While we are all staying home to stop the spread of coronavirus, youth and families across NYC can stay connected to DYCD – we are bringing dance, music, art, filmmaking, and more right to you! Check out the opportunities on our website, sign up for the activities that interest you, and text (347) 349-4361 to get updates directly to your phone. You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter to get the most up-to-date announcements via social media.

We invite you to help us celebrate Mother's Day this May by nominating a "community mom" for our annual award. Our #DYCDCommunityMoms campaign celebrates mothers and other caretakers who provide inspiration and support to families and communities. These community moms—whether volunteers, mentors, teachers, community leaders, healthcare staff, essential workers, caregivers, aunts, sisters, or mothers—dedicate their time and energy to the physical, social, and emotional well-being of our city, and we hope you'll help us celebrate them this May.

Today is the deadline, so nominate someone in your community for a DYCD Community Mom Award.

With entire families at home while we shelter in place, the world is facing a strange and uncertain time right now. But one thing remains certain - you still need to eat! The act of cooking a meal — even a simple one — can bring great comfort and joy to you as well as to your loved ones. As the city continues practicing social distancing, we challenge young people to show us how you whip up a recipe that has “rescued” you during this pandemic! So pick a meal or a snack and send us a video showing off your cooking skills! For more information view the Recipe Rescue submission form.

DYCD invests in building the capacity of nonprofit organizations as a strategy for ensuring that youth and families receive high quality, effective services. During this time of practicing social distancing our Capacity Building and Professional Development team has made the transition to offering several workshops virtually. For the full list of upcoming workshops, check out our new Capacity Building and Professional Development webpage.

What matters to you? Schools? Transportation? Hospitals? Data from the US Census helps inform planning efforts for all these important community resources. To learn how census data impact you and your community, visit 2020census.gov and to fill out your Census form visit my2020census.gov.

Due to the unprecedented impact of #COVID19 on New York City's workforce, the City has developed a list of resources for those who may need it. Employment resources, food assistance, financial counseling and more are available now.

Do you know a student who loves to write? Who wants to be published? Who wants to help other teens by sharing their personal stories? Tell them to apply for Youth Communication's 41st Annual Summer Writing Workshop. This year’s workshop explores economic inequality and is called “Who’s Rich? Who’s Poor? And Why?” Teens will participate in writing lessons and group activities, look at examples from their own lives, and also learn from speakers and readings that examine the idea of the American Dream. For more information and to apply, visit the official Youth Communication website.

Digital Girl’s mission is to encourage inner city youth, especially girls, to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. As Schools and most work has been shifted remotely, they have done the same moving their coding classes to the web offering 1-hour classes for students of all ages and skill levels. For more information, visit the virtual hangout page on the Digital Girl website.