facility, he says, “creates consistency, it strengthens the organization, and it allows us to spend more time directly serving our kids and families.”

In exchange for creating these community assets, the developer was granted the right to build 415 units of rental housing, 260 of which are set at affordable rents with about 30 set aside for formerly homeless residents.

The city took ownership of the property in 2013 and its economic development corporation selected BFC Partners to redevelop it in 2015. The project was originally proposed to include 65 market-rate condos for sale, but that quickly hit a wall with the community. “They did not want this kind of housing built in their neighborhood. For pretty valid reasons,” Capoccia says. “They had a lot of concerns about gentrification in Crown Heights. They still do today.”

That led to a more community-focused project, with more than half of its housing units priced affordably and a community benefits agreement that offers deeply discounted access to the center’s recreational classes and fitness facilities. The community center will operate at no profit; rents and fees from the offices and sports facilities will cover the estimated $2.5 million in annual operating costs. (The developer will see a return on investment from the site’s market-rate housing.)

Capoccia says there are three other similar and underutilized armory buildings in other parts of the city. This project, which he calls the city’s first health and wellness community, could be a model for creating community assets while also developing housing that can provide a return.

“This very distressed community does not have any nonacademic space for children to play,” says Capoccia. “We definitely wanted to accomplish something and help the community, but we’re also making money.”

Empire Entertainment: New Heights GameChangers Ball 2021

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Empire was proud to produce New Heights’ 5th annual gala, The GameChangers Ball, as an in-person event on October 21, 2021. This year’s gala held special significance, inviting guests for an exclusive first look at their new space at the Major R. Owens Health & Wellness Community Center in Crown Heights Brooklyn, featuring sports facilities, basketball courts, classrooms, office, and community spaces.

The gala began with a cocktail reception and a jazz performance by KingKlavé. Overlooking the basketball court, the guests viewed live basketball played by the New Heights youth members on the new court.

Guests were then seated for dinner and the main program at the community space which was transformed into a ballroom for this special occasion. Catering for the evening was presented by a special collaboration of two of the finest local caterers, Dining with Grace and Ginger Root, and desserts were provided by Brownstone Cheesecakes, a popular bakery based in Brooklyn.

While guests enjoyed dinner, the program consisted of an introduction to the new space, an awards ceremony to four special honorees, a live auction, and a call to action by New Heights executives. The honorees were Lance Thomas, New Heights Class of 2006, Board Member, Duke National Champion and NBA Veteran; Don Capoccia, Principal of BFC Partners; Amber Sabathia, Co-Founder & Executive Director at PitCCh In Foundation and Player Agent, CAA Baseball; and Bruce E. Mosler, Chairman of Global Brokerage at Cushman & Wakefield.

Working closely with New Heights, Empire served as the overall event producer, managing elements including venue, catering, décor, programming, and technical production. Empire is a leading producer of fundraising events and has been proud to serve leading not-for-profit organizations and foundations for nearly three decades.

About New Heights:

New Heights Youth, Inc. is a non-profit sports-based youth-development and educational organization based in New York City.

New Heights creates opportunities and provides support for promising youth to fulfill their potential in the classroom, on the court and in the community. Their mission is to educate and empower promising underserved youth to be leaders, champions and student-athletes by developing the skills necessary for success in high school, college and life.

Specifically, the organization uses basketball as a “hook” to engage young men and women in the program, help them access high quality educational opportunities, and instill in them the values and life skills that will prepare them for success in life beyond sports.

Client Testimonial: Teaming up with Empire to produce our annual GameChangers Ball was one of the smartest decisions we made. Turning a century-old armory into a luxurious ballroom was a tall order, but Empire – and Sammy Kim in particular – planned every detail beautifully and within our budget. Thank you for guiding us on this journey and making our event vision a reality!!

USA Today: From Topps baseball cards to basketball murals, artist Efdot has focused his creativity on sports

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By Bryan Kalbrosky

NEW YORK – Eric Friedensohn didn’t even have time to get nervous. He was about to take the mound at Wrigley Field in July.

