HFH Executive Director, John Greenwood, recently attended the Queen’s Reading Room Roundtable at The New York Public Library, joining leaders from the literary, publishing, education, and nonprofit sectors for an event hosted by Her Majesty Queen Camilla.

Founded by Queen Camilla in 2021, The Queen’s Reading Room promotes the power of books and reading to build stronger, more connected communities. In addition to encouraging literacy and a love of reading, the organization partners with nonprofits—including homelessness and domestic violence organizations—to help bring books and shared reading programs into spaces where they are needed most.

The event brought together voices from across the United Kingdom and United States to celebrate literature, education, and the role reading can play in strengthening communities and expanding access to opportunity.

It was an honor to be part of this important conversation and we are grateful for the continued recognition of literacy and education as essential tools for empowerment and connection.

Bronx Arena Students Step Into the Kitchen at Allie’s Place

Students from Bronx Arena High School (BAHS) in Soundview recently participated in a weeklong Culinary Essentials cohort at Allie’s Place Center for Culinary Education & Employment, accompanied by their Assistant Principal, Ethan Knecht.

Bronx Arena High School is a transfer school serving under-credited students by supporting them as they re-engage with their education through flexible curriculums, group counseling, and paid Learn-to-Work internships. This collaboration at Allie’s Place provided students with the opportunity to explore hands-on culinary training in a professional environment.

Throughout the week, students worked closely with Chef Instructor Danny, Lead Chef Instructor Jayda, and Director of Culinary Education Gregorio, building foundational culinary skills while gaining confidence in the kitchen. The course emphasized practical techniques and active participation, allowing students to fully engage in the learning process.

Several students showed a strong interest in culinary career paths. One student explored an emerging passion for food photography by taking photos of various dishes in progress during the course. Two other students with prior culinary experience had the chance to participate in a Barista pop-up led by Chef Jayda to further sharpen their skills.

At the end of the week, each student documented their learning experience as part of the course requirements for their school and received a certificate of completion from the Center along with a culinary-themed gift bag. Participation in the program also counted toward their academic credits for graduation.

Assistant Principal Knecht expressed appreciation for the partnership and noted the high level of student engagement throughout the week.

This collaboration also highlighted the strong connections between the Center and the local community. Lily, a recent graduate of the Culinary Center who also attended Bronx Arena High School, completed the Culinary program in 2025 after being referred by a school counselor. After training with Chefs Gregorio and Jayda, she secured her first culinary job at Orbital Kitchens, a software-powered cloud kitchen operating locations across New York City.

Located just blocks apart, Bronx Arena High School and Allie’s Place are excited to continue working together and expanding opportunities for students to explore careers in the food industry and to build skills for long-term success.

For Antione Newton, helping people is more than part of the job—it’s what drew him to the work in the first place. As a Driver at Williamsbridge Family Residence, Antione supports families and staff every day by ensuring residents can reach their destinations safely and on time. Drivers at HFH play a critical role in helping families access opportunities that move them closer to stable housing, and Antione embraces that responsibility with care. His steady presence and positive attitude have made him a valued part of the team since he joined in August 2024.

“I’m a people person. I like helping people out, so when I saw the job at a homeless shelter I thought, ‘Why not try?’” said Antione.

Antione’s role includes driving housing specialists and residents to apartment viewings, lease signings, and to pick up the keys for residents’ new homes—critical steps on a family’s path out of shelter. When he is not accompanying staff and families to these appointments, Antione works closely with Partnerships Manager Tierra Gunther to deliver essential items and donations to the shelters. He plays an important role in making sure that the items received from partners and donors are distributed to the families efficiently. He also assists with moving supplies and equipment. Around the building, he is known as someone who is always willing to lend a hand.

Many apartment showings and appointments are far from the shelter, sometimes in cold or difficult weather. Having a dependable driver helps ensure families can attend these important meetings to help them meet their goals.

One of Antione’s favorite parts of the job is accompanying housing specialists and residents to apartments. He enjoys seeing the different neighborhoods and buildings across the city, but what stands out most is seeing the excitement of the families when they are one step closer to having a place of their own. Being part of those moments reinforces the importance of his role in the broader mission of helping families move forward.

Housing Specialist Milagros Gonzalez frequently travels with Antione and describes him as both professional and compassionate.

“He is courteous and very polite to the residents we escort to different destinations. He is an asset to the housing team,” she said. “He travels near and far to get the job done.”

She also emphasized that Antione is intentional about creating a safe and supportive environment whenever he is transporting staff and residents. “He has always been very kind and approachable. If you ask him for help, he lends a hand. He makes people feel good when he interacts with them. He’s there for us, and I appreciate him for that. He is very valuable; we need him.”

