Back to school season is right around the corner, and if you are looking for an afterschool program, afterschool job or a recreational activity, we got you covered. With DiscoverDYCD, you will be able to find and apply for DYCD-funded programs near you.

National Senior Citizens Day is August 21, 2019, and recognizes contributions senior citizens make in communities across the United States. DYCD acknowledges the needs of our City seniors and funds free senior programs throughout the five boroughs. Services for the older adult population foster healthy physical, psychological, and social well-being for persons aged 60 and older. Programs provide a range of services such as social and recreational activities; intergenerational activities; exercise and nutrition; and access to health insurance, medical assistance, and community services. There are 29 senior programs funded by DYCD across New York City serving 3,500 families annually. To find a program near you, please visit our DiscoverDYCD site or call our Youth Connect hotline at 1-800-246-4646 or 646-343-6800.

Want to know about DYCD and other City agencies? Check out NYC Open Data! Open Data is free public database that puts all of the City’s information at your fingertips. To take a deep dive and learn about DYCD-funded programs, visit the official Open Data website.

On July 19, thousands of participants from DYCD-funded summer camp programs enjoyed a day at the Bronx Zoo. This was the thirteenth year the Zoo has hosted the celebration. Operating from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, the camps are designed to offer a holistic summer camp experience with structured theme-based learning activities, trips and recreational experiences. Visits to NYC cultural institutions, like the Bronx Zoo, are just one of many ways young people have the opportunity to explore the City while learning and having fun.

The NYC Parks Afterschool Program provides children ages six to 13 with academic support and physical activity in a safe-structured environment. This free program takes place weekdays from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., a critical time to engage school-aged children in structured activities and expose them to new interests. Programming is based around monthly themes including sports, famous artists, and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics). To learn more about these afterschool programs, visit the official NYC Parks and Recreation website.

The NYC Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) recently launched a new web portal, “ACS ConnectME” which is for youth in foster care, foster parents, adoptive parents, families and child welfare professionals. The one-stop-shop now provides users with greater access to information about services and resources across ACS, other government agencies and more. Users can search for the services that are right for them (education, housing, employment, health, legal services, public assistance, parenting support, etc.) in the location in which they reside. Once a user types in the services into the search bar, a drop-down menu will appear so that the user can narrow down the search by age and/or language. A list of available services will appear for the user to click and learn more. The portal also includes a calendar of training, courses and workshops available to foster parents and child welfare professionals offered by the ACS Workforce Institute, as well as information about upcoming events. You can access ACS ConnectME by clicking here.

The Mayor’s Office Internship Program provides a unique opportunity to gain experience and develop the capacity to solve New York City’s most pressing issues. The mission of the Mayor’s Office Internship Program is to build a diverse pipeline of future public service leaders. This highly selected diverse group of men and women collaborate with staff to better the Office of the Mayor and New York City. For more information, visit their official website.

Since 1992, when HBO first started showing films in Bryant Park, free movie screenings have been an annual summertime tradition in the City. Hollywood classics, current blockbusters, and indie gems are screened at outdoor venues throughout the five boroughs, with stunning backdrops like the Manhattan skyline (Brooklyn Bridge Park Movies with a View) and the Coney Island Cyclone (Coney Island Flicks on the Beach). Visit NYCgo to see movie lineup, locations, and times.

Since 2004, the Idealist Grad Fairs have been helping prepare the next generation of nonprofit leaders by connecting thousands of prospective students with hundreds of admissions representatives from public-interest graduate programs across the United States and around the world. Fields represented at the fairs include public administration, international affairs, education, public policy, public interest law, social work, nonprofit management, global and public health, theology, environmental science, socially responsible business, and more. Learn more and RVSP on the Idealist Grad Fairs event page.

New York Road Runners (NYRR) invites you to join their open runs! NYRR’s Open Runs are free weekly runs in local neighborhood parks all over New York City. To see if your park is on the list, visit the NYRR Open Run website.

New York Drives is a free five-week career training program that combines driving lessons with professional development workshops to help you qualify for Brooklyn Workforce Innovations’ (BWI) training programs: Brooklyn Woods (skilled woodworking), Brooklyn Networks (telecommunications cable installation), and Made in NY (TV/film production assistant training). Participants receive up to 30 driving lessons, a road test, and 60 hours of professional development workshops. New York Drives serves a prerequisite for the above programs since they require a valid driver’s license or encourage applicants to have one.

UNCF has helped more than 450,000 students earn their college degrees since its founding. UNCF is the nation’s largest private scholarship provider to minority group members. Each year, they award more than $100 million in scholarships to more than 10,000 students at more than 1,100 schools across the country, including our prestigious network of 37 HBCUs. Visit the UNCF website to find open applications.

The Coca-Cola Scholars Program scholarship is an achievement-based scholarship awarded to graduating high school seniors. Students are recognized for their capacity to lead and serve, as well as their commitment to making a significant impact on their schools and communities. With the 31st class in 2019, the Foundation has provided over 6,150 Coca-Cola Scholars with more than $69 million in educational support. 150 Coca-Cola Scholars are selected each year to receive this $20,000 scholarship. Apply now! High school seniors may visit Cokeurl.com/Apply2019 to apply to be a Coca-Cola Scholar.

Brooklyn-based nonprofit organizations, Brooklyn-based individual artists, and NYC-based individual artists working in partnership with Brooklyn-based nonprofit organizations are invited to apply for up to $5,000 for community-based arts projects. In 2019, this grant distributed over $110,000 to 28 projects across the borough. To review the eligibility guidelines and apply, visit the Brooklyn Arts Council website.