But it wasn’t going to be easy. He hadn’t thrown a baseball in a long time, and the mound feels like it’s twice as far away from home plate when you’re suddenly in front of a big crowd. It didn’t matter if he was ready. It was finally his time.

“I still don’t think I’ve fully processed it,” Friedensohn told For The Win. “I was elated. I was surprised. I had 15 minutes warning, so I was a little bit scared.”

The pitch wasn’t amazing. It landed outside the strike zone, and Clark, the official mascot of the Cubs who was waiting with a glove behind the plate, wasn’t able to catch it. For a ceremonial first pitch, though, it wasn’t as embarrassing as someone like 50 Cent or Dr. Fauci.

All things considered, it wasn’t a bad look for Friedensohn, especially since he makes his living as an abstract artist.

Friedensohn, also known as Efdot, is a visual artist and creative director based in Brooklyn who works with large-scale mural installations, fine art, screenprints and product collaborations. He has a few people employed on his team at his studio in Buschwick, which he said functions like a “mini creative agency” that he runs in tandem with his fine art practice.

He describes himself as very community-driven, and he has painted all types of murals, reaching as local as nearby small businesses and as expansive as co-working spaces around the world.

One example of his community-driven mindset includes his efforts to raise more than $60,000 for the charity Bring Change 2 Mind (BC2M) with the Cubs. Efdot was actually throwing the first pitch at Wrigley because the Cubs asked him to collaborate on a limited-edition collection for Mental Health Awareness Month. The project included a screen print and several pieces of apparel. He also appeared on Chicago outfielder Ian Happ’s podcast about mental health.

“Mixing my art with sports on that project was really interesting to me because it felt soft and tender,” explained Efdot.

When he caught up with For The Win, he was days into a project for the nonprofit New Heights NYC, which is a youth development program that aims to empower and educate underserved children. Part of its curriculum includes after-school basketball programs, and some of its notable alumni include NBA players, such as Precious Achiuwa, Moses Brown and Lance Thomas.

For this particular project, Efdot was installing a mural for New Heights NYC’s soon-to-open relocated home at the Bedford Union Armory in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn. The center will feature multiple brand-new basketball courts, and through his energetic style that sometimes resembles a city grid, his mural shared the story of the organization’s history.

The primary theme of this mural is ascension, with staircases a common motif. He included fun nods to NYC like a metro card, a big apple and other representations of the community and the New Heights organization itself.

“This is our new home so we really wanted to work with an artist that could come in and tell the story of where we’ve started and where we’ve come to,” Ashley Faison, the chief development officer for New Heights, told For The Win. “He has done a beautiful job marrying the concepts of books and basketball, and that stands out right away.”

This piece is one of many he has done with sports as a subject matter, which is an increasingly popular trend among some artists. Efdot is one of several contemporary artists who has become known for making art about sports.

Like many, sports were a big part of Friedensohn’s life when he was growing up. He played baseball and tennis and soccer. But the Brooklyn-based artist described his participation in athletics as a love-hate relationship. At a certain point, he said, he felt like he was playing more for his parents than he was for himself.

He began to realize that when he was finding more joy in art — he was inspired by his grandmother, who made stained glass as a material — and skateboarding. Eventually, he stopped playing altogether.

“But I always loved the art of sports,” said Efdot, who said he appreciated the rich history of design, typography and color on ephemera such as uniforms, patches, pins, hats and scoreboards. “I loved the nostalgia of seeing Brooklyn Dodgers in script. It still gives me a really warm feeling when I [see] those logos.”

Even though he was no longer playing, he still held fond memories from his childhood, like when he collected baseball cards with his brother. The two of them would sell items in their collection at school during recess.

Everything came full circle for Efdot when this past year, he was selected as one of the 20 artists featured to team up with baseball card trading company Topps for its Project 2020. He felt really lucky, of course, but he knew it wasn’t going to be an easy task. He typically didn’t draw faces and hadn’t paid as much attention to baseball as he did when he was younger.