Williamsbridge Administrator Alfonsina Gomez noted that Antione connects easily with staff across all departments and is frequently praised by coworkers.

“He gets along with everybody,” she said. “He’s always open to help, learn, listen, and understand. He is very respectful. He is always eager to do the job—and always with a positive attitude.”

Tierra Gunther highlighted his reliability, flexibility, and genuine enthusiasm for the mission behind the work. She also mentioned that donors and partners have commented on how friendly and helpful he is.

“He is always asking questions about programs, donations, residents—he’s not just there to work; he wants to know more about the people that we serve,” she said. “When I think of someone I can really rely on, he’s at the top.”

Each day, Antione aims to show up with a positive mindset. He focuses on “trying to bring in that good energy at work.”

Outside of work, Antione is family-oriented and enjoys spending time with his 14-year-old daughter and his family, which includes eight brothers and two sisters. In his free time, he makes hip-hop music and plays basketball.

Guest Seminars Connect Culinary Students with Industry Experts

Allie’s Place Center for Culinary Education & Employment has hosted several guest seminars featuring professionals from across the culinary industry. These sessions give students at the Center an opportunity to expand their knowledge, strengthen their skills, and explore a range of possible career paths as they seek new employment in the culinary and hospitality fields.

Entrepreneur and photographer Brendan Miller taught a Food Photography seminar at the Center, speaking with students and graduates about culinary storytelling and building a creative career in the culinary field. During the session, he drew connections between food, photography, nutrition, sports, and other fields. Students also paired up for a storytelling exercise—interviewing one another and presenting their partner’s story to the group—to practice sharing narratives in a creative and engaging way.

The seminar offered students a chance to see how the hands-on skills they are developing in the program can translate into many different creative pathways.

Brendan later returned to the Center for a second seminar, diving deeper into composition, lighting, and creative styling. He explored how small choices in angle, color, and setup can completely transform a dish. Students then practiced hands-on with props and received real-time feedback.

In a separate session at Allie’s Place, the Center welcomed customer service expert and leadership coach Kate Edwards for a Customer Service seminar. Kate, a New York City-based hospitality consultant with more than 30 years of industry experience, is the president of Together Hospitality—a member-based trade organization for hospitality professionals—and founder of Kate Edwards & Company, a consultancy that provides training and leadership coaching for restaurants, hotels, and entrepreneurs.

During her seminar, Kate delivered her “Make an Impact” presentation, which focused on the importance of customer service in the culinary field. She introduced students to the three pillars of service—greetings, trust, and communication—and discussed how Front of House and Back of House teams work together to create memorable guest experiences. The session included time for questions, giving students the chance to engage directly and learn more about getting started in the hospitality industry.

A big thank you to both Kate and Brendan for sharing their expertise and showing students how their culinary training can open doors to career pathways inside and beyond the kitchen.

If you are interested in speaking opportunities at Allie’s Place or supporting the Center for Culinary Education & Employment, click here or email Culinary@HFHnyc.org.

Allie’s Place Center for Culinary Education & Employment has hosted several guest seminars featuring professionals from across the culinary industry. These sessions give students at the Center an opportunity to expand their knowledge, strengthen their skills, and explore a range of possible career paths as they seek new employment in the culinary and hospitality fields.

Entrepreneur and photographer Brendan Miller taught a Food Photography seminar at the Center, speaking with students and graduates about culinary storytelling and building a creative career in the culinary field. During the session, he drew connections between food, photography, nutrition, sports, and other fields. Students also paired up for a storytelling exercise—interviewing one another and presenting their partner’s story to the group—to practice sharing narratives in a creative and engaging way.

The seminar offered students a chance to see how the hands-on skills they are developing in the program can translate into many different creative pathways.

Brendan later returned to the Center for a second seminar, diving deeper into composition, lighting, and creative styling. He explored how small choices in angle, color, and setup can completely transform a dish. Students then practiced hands-on with props and received real-time feedback.

In a separate session at Allie’s Place, the Center welcomed customer service expert and leadership coach Kate Edwards for a Customer Service seminar. Kate, a New York City-based hospitality consultant with more than 30 years of industry experience, is the president of Together Hospitality—a member-based trade organization for hospitality professionals—and founder of Kate Edwards & Company, a consultancy that provides training and leadership coaching for restaurants, hotels, and entrepreneurs.

During her seminar, Kate delivered her “Make an Impact” presentation, which focused on the importance of customer service in the culinary field. She introduced students to the three pillars of service—greetings, trust, and communication—and discussed how Front of House and Back of House teams work together to create memorable guest experiences. The session included time for questions, giving students the chance to engage directly and learn more about getting started in the hospitality industry.

