Superb organization that offers English lessons and NYC survival skills to newcomers from other…read morelands. Mostly uses the labor of very eager (and trained) volunteers, esp. retired folks. It also offers discount theater and musical event tix to those who work there, vols and students alike. www.intlcenter.org

I'm a volunteer there and I'm always amazed at the energy and enthusiasm of the center. The place…read moreis a beehive of activity and I'm glad to be a member. The staff is very friendly and helpful and my learning partners are very anxious to learn English and learn about our culture. I look forward to helping out at the center for a long time.

Been a parent with 2 special needs kids. I put both of them in HIH within different years apart and…read morethey really tremendous help me out for both of kids. I really recommend this place because it will help you child in different levels to archive from socializing with other kids, feeding techniques, sensory issues, SPL (speech therapy), Occupational therapist and so many other services. I THANKS the Staffs and and all the members of the help, communication and services what they done for both of my kids. This is a Great Place for Early Intervention Services.

There are a million ways that I can be thankful to the staff here at Hand in Hand Development. My…read moreson started here a little late into the year, when he first began he was saying his basics(mom, dad, ball) but pretty much little to no words, phrases and or statements. Learning that he was diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum crushed me a little inside and not because I didn't want to hear it but always as a parent and especially as a mom you want to raise fully healthy, strong and independent children. But even with a diagnosis he was still that happy kid, he doesn't let anything stop him. Month and months of therapy and daycare and he was making some progress but still he needed to be pushed to be where he needed to be. Every child goes at there own pace but he just was struggling and I was struggling to help him, I needed to find a place with people who can actually teach him what I could not and also where he would enjoy going to learn. When my coordinator recommended Hand in Hand I looked in their facility and did my research with other parents who have had kids in similar situations and they all raved about this place. My son means the world to me and I protect him by any means necessary but I know that I have to let him be a kid but I also need to get him the best care and help he needs so that he can thrive. Each and everyone of the teachers that help him are amazing, I get day to day updates whether it be by phone or in person. He has made so much progress in such a short amount of time with him being there that is almost shocking how much of a different kid he is and its because of the dedicated staff that help him each day that he is there. I'm sad that he is leaving and will be attending another program but I am so grateful for all of the hard work they have done with my son. We will miss each and every teacher and front desk staff, they not only helped my son be someone I knew he could be but they also fell in love with him and his personality. He really is an amazing kid who is strong and independent all he needed but a little push and he showed us all what he can do and he will continue to grow as long as I am behind him and I can give him every outlet of help. We need more people like the staff here at Hand in Hand, they mean a lot to me, my son and the rest of my family, we are eternally grateful for them and all that they have done. The Rodriguez Family

America's oldest suburb before Staten Island became one of the five boroughs of New York City, New…read moreBrighton features a variety of homes dating from the 1850s to the present. New Brighton is nestled within a green crescent formed by Snug Harbor, Goodhue Park, Jones Woods and Skyline Park to the west and south and bordered by the Kill Van Kull waterway to the north. On the east, New Brighton borders St. George, which was once part of New Brighton, and Tompkinsville. The area is a mixed income neighborhood where towering Victorian cottages stand within a block of public housing. New Brighton is a popular location for artists and commuters alike, attracted by proximity to the Staten Island Ferry and a diverse population. Two popular bars in the neighborhood are Adobe Blues and Leidy's Shore Inn. Along the waterside of Richmond Terrace, the area is marked by the looming presence of the old U.S. Gypsum works, which today is home to Atlantic Salt and Gerardi's Farmer Market. The St. George/New Brighton Historic District includes many beautiful shingle style Victorian homes, including many examples of the work of Edward Alfred Sargent. There are also many museums within a block of the neighborhood to either side, including Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Gardens, Staten Island Children's Museum, John Noble Collection, Staten Island Museum and the site of the U. S. Lighthouse Museum.

I have (unofficially) moved here from my former neighborhood (Stapleton). If you're from SI for…read moresome time now, you must have heard about bad things on this neighborhood. Yes, I have to admit it can be scary but there goes the challenge & interesting aspect of this neighborhood----I can always use the materials for my writing works (I'm a writer & have been working on several projects the past years of being here in NYC). At least in the area where I live, I always have to pass by some blocks that look somewhat misplaced but who am I to judge about how people should lead & pursue their lives? On certain blocks (I won't name the streets here---do your own research---I am not your teacher LOL), you'd see large vehicles of cops that seem to stay here forever (like, 24/7) so that means something bad probably is ongoing....I see similar things in certain neighborhoods up in the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and upstate Manhattan....but if you see such things occurring in SI, that's a sign that something unusual is ongoing because most people lead relatively quiet lives in this borough. But you'd see relative affluence in this place; I've always wondered how people could afford to have huge houses and they just live by themselves (or with a few family members). You'd see a number of businesses here that are rundown but they have customers. I don't see a lot of 'For Sale' signs (at least in those areas here I've been to) but I have seen a number of boarded up Victorian style houses---I wish they'd be sold soon, renovated, and lived in by other families.....You'd see parks, a diverse presence of people who live & work here, NYC owned buildings, churches, delis, grand looking houses, etc. The neighborhood's not that accessible to public transport----it's hilly so you'd have to exercise yourself if you're thinking of walking in and around the neighborhood. But it's relatively close to St George, which can be reached by walking in half an hour or so from here. I'll share more & update this when I get the chance. In the meantime, explore this neighborhood when you get the chance.

A real blessing in the Jamaica queens area this particular library. There aren't that many in the…read moreneighborhood, but having this one is definitely a plus for the kids and adults who cant go very far to access a library for school projects or use a copy machine or the computers. The staff is nice and helpful over there, and they help to give the kids a safe place to read and due their curriculum.

Came here to attend a one day training but normally the building serves as the children's center…read morefor ACS. This is where the children of NYC are brought when they are entering the cities foster care system. The building was renovated a few years ago but still is like new condition. Not a place that anyone voluntarily would want to frequent but the accommodations for trainings are good.

My partner and I did a little history only a mile from the house. Located at 23 Orchard Street in…read moreGarfield, NJ, this Octagon house was built in 1850 by August Hasbrouck which is a rarity. In 1879, the house originally had a one-story porch across front 3 walls and a flat roof with a cupola owned by Daniel Van Winkle. He died in 1886 and his heirs subdivided the land. Today, a front rectangular addition covered the octagon shape on both stories by enclosing the porch to add 2nd floor to the porch.

With a friend for a short evening class. The school center is very big and cleanread more

The 2011 National MS Bike Ride around the island of Manhattan was so perfect this year !!! The…read moreweather cannot be any better. I have been bike riding within NYC for over 30 years and been on numerous MS rides around the city and ridden many 5-Boro bike tours so I can safely say this is one of the best bike rides inside NYC! The path you take is the parameter of the whole island of Manhattan. You get to ride the entire FDR Drive , Harlem River Drive, and the Westside Highway without any cars! The roadway is pretty smooth and safe. The ride is only 30-mile and it's relatively flat. There is a small hill on the northern tip right outside Isham Park but most of us walked it! The 30-miles sound like a lot but it is very easy and the pace is leisurely. Refreshments and snacks were plentiful. Everyone is friendly and you will be fund raising for a good cause. The event is well organized and with plenty of volunteers to help out in anyway. A big Thank You to all my friends that donated to MS! I hope to see more of my friends at this event next year!