In an effort to better serve the needs of students and families, StreetSquash has entered into a partnership with the First Corinthian Baptist Church, the Hope Center, and the Dream center, all based just a few blocks away from the S.L. Green StreetSquash Center in Harlem.

For congregants at the Church, StreetSquash will offer after school programming for church goers with students in 5th – 12th grade. 

“It is imperative for StreetSquash to partner with other community based organizations that have been solid pillars to serve the educational needs of the community of Harlem,” Stefany Navarro, StreetSquash’s Program Director said. “These partnerships strengthen the community as a whole and allow us to show unity in a time where so much has taken place and has shifted our norm.”

Meanwhile, the Hope Center is a mental health facility providing counseling to those who need it. The Hope Center primarily serves individuals 18 and older which means the StreetSquash Social Work department will be able to refer alumni of our program as well as caregivers to the facility for those in need of that resource. 

“At StreetSquash we do our best to serve our students and families to the best of our abilities to meet their needs,” Anthony Diana, a social worker at StreetSquash said. “Part of this process is recognizing when we need to pass the torch along. Utilizing community resources like the Hope Center is an essential part of ensuring everyone within the StreetSquash community has access to reputable mental health services.”

Students currently enrolled in StreetSquash will continue to have the opportunity to receive mental health counseling from our in-house social work team. 

The Dream Center serves a multigenerational population and provides workshops, classes, and activities for individuals of all ages. Dream provides a large variety of programming from photography classes, to theater classes, to meditation. This partnership again allows StreetSquash to provide students and their families with learning and enrichment opportunities in addition to the squash instruction and academic support provided by our own programming. 

We look forward to expanding our partnership with these three entities and we’re excited for families in Harlem to benefit from it.