“I was pretty nervous about it,” he admitted. “But it brought me back. It forced me to go back to my childhood memories. That was such a healthy thing for me to do during the early parts of the pandemic. It was a little bit of an escape with nostalgia.”

At first, because he didn’t want to redraw the players and represent them wrong, he mostly drew around their silhouettes to create an abstract environment or background while leaving their photographs intact.

Since then, Efdot pitched his own spin-off series that he sold through Topps in which he paid tribute to 10 iconic stadiums around the league. Those subjects didn’t have to use the human form, which gave him some more creative freedom than he had with the previous endeavor.

After completing that, he now is one of more than 50 artists currently participating in Topps’ Project 70. Unlike in Project 2020, where he was assigned cards to remix, he now has more creative flexibility to design any card from within 70 years of archival material in the Topps collections.

This time around, with the increased experience under his belt, he has leaned more into illustrations. He also changed the background of his images from black to white.

Meanwhile, with the booming markets of NFTs and the somewhat surprising popularity of remixed trading cards like his own, it’s as clear as ever that people love owning things. These days, he’s thinking about his submissions to Topps more in terms of how it relates to a series in the mind of a collector.

Within his creative process, that means doing as much research as possible on his subject so that he can add layers to the piece. He doesn’t have as much space to add as many details as he would in a mural, but he was able to pay tribute to the infamous Billy Ripken card with a swear word on it by sneaking in a reference on his card for Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

Of course, Efdot acknowledged that there is only a small subset of people who like both sports and art, let alone his specific style of art.

But once those people found him, he was able to cultivate a collector base and reward them in unique ways. One idea he executed was to sell companion cards — featuring his own intellectual property with his original abstract figurative Blob character — that he printed himself in Queens.

The Blob character shows up again on his mural in Crown Heights, this time while wearing a basketball uniform sporting the No. 8 on the front. Like in much of his work, which is both playful and accessible, the figure evokes fluidity and motion in an otherwise static image.

“I could be myself, fully, but also express it through sports,” explained Efdot. “I love finding avenues to flex my own creative muscles of what I’m doing outside of sports while still meshing it with sports.”

He aims to take the essence of his subject and boil it down to one icon, almost like a logo in sports. Over time, he hopes that people begin to associate his creations with certain feelings in their own life.

As he continues to hone his style, in all of his practice, Efdot looks to create images simple enough so they can be easily digestible and recognizable while still remaining unique and full of personality.

For example, when he collaborated with Topps, his intentions were to move away from the uber- sleek digital photography of contemporary baseball cards and more toward the illustrated look that was found on the back of baseball cards in the 1950s.

One recent example of that was his card for Satchel Paige. Artistically, this is one of his most successful pieces to date because it captures the recognizable motion that is found within both Paige’s pitching windup (where his arm is whipping upon release) and marries that to the visual language of Efdot’s iconic, wavy style.

“It’s almost a wink in each design,” explained Efdot. “For me, finding that balance has been fun.”

Of course, working with Topps has also attracted a new group of sports fans to his art. For some, his style hasn’t resonated, and he said he had to build up a thicker skin to the criticism.

However, he said the overwhelming majority are supportive and understand what he is doing and understand the vision. People have questions about the art, and they want to know what is happening next. In fact, he’s even seen some folks who bought his baseball cards go on to buy one of his original pieces, like a line drawing of the city or of one of his characters in nature.

“The passion from the audience is bigger than anything I’ve ever experienced before,” said Efdot. “One of my favorite things is seeing these baseball card collectors become art collectors.

