The staff of the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council is dedicated to helping neighborhood residents obtain needed services and benefits from a wide range of programs. In the sections that follow we try to outline general program information and contact numbers.

In addition to obtaining benefits and information, the Council staff will make every attempt to help clients solve problems with agencies and organizations, even if an ongoing relationship has existed prior to the Council’s involvement.

When in doubt, please call us; we are here to help.

The New York State Banking Department has opened a new Division, the Holocaust Claims Processing Office. The Office will assist Holocaust survivors or their heirs who know, or have reason to believe, that they or relatives may have had assets deposited in Swiss bands between 1933 and 1945. The Office will also assist claimants seeking the payment of proceeds from unpaid insurance policies in effect during that same time period.

The Office is located at 2 Rector Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10006. Their toll free number is 1-800-695-3318. Their internet website is: http://www.claims.state.ny.us

We would like to encourage all members of the shchuna,   who are eligible, to register to vote.  Voting helps our community by allowing a Crown Heights voice to be heard advocating in behalf of our unique social concerns. Exercising your right to vote is a major way to help our neighborhood and our families.

Please encourage your friends and family to register to vote.  You can pick up a registration form in the CHJCC offices. 

If you would like to volunteer to help others register, please contact the council 718-778 8808.

JobBank

If you are looking for a job, or if you are looking for someone to fill a job, let us help get you together.  We solicit job postings from multiple sources and try to match them up with our file of resumes.  
Send both resumes and job postings to the numbers below. 

Resume Preparation, Interview Assistance, Etc.

We can help with resume preparation and interview assistance, training opportunities, and referrals. 

Internet Job Links

In addition, if you are actively looking for employment, we suggest checking out the following Internet sites (information changes daily -check them often): 

New York State Civil Service:  www.cs.state.ny.us/csexams.htm 

New York State Department of Labor Job Bank (with links): www.labor.state.ny.us/dolemp.htm

Federal Government Jobs: iccweb.com/federal/usajobs.htm

New York City Job Training and Placement Services: www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/doe/html/brochure.html

New York City Metropolitan Transportation Authority: www.mta.nyc.ny.us/mta/jobs.html

Please give us your feedback and suggestions for links to post here!

For all the above services, contact Aviva Feldman, (718) 778-8808, ext. 26, fax: (718) 774-7540, Email: aviva@chjcc.org

Natan M Private Transportation
Winter bus schedule effective August to July 1998
for information call (718) 266-6957

Please bring exact fare. Bus drivers do not handle money.

Locating affordable housing  

If you need a place to rent or buy, or have a place available, check with us.  We keep a file of people looking for places to buy or rent, and those with properties available in the neighborhood. Contact Rabbi Shmuel Light, 718 771 9000 ext. 30. 

Assistance to Purchasers  

For information about programs to help home buyers, contact Mordechai Ettelson 718 771 9000 ext. 14. 

Weatherization Program  

The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) is a government sponsored program to improve heating efficiency and provide fuel savings, and at the same time increase the comfort in one’s home. There are two separate programs, one for multiple dwelling units, and one for 1 - 4 family homes.

The program consists of four steps:

1. An application to the local Weatherization (WX) agency to determine the income eligibility of the dwelling occupant [if a Household contains a member who receives supplemental security income (SSI), Public Assistance, Food Stamps, or Home Energy Assistance Program (Heap) benefits, the household is considered automatically eligible for WX services];
2. a pre-weatherization inspection of the dwelling unit to determine its specific needs;
3. the weatherization of the unit;
4. a post-weatherization inspection to review the program work quality and effectiveness.

Is there any charge for WX services? All services of the WX program are without obligation to the dwelling unit occupant. However, building owners are obligated to contribute at least 35% toward the cost of WX in order to be considered a priority for the service (unless they are income eligible themselves). These contributions are used to expand the scope of service provided under the program.

What services are included?

These include but are not limited to:

1. cleaning, testing and repairs to heating systems;
2. roof and pipe insulation;
3. energy saving bulbs;
4. carbon monoxide detectors;
5. weather-stripping and caulking around doors and windows;
6. fix and/or replace broken windows and/or external doors;
7. minor repairs, as needed, to ensure optimum efficiency from the WX services performed;

Each program is required to provide professional quality work and materials performed by skilled personnel. Some agencies use their own crews, and others hire local private contractors. Every weatherized home is inspected upon completion of the work.

