Community
Community   Park Slope/ Prospect Heights

Starving artists: Feed your own for the holidays

by Jonathan Berk | 11.30.11 | 1 Comment

Will blog for drinks.

There’s no shortage of worthy ways to be charitable this time of year, but you’d be hard-pressed to find another that says “Made for BK” quite like this. Open Source, a Park Slope gallery/creative space, is looking for a few good cooks to staff its Open Source Food Kitchen every night in December. For a fourth year, the gallery’s running its month-long free kitchen where a volunteer comes in each night, whips up a meal, and 15-20 starving artists dig in. The site says fellow artists usually don the chef hat, but really, anybody’s welcome to come in and cook.

Community, News   Park Slope/ Prospect Heights

At Occupy Brooklyn: accordions, strollers, and Marty

by Anna Jacobson | 10.16.11 | 2 Comments

The grand view of Grand Army Plaza. photos by Anna Jacobson

Although many chants were the same, the scene at Occupy Brooklyn yesterday was quite different than the one in Zuccotti Park. There was also free pizza at Grand Army Plaza, but one pie was sufficient for the crowd, which boasted more strollers than facial tattoos and cheered cops for being so “accommodating” when they set up more barricades. True to a Park Slope rally, there were families, mature artists, old-timey bands and borough Prez Marty Markowitz. Many of the protesters had been to Wall Street, but rallied at Grand Army because they live in the borough and argued that the joblessness, foreclosures, and income disparity they are protesting were all more obvious in Brooklyn than in the Financial District.


Community  

Get the low down on loft laws tonight in Greenpoint

by Jonathan Berk | 12.8.10 | Post a Comment

You may remember back in June when NY State passed the loft law, meant to protect loft-dwellers for the long haul. You may also remember the confusion that ensued, involving landlords’ requirements, tenants’ rights and some unfortunate FDNY-enforced property vacations. Tonight, Dec. 8, in Greenpoint, some concerned citizens in the know are getting together to try and dispel all the uncertainty around the new law. Neighbors Allied for Good Growth is holding a “Loft Law Update and North Brooklyn Tenants Info Meeting” from 7:30 to 9 p.m. in the basement of Lutheran Church of the Messiah, 129 Russell St. in Greenpoint. Here’s what’s on the agenda.

via FreeWilliamsburg

Community   Williamsburg/ Greenpoint

Help re-unite Edith & Archie for the holidays

by Jonathan Berk | 11.22.10 | 2 Comments

Archie (right) misses Edith (left)

Here’s a story that should get you posting fliers on the neighborhood lampposts. Edith, a 12-year-old Chihuahua-papillon mix, was stolen last week from the BARC no-kill animal shelter in Williamsburg. Yes, Edith was stolen from her home—cruel enough in itself—but she also was snatched from the side of Archie, a 12-year-old poodle-shih tzu, and her life-long companion. As Anna Jane, a past Brokelyn contributor, writes on TheDo.gs, a woman came into the shelter last Thursday asking about adopting a dog. “When the shelter worker turned his back, ” writes Anna Jane, “she [the thief] picked up Edith and ran out.”

Community  

Spring’s daffodils take fall’s green thumbs

by Katie Calautti | 9.15.10 | Post a Comment

daffodilsSo… you’re packing up your summer whites, disassembling the AC unit, already wistful for the humidity-drenched days of yore. Well, we have a cure for the impending winter blues, and it’s an investment into your not-so-distant future: next spring. Because it’s time to plant some daffodils. Everywhere. The Daffodil Project, a living 9/11 memorial to beautify NYC neighborhoods, is giving out daffodil bulbs, and they need to be planted—by us, by you, by anyone you can grab off the street.

Community  

Today’s primary responsibility: vote for something

by Jonathan Berk | 9.14.10 | Post a Comment
The new voting machine. You know you wanna give it a whirl.

The new voting machine. You know you wanna give it a whirl.

Chances are you’re getting this from all sides, but we have to do our civic part too. This voting thing is important. WNYC’s It’s a Free Country has a pretty comprehensive Insider’s Guide to the Primaries, with info on polling sites, voter registration (too late for today, but still time for November), candidates and the new fool-proof ballot system. There are plenty of important local races on the ballot, but among today’s big-ticket primaries are those for U.S. Senator (D,R), Governor (R) and NY State Attorney General (D). Polls are open until 9 p.m., so make sure to get to yours.

Community  

Brooklyn’s best volunteer gigs

by Conal Darcy | 9.2.10 | 5 Comments
Help with the horses at GALLOP NYC

Help with the horses at GALLOP NYC

As the summer doldrums of un(der)employment run into fall, there’s only so much more you can take of casting letters into the job-market black hole while plugging away at the future Oscar-winning screenplay. Time to shake things up. Brooklyn’s full of volunteer gigs perfect for turning your routine on its under-used head, and for giving back to the borough a little bit too. Here are a few ideas that’ll beef up the resume (and get you out of the house) while you’re waiting for that big break.

Community  

Show your favorite good-doing do-gooder some love

by Anna Jacobson | 8.26.10 | 1 Comment

soup-kitchenWe all have at least one friend who just makes us feel bad about ourselves. They work a full-time job, coach a team of disadvantaged youngsters, host a pottery session at a senior citizen’s home and rebuild houses while on vacation in Haiti. This do-goodery usually makes us generally-lazy but well-meaning selves feel like crap. But now The Brooklyn Community Foundation is giving us a chance to give back without waking early for that shift at the soup kitchen, and to show our respect for those out there doing the dirty work themselves. To celebrate its upcoming first anniversary, the BCF is giving away $5000 to five different charities. The recipients will be chosen by the winners of the Brooklyn Do Gooder Awards, and choosing these super citizens… that’s all up to you.

Community   Park Slope/ Prospect Heights

Play bingo with Kenneth, help kids read

by Anna Jacobson | 8.4.10 | 4 Comments
Jack McBrayer (right)

Jack McBrayer (right)

Normally, we’d balk at a $25 buy-in for bingo night. But once we started reading about 826NYC’s “Dueling Bingos” night, we found ourselves reaching for our wallets. You may find yourself across the table from—and trash-talked-to by—actors and comedians like 30 Rock‘s Jack McBrayer, The Daily Show‘s John Oliver, This American Life‘s Sarah Vowell or Eric Gilliland, a TV writer whose credits include That 70′s Show and Roseanne (he probably has a good insult or two). And, did we mention? All the money from the evening goes toward 826NYC’s free literacy programs.

Community   Clinton Hill/ Fort Greene

Ladies, sing out with a rock camp scholarship

by Jonathan Berk | 6.24.10 | Post a Comment

ladiesrock2As great as this chance is, we sort of hope you don’t need it. The Willie Mae Ladies Rock Camp, a Clinton Hill group that makes rockers out of women and girls of all ages, has scholarships available for women who’ve been affected by violence. No musical experience necessary—all you need is a desire to express yourself at the three-day summer workshop. Participants spend a weekend of  instrument lessons, songwriting, band practice and other workshops, ending with a showcase concert at a professional venue. From the scholarship sponsor (a generous Park Sloper): “Find your voice and rock out… Just you for a few days. You’re worth it.”