News 12 The Bronx: New Heights Receives Grant from NBA Foundation

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NBA Foundation Announces Second Grant Round To Support Black Economic Empowerment

NBA FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES SECOND GRANT ROUND TOTALING MORE THAN $3 MILLION TO SUPPORT BLACK ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT

NEW YORK, April 5, 2021 – The NBA Foundation today announced a total of more than $3 million in grants that will create employment opportunities, further career advancement and drive greater economic empowerment in Black communities. Nine organizations – Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami, Braven, Center for Leadership Development, City Year, CodeCrew, The Collective Blueprint, NAF, New Heights Youth and Road to Hire – have been selected as part of the Foundation’s second grant round. The grants will enhance and build upon the important work of these national and local organizations that align with the NBA Foundation’s mission to provide skills training, mentorship, coaching and pipeline development for high school, college-aged, job-ready and mid-career individuals in Black communities across the United States and Canada.

Below is a full list of the grant recipients:

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami, Inc. aims for all youth to achieve their full potential by creating and supporting one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite their power and promise. As an affiliate of BBBS of America, the oldest and largest mentoring organization in the country, BBBS Miami is rooted and grounded in social justice to develop a diverse and equitable workforce.

Braven
Braven is a national organization that empowers promising college students with the skills, confidence, experiences and networks necessary to transition from college to stable first jobs, which lead to meaningful careers and lives of impact.

Center for Leadership Development
For more than four decades, the Center for Leadership Development (CLD) has transformed the lives of Black young people in Indianapolis, helping students and their families overcome pervasive challenges by equipping them for post-secondary and professional success with the character development tools, values and skills needed to flourish and enrich their communities.

City Year
City Year is a national organization that helps students and schools succeed while preparing the next generation of civically engaged leaders who can work across lines of difference. In partnership with teachers and schools, City Year AmeriCorps members cultivate learning environments where all students can build on their strengths and thrive while acquiring valuable skills and experiences that prepare them for career success.

CodeCrew
CodeCrew is a Memphis-based organization that educates and mentors Black students and professionals, who are underrepresented in tech, to become tech innovators and leaders through practical hands-on computer science training.

The Collective Blueprint
Through its mission to increase socioeconomic mobility for Opportunity Youth in Memphis by building pathways to thriving careers, the Collective Blueprint develops and runs high-quality supportive programs to help young adults secure careers while advocating to improve educational and employment systems for all young adults.

NAF
NAF is a national organization solving some of the biggest challenges facing education and workforce development by bringing education, business and community leaders together to increase access to opportunities for more than 100,000 high school students that help them reach their full potential.

New Heights Youth
New Heights is a New York City-based organization whose mission is to educate and empower promising underserved youth to be leaders, champions and student-athletes by helping them develop the skills necessary for success in high school, college and life.

Road to Hire
Road to Hire (R2H) is a Charlotte-based organization that is redefining who is given the chance to start a life-changing career by connecting under-resourced young adults with onramps to high-earning and in-demand careers through paid training, college access, robust life skills support and mentorship.

In December 2020, the NBA Foundation announced exalt, Management Leadership for Tomorrow, Marcus Graham Project, Operation DREAM, TEAM Inc., The Knowledge House and the Youth Empowerment Project as inaugural grant recipients. The Foundation will continue to collaborate with all 30 teams, their affiliated charitable organizations and the NBPA to support national and local organizations and their efforts to increase education and employment access in Black communities. Over the next 10 years, the 30 NBA team governors will collectively contribute $30 million annually in initial funding and the NBA Foundation will work strategically to develop additional funding sources.

To learn more about the NBA Foundation or apply for a grant, please visit www.nbafoundation.com.

Patch.com: Brooklyn Non-Profit Awards Over $300,000 in COVID-19 Grants

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New York, N.Y. – Brooklyn Communities Collaborative (BCC) today announced an additional $338,000 in grants to nonprofits serving Brooklyn's neighborhoods and residents most impacted by COVID-19. The grants are a part of the organization's $3 million commitment to help the City of New York return and recover. The funds, provided through BCC's Strong Communities Fund, aims to supply community-based organizations with the necessary resources to serve the borough of Brooklyn.

This new round of grantmaking will be distributed to the following Brooklyn based organizations:

• The Campaign Against Hunger has been awarded $125,000 to meet the food needs of its constituents. Funding will be used for social services assistance, transportation, and food.