For additional information, please contact Rabbi S Light at (718) 771-9000 x 30 or Mrs. Uminer at (718) 771-9000 x27.

Neighborhood Preservation Program
Rehabilitation of rental housing
Restore Home Repair Program for senior citizens
 

The Intergenerational Work/Study Program offers students pre-work experience at local senior citizen programs. The services provided by the students enrich the lives of senior citizens. In turn, the seniors serve as mentors to the youth, sharing their wisdom, vision, experiences, and life-coping skills.

Seniors and students engage in group discussions, cultural, recreational, and educational activities, and exercise. There are also one-on-one activities, including visits to the homebound.

One of our special programs involves tutoring Russian seniors in English by Beth Rivka girls.

Seniors participate through their senior citizen center or nursing home. Students are supervised by their schools. For more information call Eliezer Yarmush, (718) 778-8808, ext. 30.

Any business and apartment dweller is eligible for a free security survey by crime prevention officer.
Call Officer Joe Johnson at the 71st Precinct at (718) 735-0528.

Are you a Crime Victim? 

Being a victim is an awful experience. The trauma, the fears, sometimes even the guilt! Crime Victims can get help  Let us help you.  

In New York State…  
crime victims can be reimbursed for some of their losses. You can have your medical bills paid, have lost earnings reimbursed, and get up to $100 for damage to personal property.  

If you: 

• Sustained a physical injury or 
• Are a Senior Citizen. 

The staff of the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council can help you with:  

• Submission of applications to the Crime Victims Board 
• Reimbursement of lost income 
• Counseling 
• Document replacements 
• Medical bills 
• Emergency help 

Senior Citizens:

• One time emergency financial help up to $30
• Replacement locks and/or window gates as result of a crime
• Assistance with paying utilities or rent as a result of loss of cash in a crime

Call for an appointment. Speak with one of our Crime Victim specialists, Batia Brandel and find out what help you can get. 718 778 8808 ext. 22 or  Galina Pindrick ext. 31. 

Our offices are open Monday through Thursday from 9 till 5, Fridays till 12 noon or you can speak to one of our social workers by telephone. 

The Crown Heights Jewish Community Council has been working together with the  71st Police Precinct to help prevent crime.  Make yourself heard! The 71st Precinct  Council meets with area residents the third Thursday of each month. Come to IS 61,  (the public school auditorium, right across the street from the police station) on the corner of Empire and New York Avenue at 8 p.m. and voice your concerns. The Precinct Commanding Officer is there, and will answer your questions. Be there.  

We sponsor the Safe Corridors for Seniors Program, which provides additional police protection and safety to our main shopping strip. Each Tuesday, from 10am till 1pm, there is increased patrolling on Nostrand Avenue, from Eastern Parkway down till Rutland Road.  
  
We arrange for home inspections to show residents how to make their homes safer; we can help arrange for the installation of security devices; and we participate in the CAT (combat auto theft) program, etching program, bike registration and other programs to make life safer in Crown Heights.  
  
Our agency also sponsors many safety forums, especially for seniors, educating them on crime prevention techniques.  
  
Our youth programs keep youth off the streets and out of trouble, especially during the summer months.  
  
Please feel free to call us or to visit us for more information on any of our programs. 

Public Assistance is help for needy men, women and children that can help them pay for living expenses. Most people who get Public Assistance are also eligible for Food Stamps and Medicaid (see below).

Food Stamps are coupons that can be used like money to help buy food. Although there are income requirements, even if you work or own a home and a car, you may still be eligible for food stamps. People who are elderly, disabled, on SSI or Public Assistance should apply. If you are homeless, even temporarily, you should apply. Under certain circumstances you may be eligible for Expedited Food Stamps - available on the next business day.

For more information and an application, call Rivka Shur at (718) 778-8808, ext. 24, or the HRA Hot Line at 1-718-291-1900.

WIC is the Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants and Children. It is especially designed for low income women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or have children up to age 5.

WIC provides checks that can be used in participating stores to buy food. It also provides information about nutrition and healthy eating habits.

For more information, call (718) 467-0010.

Social Security Disability provides cash payments for disabled individuals, and certain disabled dependents of insured individuals, who are insured because they have paid Social Security tax on their earnings.

