| | Dear Friend, What a year it has been – I could not have foreseen anything like what 2020 has thrown our way and how Queens Defenders has mobilized to expand the scope of our services to meet the needs of residents across the borough. Our attorneys continue to fight for justice every day for our clients and our community outreach team has risen to the task to ensure the individuals, youth, and families we serve have access to the resources needed to survive this pandemic. Below you will read about the skyrocketing demand for our newly established Food Pantry and how we are doubling down on our commitment to this vital service to reach more Queens residents, a new grant-funded partnership with the Queens Public Library, the official launching of the Rockaway Community Justice Center, our ongoing youth programming featuring new corporate partners and returning friends, and more. I hope you will consider supporting our work on Giving Tuesday, December 1st, and I look forward to sharing more of our accomplishments with you as we enter the new year. From all of us at Queens Defenders, have happy, healthy, and safe holiday season. Sincerely, 
Lori Zeno, Esq.
Founder & Executive Director |
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 Lori Zeno, Esq.
Founder & Executive Director |
|  | Support Queens Defenders this #GivingTuesday, December 1st! |
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| | Meet Hector, Inspiring Youth Organizer at Queens Defenders From volunteer, to part-time Young Adult Leader, to a now full-time Youth Organizer, Hector Rodriguez embodies success at Queens Defenders. Hector is a leader among his peers, but his journey to get here was not always an easy one. Three years ago, Hector was headed down the wrong path. He was skipping school, making bad decisions, and hanging out with some not-so-great influences. He knew he had to turn things around, but couldn’t find the means to do it. On October 5, 2017, when Hector was sixteen, his life changed forever. Read more about Hector's journey here. |
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| | | Queens Defenders in the News Queens Defenders Executive Director Lori Zeno is featured in recent articles highlighting unsafe conditions in New York City courthouses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more about COVID-19 safety in NYC courts and Ms. Zeno's op-ed in the New York Daily News below. |
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|  | Read the New York Daily News’ exclusive coverage of the CrowdRX report with quotes from Executive Director Lori Zeno here. |
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| Read Queens Defenders Executive Director Lori Zeno's Op-Ed in response to the the Daily News' coverage here. |
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 | Read the continuing coverage from CNN on the updated safety protocols in New York City courts here. |
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| |  | Offical Launch of the Rockaway Community Justice Center Has Arrived In October, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz and Queens Defenders finalized their partnership to offer a new diversion program at the Rockaway Community Justice Center. This program allows eligible defendants accused of low-level crimes to receive specialized intervention within their own community, rather than go to criminal court. More information on this program can be found online at rockawaycjc.org and in our official press release here. |
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|  | The Rockaway Community Justice Center website is now live! Visit rockawaycjc.org to learn more. |
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 | Read coverage of the partnership between the Queens DA and Queens Defenders on QNS.com here. |
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 | Read recent coverage of the Rockaway Community Justice Center in the Queens Daily Eagle here. |
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|  | Queens Defenders Food Pantry Has Grown to Serve Thousands of Queens Residents Each Month What began as a dedication to serving twelve families in Far Rockaway who were in need at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, has grown to serve nearly 10,000 children, youth, adults, and seniors throughout the Queens community each month. With the help of our community partners -- JewelEx Group, Food Bank for NYC, Fresh Direct, Rockaway Mutual Aid, Beach 40th Street Tenant Association, the Jewish Community Council of the Rockaway Peninsula, Mr. Mak’s GinBao LLC, Hour Children, Rockaway Greek Council, and NYCHA -- Queens Defenders offers both direct deliveries and large-scale food drives to provide thousands of boxes of emergency supplies each month. Read more about the Queens Defenders Food Pantry here. |
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| |  | Queens Public Library & Queens Defenders Partner to Offer Technical Training for Recent Parolees During COVID-19 Pandemic Queens Defenders and Queens Public Library team up for the “Immediate Access: Technology Re-entry Program” which will assist 75 recent parolees over the next two years. This program is funded through a $330,000 Federal CARES Act Grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services and will include technical training for participants as well as supply them with a smartphone, data plan, and job training. Read more about this new program here. |
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|  | Read about the initiative in the Forest Hills Patch here. |
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 | Read the Queens Daily Eagle's coverage of this partnership here. |
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| |  | Featured Corporate Partner: Investors Bank Conducts a Financial Literacy Workshop for Queens Defenders Young Adult Leaders Queens Defenders partnered with Investors Bank in October to offer a Financial Literacy Workshop for twelve Young Adult Leaders. The workshop provided important tools and information for the Young Adult Leaders including establishing savings and retirement accounts, responsible credit usage, saving for a home, the basics of obtaining a mortgage, and more. Read more about our partnership with Investors Bank here. |
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| Queens Defenders Celebrates Annual Lights On Afterschool Initiative with Chief of Staff and NYC Council Candidate Manuel Silva On October 22, 2020, Queens Defenders joined more than 8,000 organizations across the country to celebrate ‘Lights On Afterschool,’ an annual initiative by the Afterschool Alliance to highlight the importance of afterschool programs throughout the nation. Queens Defenders Young Adult Leaders attended a virtual panel with NYC Council District 31 Chief of Staff and current candidate Manuel Silva, who discussed civic engagement and public service careers with our young people. Read more about this event here. |
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|  | #GivingTuesday is December 1st! This #GivingTuesday, support the Queens Defenders Food Pantry and ensure equal access to healthy food and emergency supplies for individuals and families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are raising funds to purchas a van that will help us address food insecurity for thousands of Queens residents this winter. Check your inbox on Tuesday December 1st for ways to give. |
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| How You Can Help Donate: Your tax-deductible contribution will help us continue to offer community outreach and emergency response services throughout the borough for vulnerable residents of Queens. Click here to make a donation and support our work. Volunteer: To continue to create these impactful programs we need the help of selfless individual and group volunteers. Click here to apply for yourself or your company to volunteer with Queens Defenders. Connect: Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn and help spread the word and visit queensdefenders.org to learn more about our work.     |
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| Queens Defenders
118-21 Queens Blvd Suite 212 | Forest Hills, New York 11375
(718)261-3047 | development@queensdefenders.org |
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