• Little Essentials has been awarded $50,000 to support the organization's goal to provide families with early childhood care supplies like diapers and strollers. The funding will support the organization's expansion in Brooklyn.

• New Heights Youth Inc. has been awarded $50,000 to provide athletic and academic support to Brooklyn's at-risk youth. The funding will be used to implement virtual and in-person learning components for its participants, minimizing the academic, athletic and social deficits caused by the pandemic.

• Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls has been awarded $45,000 to support its arts education curriculum for girls and trans youth in the digital environment. The funding will be used to provide additional digital equipment and resources, retain personnel and cover operating expenses.

• The Red Hook Initiative has been awarded $30,000 to provide funding for the residents of Red Hook.

• Anne Kastor Brooklyn Free Clinic has been awarded nearly $20,000 to support its free clinic, providing funding for personnel and operating costs.

• GrowHouse International has been awarded $20,000 to teach out of school Brooklyn youth how to create racial and health equity interventions. Funding will cover technology supplies for the Youth Leadership program.

"Throughout the pandemic, we have seen the disproportionate effect of this virus on our local communities; and, we made a commitment early to combat these challenges. We know that the only way forward is together, and assisting community-based organizations to get the resources they need will help us to recover. These organizations are joining a long list of doers and fighters that are making an impact in their neighborhoods and their communities," said Marilyn Fraser, MD, CEO of Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health and Brooklyn Communities Collaborative Board Member.

"Little Essentials is honored to receive $50,000 from the Brooklyn Communities Collaborative Stronger Communities Fund! We were established in Brooklyn in 2011 to serve struggling parents in need. We have continued to serve Brooklyn families through our nine community partners based in the borough. We are excited to move back to Brooklyn in 2021 where we will be able to strengthen our community ties and expand our partner network. We are thrilled to receive this grant to help us continue to address the needs of families struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as focus on the long-term needs of Brooklyn families living in poverty," said Zakiyyah Mohamed-Stevens, Interim ED, Little Essentials.

"New Heights is a sports-based youth development organization dedicated to supporting youth and families by combining academic, athletic, and social-emotional learning to create college and career opportunities. New Heights is honored to receive a generous grant from the Strong Communities Fund. 2021 will be a game-changing year for our organization as we open a new facility in the heart of Brooklyn that will enable us to scale our impact, and this partnership with the SCF will play a big role in our community engagement," said Ted Smith, Executive Director, New Heights Youth Inc.

"BCC's Strong Communities Fund allows us the opportunity to create impactful, interactive, and supportive social-emotional online programming for our community partners, thereby meeting the moment during the COVID reality and leaning into the healing, community building facet of creative expression," said LaFrae Sci, Executive Director, Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls.

"The Anne Kastor Brooklyn Free Clinic is honored to have received a grant from the Strong Communities Fund. The Brooklyn Free Clinic is a student-run clinic in the East Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn that provides completely free healthcare to underserved, uninsured adults. With the help of medical students, nursing students, and other allied-health students, we strive every day to combat the health disparities experienced by our patients and our community. These much-needed funds will help the Brooklyn Free Clinic to deliver high-quality primary care and target social determinants of health," said Nicholas Tan, CFO, Anne Kastor Brooklyn Free Clinic.

"GrowHouse NYC educates, trains, and challenges Latinx, Black, and Indigenous youth to become leaders in designing healthy and racially equitable communities by guiding young leaders through a project-based, design-focused curriculum in which they develop 21st-century skills and use them to enact change in their communities. We're proud to be recipients of the Strong Communities Fund," said Shanna Sabio, Executive Director, GrowHouse International.

Stavros Niarchos Foundation: The Teams Helping Get Young New Yorkers through the Pandemic

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“I cannot wait to get in the gym with my teammates and my coaches,” says Grace Sundback. It’s a particularly challenging time for young people in New York, with school schedules, social lives, and—particularly in underserved communities—support networks upended indefinitely.