For more information and an application, call the Social Security Administration at (718) 773-6438.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a Federal program that gives monthly cash payments for blind or disabled adults and children, and to people in financial need who are 65 or older. You must be living in the U.S., and a U.S. citizen or legal alien. SSI recipients are automatically enrolled in Medicaid (see below) which provides them with medical assistance.

For more information and an application, call Rivka Shur at (718) 778-8808, ext. 24, or the Social Security Administration at (718) 773-6438.

Real Property Tax Credit

If your household gross income was $18,000 or less you may be entitled to a credit on your New York State income tax return for part of the real property taxes or rent you paid during 1996. If you do not have to file a return, you can file for a refund of the credit by using Form IT-214 only.

If you are a homeowner and the current market value of all your real property (house, garage, land, etc.) was $85,000 or less, you may be eligible.

If you are a renter and the average monthly rent you and other members of your household paid was $450 or less, not counting charges for heat, gas, electricity, furnishings or board, you may be eligible.

Call Eliezer Yarmush at 778-8808, ext. 30.

Low income individuals who are working, or worked last year and had a child living in your home for at least six months of the year, may be eligible for an Earned Income Credit from the Internal Revenue Service. This is so even if you made too little to owe income tax.

For more information, call Rivka Shur at (718) 778-8808, ext. 24.

Life Line

Life Line is a telephone discount program that enables phone service for a little more than $1.00 a month. You may be eligible if you are receiving Public Assistance, Medicaid, Food Stamps, Home Energy Assistance (HEAP) or SSI.

For more information, call Rivka Shur at (718) 778-8808, ext. 24, or New York Telephone at 1-800-555-5000.

Brooklyn Union Gas Senior Discount Program

If you are a low income senior, you may be eligible for discounts on your Brooklyn Union Gas account (not heating use). Call Brooklyn Union at (718) 643-4050.

SCRIE

The Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption Program provides exemption from rent increases to New York City tenants:

• who were 62 years of age or older when their current rent increase took effect;
• who live in a rent-regulated apartment or hotel;
• whose annual house income is $20,000 or less;
• whose rent has been or will be increased and represents more than one-third (1/3) of the total household income.

(Tenants who live in a Public Household Authority Project or receive Section 8 rental subsidies do not qualify for SCRIE benefits.)

Call Mrs Shur at 778-8808, ext 24. Or you may call directly at (212) 442-1000 if you have questions or require assistance.

HEAP

The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is a federally- funded benefit which provides assistance to eligible seniors and low-income families with the cost of heating their homes.

You should be aware that in prior years the Program has closed as early as March 12th. HEAP is a federally funded program and once available funds are used up, no benefits will be issued, and the Program will close. It is strongly recommended that applicants complete and return the application as soon as possible.

For eligibility information and help completing the application, call Eleizer Yarmush at (718) 778-8808, ext. 30. Or call directly to the HRA InfoLine: (718) 291-1900.

Family Survival Program

If you, or anyone you know, is faced with a family crisis such as domestic violence, child abuse or neglect, physical, mental, or emotional illness, or any constant or sudden onset of a crisis that may threaten the stability of the family unit, we are here to help.

We will access the needs of each family on an individual basis and provide services as needed:

• Marriage and family counseling
• Household help and training in maintaining a functional, clean pleasant environment for parents and children
• After school help for mothers of large families, or difficult to manage children
• A respite program for families
• Employment counseling, referrals and job placement
• Training parents in parental skills so that they may avoid emergency situations
• Placement services for special needs children
• Stepping into the home when a parent suffers physical, mental, or emotional problems or breakdown
• Exploring suitable options for victims of physical, psychological or verbal abuse
• Referring potentially eligible families to social service agencies and helping them navigate the entitlement system.

Call Mrs. Vilenkin, (718) 778 8808, ext. 23.

Mother’s Helpers

If you are a woman who needs temporary household help after giving birth or having any temporary crisis, please call Rivka Shur at 778-8808 ext. 24.

Good nutrition means healthy parents and healthy children. Don't short change your family, come to our food pantry.

After a brief interview by a staff member, who verifies the financial need while taking possible extenuating circumstances into account, clients are registered, and can pick up food and food vouchers. Food is generally distributed on Wednesdays, unless an emergency situation arises, in which case it is distributed whenever needed. Food vouchers are distributed monthly.

