Queens Defenders Partners with NY State Senator James Sanders Jr. to Host Workshops on the Recent Marijuana Legalization Bill

The Marijuana Regulation & Taxation Act (MRTA) legalizes the production, distribution, and use of marijuana. This bill removes marijuana and marijuana products from New York's Controlled Substances Act and allows for the regulation of marijuana under the supervision of the Liquor Authority of New York State.

Queens Defenders is working collaboratively with NY State Senator James Sanders Jr. to educate the community about the new bill.

In one of our first partnered events, Kirlyn Joseph and Hector Rodriguez of Queens Defenders participated in NY State Senator James Sanders Jr.'s podcast on the subject. Listen here.

Queens County Resumes In-Person Arraignments in the Next Step of the Court System’s Cautious Return to In-Person Proceedings.

Queens County Criminal Court opened its doors to in-person arraignments on Sunday, July 11th. This step in New York City's phased reopening is featured in the Queens Daily Eagle. There, Queens Defenders Executive Director, Lori Zeno, is quoted saying, while the efficiency of virtual proceedings is valuable, seeing clients in person makes a “huge difference."

"Meeting someone for the first time at such a stressful point is better in person,” Zeno said. “I think it's great that our clients — especially those who are incarcerated — are finally getting to come into the courtroom. It's slow, but that’s better than not happening at all.”

Read the full article here.

Queens Defenders Youth Participate in Chalk Walk for Foster Care Awareness Month

In honor of Foster Care Awareness Month in May, the Queens Defenders BLANK Project and Rockaway team took to the Boardwalk to spread positive and informative messages about foster care. Youth from the community joined and had a great time!

Read more about this initiative here.

Queens Defenders Youth March to Stop Asian Hate in the Far Rockaway Community

In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May, our Youth Leaders and the Queens Defenders BLANK Project gave thanks to our community members and called on others to stop AAPI hate.

Read more about the BLANK Project here.

Queens Defenders Youth Graduate from Mentoring Program

On Tuesday, July 13, the Queens Defenders Jamaica Youth Program held a closing ceremony to recognize the accomplishments of the youth participants this past year. The three graduates were honored with an engraved crystal to applaud their hard work and determination in achieving such an incredible milestone amid a pandemic and personal trials. All ten program participants received certificates and a small token of appreciation in recognition of their consistency and dedication to the youth program. The staff shared encouraging words with our youth and reminisced about the many good times we have had together. Our youth, who were accustomed to coming into the office for weekly workshops, graciously made the transition to a virtual platform. We are incredibly proud of all they have accomplished, and look forward to seeing what their futures hold!

Read more about this event here.

Meet Alliyah, Hard-Working Youth Leader at Queens Defenders

Education. Advocacy. Community.  These words are at the center of Alliyah's work at Queens Defenders.  Working in the Outreach Center, as well as the Rockaway Community Justice Center, Alliyah strives to make a difference through community engagement with youth and families.  As a current student at St. John's University, Alliyah’s goal is to be a lawyer. 

Alliyah began her work at Queens Defenders as an advocate for Youth Justice Court. Later, she began tutoring in the Outreach Center. Now, she is a fully engaged Young Adult Leader. Her most recent project focused on college readiness culminated with a very successful College Panel. Alliyah organized the event, facilitated the panel, and helped reach dozens of future college students.

Read more about Alliyah's impact here.

Queens Defenders Provides Tax Prep Assistance to Queens Residents

Queens Defenders partnered with the Food Bank for NYC to help community members file their taxes for free. Running from February 27th through May 15th, we helped nearly 200 people file their taxes.

Read more about this initiative here.

Queens Defenders Offers Vaccine Distributions to Community Members

The Queens Defenders Jamaica team has been working tirelessly to extend vaccination opportunities to our clients and the community. Since March, over 800 people have received vaccines out of our Jamaica office.

Queens Defenders Feeds Over 50,000 Families

When the COVID-19 pandemic was at its height in New York City last spring, Queens Defenders responded by launching a food delivery service to help families impacted by domestic violence access healthy food and essential supplies. A year later, this initiative has expanded into a fully staffed Food Pantry that has reached over 50,000 residents of our borough’s hardest-hit communities.

To keep up with the demand for this service, we expanded our operation from the lower level of the Rockaway Community Justice Center to a new 10,000 square-foot Food Distribution Hub, allowing us to add a new weekly distribution site in Jamaica in addition to Far Rockaway. 

We need your help to continue growing our Food Pantry to reach more Queens residents and families in need. From additional refrigeration equipment to safely store perishable items to directly providing boxes of food to individuals and families impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, your donation will ensure we have the resources to meet the unprecedented need for equal access to healthy food and essential supplies in some of our borough’s most vulnerable communities.