To help support them in continuing to grow and thrive, SNF has made a cluster of grants to nine stellar organizations that use sports activities as a framework for engagement—organizations such as New Heights, where Sundback is part of the Class of 2023.

In the able hands of these nine grantees, sports become tools for fostering personal growth, academic success, and holistic wellbeing. At each organization, the athletic activity at hand is the entry point to a rich variety of resources, from college admissions help to immigration legal services, and experiences, including participating in urban waterway restoration and building a wooden boat from scratch in the case of Rocking the Boat.

It’s squash at StreetSquash, figure skating at Figure Skating in Harlem, soccer at South Bronx United, basketball at New Heights, and baseball and softball at DREAM. New York Road Runners takes to the streets to facilitate fitness activities for young people, including those who use wheelchairs, while Rocking the Boat, Row New York, and Hudson River Community Sailing all take to the water for rowing and sailing.

The hook that draws people to participate, the sports activity, taps a playful sense of competitiveness, but the programming behind it is about steadfast encouragement, a lasting community of peers and coaches, and skills for self-determined success.

“Each of these organizations approaches the critical work of guiding young people with originality and joy, making teamwork and athletic challenge a matrix for personal growth,” said SNF Senior Program Officer Roula Siklas. “They have continued to carry out their missions in spite of all the obstacles the pandemic has created, and SNF is proud to support their important work.”

The new grants are part of SNF’s ongoing $100 million global initiative to help provide relief from the effects of the pandemic, but they build on previous SNF grants to each organization stretching as far back as a decade.

SNF believes that sports offer a flexible matrix for supporting young people by fostering inclusion and building skills for future success and personal wellbeing, in schools, in refugee communities, on remote islands, and beyond.

“The impact of these organizations goes far beyond their courts, rinks, and arenas of play,” said SNF Program Officer Kira Pritchard of the nine grantees. “They provide crucial educational and wrap-around social services to the kids and communities they serve every day.”

New Heights on the Today Show: NYC youth basketball program gets a heartwarming holiday surprise

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TODAY’s Season of Giving continues with a special surprise for a group of young New York City basketball players and the dedicated coaches and mentors who support them, including a mother of four who is battling a second round of ovarian cancer after beating COVID-19 earlier this year. NBC’s Morgan Radford reports for TODAY.

Page Six: GameChangers Ball 2020

Nets Daily: Kevin Durant, Degree deodorant team up on $1 million donation for social justice

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Kevin Durant and Degree Deodorant have teamed up to donate a million dollars to multiple organizations to help teach kids the power of sports in combating social issues.

Durant’s multiple companies, Thirty Five Ventures, The Boardroom, and Kevin Durant Charity Foundation jointly released a statement on the recent events and how the donation will be used.

“We are united in defense of black lives and black voices everywhere, and we join our peers and colleagues in the call for an end to the systemic racism in our country. We are making a donation to the NAACP and Center for Policing Equity in honor of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and all those who’ve lost their lives or suffered injustice at the hands of the police.”

Ten organizations will receive funds, three of them in the New York area: Kids in the Game, New Heights Youth Inc., and Row New York.

KD’s contribution is the latest in a string of donations by the Nets organization and individual players since the NBA shut down in March, both for food and financial relief to those affected by COVID-19 and now for social justice programs in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd.

Bleacher Report: Kevin Durant, Degree Pledge to Donate $1M to 10 Organizations for Social Justice

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Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant and Degree Deodorant reportedly agreed to donate $1 million to 10 different organizations in an effort to promote social justice. 

Kristian Winfield f the New York Daily News reported the news, noting the 10 organizations—including three New York-based: Kids in the Game, New Heights Youth Inc. and Row NY—will teach children how to use sports to raise social awareness.

This comes after Durant's companies, Thirty Five Ventures, The Boardroom and Kevin Durant Charity Foundation, released a statement saying they will donate money to help fight systemic racism and police brutality and honor the memories of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others.