A big thank you to both Kate and Brendan for sharing their expertise and showing students how their culinary training can open doors to career pathways inside and beyond the kitchen.

If you are interested in speaking opportunities at Allie’s Place or supporting the Center for Culinary Education & Employment, click here or email Culinary@HFHnyc.org.

HFH family residences are connecting with their community through their local public libraries.

At Allie’s Place, the Soundview branch of The New York Public Library set up a table for families to learn about free services, pick up flyers for upcoming programs, and sign up for library cards.

“The Soundview Library has been a great partner and a vital resource for Allie’s Place and the families at our site,” said Derrick Holman, Program Specialist at Allie’s Place. “In addition to providing books and educational materials, they have supported our efforts to engage the community and build strong neighborhood networks. The children especially love getting their library cards and discovering all the resources beyond books—from anime and art clubs to the Teen Center. We are very grateful for the library staff and their support.”

Meanwhile, at Prospect, the Afterschool & Recreation program took a field trip to the Hunts Point branch of The New York Public Library. Librarian Julia gave the group a tour, showing them how books are organized by genre and how to find specific titles. They also visited the Teen Center, where kids can do homework, attend free programs, and use computers and creative equipment, including video and photography equipment.

After the tour, they participated in a Chinese New Year–themed craft and learned about traditional paper lanterns and used art supplies to create their own.

The rest of the afternoon was spent exploring; some kids stayed in the Teen Center, while others browsed the shelves and read quietly. Afterschool & Recreation staff spent time with the youngest kids before they happily transitioned to playing with the toys the library also had available.

The wide selection of books made a big impression. One student who is just beginning to read on her own found a full section of read-along books to choose from.

“We have one little girl who doesn’t speak English—she was so excited to see a whole Spanish section,” said Sofia Gaston, Education Program Coordinator at Prospect. “She was reading them to me!”

On the walk back to Prospect, the group was already asking when they could return.

“The librarians made them feel like, ‘You can come here. This is your library,’” Sofia said. “They definitely want to go back. It’s important that they have that. That they know that this is their community and their community library—that they can come anytime. There was something for everyone.”

One student was especially eager to share the experience with her mom.

“The first thing she told her was, ‘Mom, will you take me to the library?’” Sofia said. “They definitely made a connection.”

Sofia is now helping the older kids complete applications for library cards so they can continue visiting on their own.

Valentine’s Day at HFH Family Residences was filled with sweet treats, thoughtful crafts, and plenty of picture-perfect moments as families and staff came together to celebrate.

At Williamsbridge, the Recreation space transformed into a festive photo op, complete with a Valentine’s Day backdrop where families snapped photos with their loved ones. Between cupcakes and cocoa, there was time for conversation and crafting handmade valentines for friends and family.

Clinton also brought families together for a festive photoshoot, capturing special moments between parents and kids. A highlight of the day was decorating teddy bears’ t-shirts with fabric markers, and the kids were thrilled to name their new companions!

Allie’s Place Valentine’s Bash was a sweet success. Families and staff gathered to enjoy delicious baked treats courtesy of Allie’s Place Center for Culinary Education & Employment’s Lead Chef Instructor Jayda. Sugar cookies became edible canvases as parents and kids decorated their own creations, and the themed backdrop set the scene for festive photos to remember the celebration.

In Prospect Afterschool, the Panthers wrapped up the school day with a treat made with love. They got hands-on chopping and blending their own strawberry milkshakes, perfectly pink and topped with heart-shaped sprinkles.

As winter temperatures continue, we are incredibly thankful for the donors and community partners who have helped ensure families are prepared for the season. Thanks to this generosity, parents and children across our family residences have received warm coats, jackets, and winter essentials to stay comfortable through the cold months.

Allie’s Place Family Residence recently hosted a winter clothing giveaway where families were invited to browse warm winter gear, including jackets and cold-weather accessories. This event was made possible through generous donations from Marken, helping families stock up on essentials and stay warm throughout the season.

Families at Clinton Family Residence also benefited from a recent coat drive hosted by our neighbors at OneCo HK. Their support created a welcoming coat closet experience for parents and kids, filled with winter coats of all sizes that families could browse, try on, and choose from—making sure everyone found something that fit just right. OneCo HK has supported families at Clinton since before the site opened and continues to show up in ways that help families feel welcomed in the community.

We were also honored to be included in a Three Kings Day celebration hosted by Agüeybaná Lodge No. 1198 at White Plains Lodge 473. Partnerships Manager Tierra Gunther and Deputy Executive Director Gretchen Hernandez attended the event, which included cultural festivities, a delicious home-cooked meal, and community members raising funds and collecting coat donations for families at HFH. We are grateful to have been included in this celebration and thankful for the generosity and support of the Agüeybaná Lodge community.