Ask us for referrals to WIC and nutrition classes. Learn to stretch your food dollars to the fullest with budget counseling sessions.

Our offices are open Monday through Thursday from 9 till 4, or you can speak to Bella Vilenkin by telephone. Call 718 778 8808 ext. 23.

The key to getting along with others is communication. The Jewish Community Council staff is always available to speak to neighborhood groups to share information about the myriad of lifestyles and customs found in our Crown Heights community.

For more information, or to schedule an outreach speaker, contact Batia Brandel, (718) 778-8808, ext. 22.

Summer... Freedom... Travel... Vacations...

If only this were the case for all. Unfortunately, it is not. This is not the way it is for some of the children of Crown Heights, children of the disabled, the poverty stricken, the recent immigrant family, or the family of the working poor, constantly struggling, yet never making ends meet.

Add to this the constant stress of the inner city streets where children cannot play outside for fear of attacks and cuts in supervision; children are out of school with nowhere to go. Camp is not a luxury for children growing up in the inner city. Leaving children alone to roam the streets, while both parents are at work trying to make ends meet is downright dangerous.

The summer camp fund sponsors overnight and day-camp scholarships for needy youngsters. Many of our beneficiaries go to special needs camps.

To help a child, or request a scholarship, call: Phyllis Mintz, (718) 467-0166, ext. 26.

The Chassidic Art Institute, a CHJCC affiliate, sponsors a series of art exhibitions at its center at 375 Kingston Avenue in Brooklyn. For details on the current exhibition, see our Community Events section.

For more information, call Zev Markowitz at (718) 774-9149, or see the Chassidic Art Institute under Organizations.

Health Insurance Subsidies for Small Businesses

The NYS Department of Health (DOH) is currently accepting applications from businesses with fewer than 50 employees for subsidized health insurance through the NYS Health Insurance Partnership Program. Businesses interested should contact the NYSHIPP Hotline at (800) 836-5689 for complete information about the program or to receive an application.

Health Insurance for Children

We all know that good medical care is important for the healthy development of all children. Unfortunately, without health insurance, many hesitate to get medical attention. Child Health Plus is a special program from Empire Blue Cross and the State of New York which provides free or low cost health insurance coverage for eligible children.

Child Health Plus focuses on keeping children healthy by providing a wide variety of health care services which includes preventive health care services, inpatient and outpatient services and prescription drugs. Some covered services require a small co-payment for each visit, and most are covered in full. The program covers children until the age of l9.

The application is simple, requiring the child's birth certificate, social security number, proof of income and proof of residence. The child must not be enrolled in the Medicaid program. Pick up an application at our Kingston Avenue office, or call Michael Martinez at (718)778-8808 ext. 25

EPIC is New York State’s prescription plan for senior citizens. You must be 65 or over, live in New York State, and have an income of less than $17,500 if you are single, or $23,000 if you are married. If you, or someone you know, spends more than $15 per month on prescriptions, it would be worth while filing an application.

For more information and an application, call Rivka Shur at (718) 778-8808, ext. 24, or the EPIC Help Line at 1-800-332-3742.

PCAP

The Prenatal Care Assistance Program (PCAP) provides medical assistance to pregnant women even if you exceed Medicaid income limits. There are no resource requirements, and you do not have to be a citizen or a legal alien.

For more information and an application, call Rivka Shur at (718) 778-8808, ext. 24, or the Healthy Baby Hotline at 1-800-522-5006.

Medicare

Medicare is the federal health insurance program for older persons and individuals with disabilities. Individuals are entitled to Medicare by virtue of payment into the system during their working years.

For more information, call the Social Security Administration at (718) 773-6438.

Medicaid is a Federal program of medical assistance that is administered by local agencies. Medicaid will pay for many medical costs, including hospital and doctor charges, laboratories, medicines, nursing homes, etc. There are income and resource requirements. If you get Public Assistance or Supplemental Security Income, you may be automatically eligible for Medicaid.

For more information and an application, call Michael Martinez at (718) 778-8808, ext. 25, or the HRA Hot Line at 1-718-291-1900.

If you are interested in attending classes on parenting issues you must register by calling Phyllis Mintz at 467-0166 ext. 26.

 

Reduced-Fare Metrocard

Senior Citizens and people with disabilities can obtain applications for Reduced-Fare Metrocards in our office. Stop by or call 778-8808 ext. 21.