In early December, VNS Health opened two new storefront community centers in Sunset Park, Brooklyn and Flushing, Queens. The centers will provide a range of free offerings for area residents, including programs tailored to the large Asian American populations in those neighborhoods.
Like VNS Health’s Chinatown Community Center in downtown Manhattan, the main focus of the two new centers will be helping local community members, especially seniors, live safely and independently in their homes. Both centers feature bright, newly renovated spaces where community members can attend classes and workshops and community organizations can also meet. Bilingual Chinese-speaking staff members, who collectively speak five different Chinese dialects, are also available at both locations to provide information on VNS Health’s services as well as other community resources.
“We’re excited to launch these two vibrant neighborhood hubs,” says Teresa Lin, VNS Health’s Vice President for Cultural Market Development. “We believe they’ll have significant benefits for the health and well-being of community members—especially non-English-speaking Asian seniors, who often need assistance connecting with local health and social support networks.”
All three of VNS Health’s community centers are open to the public from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday – Friday, except holidays. “Anyone is welcome to drop in or call us at any of our community centers during business hours,” adds Lin. “By providing easy access to our care and services and making them simple to understand and culturally relevant, we are aiming to have a meaningful, ongoing positive impact on the health of these diverse communities.”
Check out our community centers page for more info on each center or if you are interested in any community events visit our events page.
