SCO News

PRESS RELEASE: 5th Annual SCO/Family Dynamics Art Auction & Cocktail Party

March 26, 2015 / SCO News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Press Contact: Sharman Stein, Director of Communications [email protected], (718) 797-3068 Brooklyn, New York – The 5th Annual SCO/Family Dynamics Art Auction & Cocktail Party will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 28th at Site/109, 109 Norfolk St., in Manhattan. The auction’s Honorary Artist Chair is contemporary artist Harif Guzman of New York. Harif’s early years in his father’s print shop and roots in street art, collage and mechanical reproduction continue to inspire and inform his transformation from “street-smart skate punk” to acclaimed contemporary painter and mixed media artist. Guzman has created an original painting for the Auction entitled “Death Divorce Debt.” In addition to Guzman, whose work has a worldwide following, and has been featured at The Whitney Museum of Art, the other talented artists whose works will be auctioned off include: Ryan Keeley, Richard Phillips, Alison Jackson, Ron Diorio, Robert Szot, Deborah Brown, Erik Parker, Clayton Calvert, Andrew Fladeboe, Eric Demarchelier, Patricia Avellan, Ashley Woodson Bailey, Georgia Elrod, J Grabowski, Ann Jackson, Richard Jacobs, Anthony Kiernen, Glenn Paul Smith, Ross Watts and Brian Pearson. The Art Auction supports Family Dynamics’ after-school art programming, which provides art instruction for children and teens in high-need communities throughout Central Brooklyn. To date, students have created striking self-portraits, mixed media and collage style landscapes, sculptures and stagecraft all with discarded materials. As their contribution to the Auction, students will create and donate for auction a large mixed media portrait of President Barack Obama made of fabric, beads and other nonconventional materials provided in partnership with Materials for the Arts.

FirstStepNYC hosts CityTech Nurses for community health event

March 24, 2015 / Independent Youth News

Seeking to raise awareness for two major health concerns facing children and families in Brownsville – uncontrolled asthma and childhood obesity – the New York City College of Technology Nursing Department and representatives from Brookdale and Kings County hospitals Tuesday held a community meeting at SCO/FirstStepNYC, an early childhood education…

January is National Mentoring Month – Get Involved!

January 12, 2015 / Independent Youth News

Could you navigate through a twisting, turning, pitch-black tunnel using only your sense of touch? Our kids did just that in the “Touch Tunnel,” one of many cool exhibits enjoyed Saturday by participants in our Family Dynamics Mentoring Program at the Liberty Science Center. See more photos below! January is National Mentoring Month – If you’d like to Be Someone Who Matters to Someone Who Matters, email us at [email protected]. Find out more: http://sco.org/2014-mentoring-benefit/

Family Dynamics Mentoring Benefit Draws More Than 100 Supporters

October 27, 2014 / SCO News

Ensuring a fun-filled year full of adventures for Family Dynamics mentors and mentees, more than 100 mentors, friends and supporters turned out to the 2014 Family Dynamics’ Youth Mentoring Program Benefit at Gilded Lily in Chelsea on October 23rd. Proceeds support the Mentoring Program’s annual activities, including monthly outings to recreational and cultural sites in New York City. The benefit was organized by the mentors, including event hosts James Maher, Katie Koh, Matt Sussman, Jeremy Harper.

Family Dynamics Mentoring Program builds relationships that matter

October 16, 2014 / Independent Youth News

Jada Wade was eight when she took her first field trip in Family Dynamics’ Mentoring Program. She was paired with volunteer Ray Siegel, a first-time mentor, and the two –now ages 11 and 30 – have been inseparable on every trip since. Family Dynamics’ Mentoring Program matches 25 children in its school-based programs with adult professionals who accompany the young people on monthly outings to recreational and cultural sites in New York City. It gives the kids a chance to establish relationships with their mentors while enjoying new experiences. On Oct.23rd, SCO will hold the annual Youth Mentoring Program fundraiser at the Gilded Lily in Manhattan – please join us!

Governor Cuomo Awards SCO Grant for After-School Programs

July 18, 2014 / Independent Youth News

We're thrilled to be among the organizations awarded funding by Governor Cuomo for after-school programming in the 2014/2015 school year. The grant will help SCO continue to provide quality after-school programming for youth as part of our community school programs in Brooklyn. Read the full press release from the Governor Cuomo's Office below:

BK Live Features SCO Program Directors: Julia Jean-Francois and Rick Gallwey

May 8, 2014 / SCO News

Julia Jean-Francois (SCO’s Center for Family Life, Sunset Park), Rick Gallwey (SCO’s Family Dynamics Program, Bed-Stuy), Shijuade Kadree (Staff Attorney, Brooklyn Defender Services – Family Defense Practice), Gittel Kagan-Follman (Director of Social Work, Brooklyn Defender Services – Family Defense Practice) discuss foster care in Brooklyn. Original air date:…

2014 Family Dynamics Art Auction A Great Success

May 2, 2014 / Independent Youth News

The 4th Annual SCO Family Dynamics Art Auction was a huge success! Thanks to our wonderful supporters and all the artists who donated their work, last night's benefit raised a record amount and will help us to expand after-school arts programming in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Bushwick and Brownsville. Thanks, everyone!

WSJ Donor of the Day: Alexandra Alger Boosts Arts in Family Dynamics Program

April 28, 2014 / Independent Youth News

The Wall Street Journal By MELANIE GRAYCE WEST April 27, 2014 9:31 p.m. ET Everything good about an arts education for children—fueling personal expression, improving cognitive development and having fun—is what Alexandra Alger wanted for her own children. Turns out, she also wanted it for children living just a few miles from her in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn. About six years ago, a friend encouraged Ms. Alger to check out the after-school programming provided by Family Dynamics, an initiative of the SCO Family of Services, a Brooklyn-based organization that provides a variety of social and occupational services to help some of Brooklyn's neediest people.