CAMBA’s New Program for Prenatal and Perinatal Mothers, SPICE

This Just in from the Church Avenue Merchants Association

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CAMBA’s New Program for Prenatal and Perinatal Mothers, SPICE


September 18, 2008- Today CAMBA launched their new S.P.I.C.E. (Supportive Pre-conceptional Individuals through Cultural Cooking and Coping Essentials) program sponsored by the March of Dimes. The program provides nutrition counseling, exercise and relaxation techniques for 50 women of childbearing age living in Brooklyn.

S.P.I.C.E. is a five session course starting September 18, 2008 based in Flatbush Brooklyn. The course targets women of child bearing age who are thinking of having children, are prenatal or perinatal within the Brooklyn community while being conscious of cultural and language needs. It consists of instruction, mutual support and hands-on activities in three areas: nutrition, fitness and planning that including aerobics, relaxation techniques, healthy food choices, cooking and a support group.


According to the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Flatbush remains the fourth highest community in New York City in terms of pregnancy risk indicators as follows:

10.8% of births considered low-birthrate
10.2% of mothers receiving late or no prenatal care
An infant mortality rate of 12.3% per 1,000 live births
A birth rate for teenagers, age 15 through 19 of 45.6% per 1,000 births; and
A pregnancy rate of 126.2 per 1,000 pregnancies for this same age group.

CAMBA is an organization with a long track record of success in empowering underserved communities. With funding from the March of Dimes, and local partnerships, we will fill this gap of services by creating opportunity and learning for populations that have no other venue or access point.

Our goal is to reduce birth disparities for low income women and women of color who fail to obtain timely prenatal care, resulting in high-risk, pre-term deliveries of lowbirth babies.

ABOUT CAMBA
1720 Church Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11226 ▪ TEL (718) 287-2600 ▪ FAX (718) 287-0857 ▪ www.camba.org

Founded in 1977, CAMBA is one of Brooklyn’s largest community-based social service organizations, with an annual budget of approximately $65 million and a diverse staff of more than 1,200 employees. CAMBA annually provides services to 35,000 individuals and families in six core areas: Economic Development, Education and Youth Development, Family Support Services, Housing Services and Development, HIV/AIDS Services and Legal Services.

Contact: Pierette Imbriano
Director
Marketing & Communications
1720 Church Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11226
Phone: 718-287-2600 x292
PieretteI@camba.org

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HELP CAMBA BY BUYING AT AMAZON.COM. WHEN YOU MAKE A PURCHASE THROUGH HTTP://WWW.CAMBA.ORG, AMAZON.COM WILL DONATE UP TO 15% OF THE PURCHASE PRICE TO CAMBA. SO PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE, CLICK ON THE AMAZON ICON AND START SHOPPING. THANK YOU!

CAMBA is an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. All voice telephone numbers on this document may be reached by persons using TTD/TTY equipment via the New York State relay number 1-800-662-1220.

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A Plug for "My" People...

Image courtesy of http://www.gifnyc.com

Okay.  They're not really "my" people, but that's only because I don't believe anybody owns anybody else even if there is a shared heritage.  But, my ancestors did originate from Limerick on one side and County Mayo on the other, so I may have a little something in common with these folks. Maybe you do too?  But then again, who cares if you do or not.  Just know there's a big party down Coney Island this weekend with lots of beer and cute redheads.  What more do you need to know?  Just check it out!

September 20-21, 2008
Keyspan Ballpark, Coney Island, New York
$10 per person / $5 for children under 12

http://www.gifnyc.com/

This Is Really It for Astroland: Owner Objects to Media Coverage of the Slaughter of a Beloved Landmark

Image courtesy of the NY Post

CAROL HILL ALBERT, Co-proprietor of Astroland Amusement Park sets the record straight about the reasons for the closing in the comments section of NY Post website:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Don't believe everything you read in the NY Post, especially an article with statements by Thor pr tool

STATEMENT BY CAROL HILL ALBERT,
CO-OWNER OF ASTROLAND AMUSEMENT PARK

I am making this statement today to set the record straight. I have not “given up on Coney Island” as Thor Equities has stated. I have given up on trying to get Thor to negotiate which I have attempted to do every month since June, and numerous times in August.

Each time their response was, “We have no answer.” The safety of our customers and our commitment to employees means our time has run out. Ride parts must be ordered a minimum of eight to 10 months in advance. My employees cannot live in a state of limbo any longer. It takes six months to pack up a three-acre amusement park that has been in operation for 46 years, so a January 31st deadline means start packing yesterday. We are out of time.

Today I notified Astroland’s employees that the amusement park will cease operations permanently at the end of the day on Sunday, September 7th. Many in the community had hoped along with us that Astroland could remain open to keep the lights on in Coney Island until the rezoning issue had been resolved, because carnival rides, as the “Summer of Hope” sadly proved, are no substitute for a permanent amusement park. However, when even our good friend, Councilman Domenic Recchia could do nothing to persuade Thor to negotiate, it became clear we had no choice but to close the business permanently on Sunday night, September 7th.

Coney Island's future as a tourism and amusement destination is clearly in peril. Thor equities, which now owns most of Coney Island, came onto the development scene showing beautiful renderings of this great 21st century amusement park they were promising to build. All indications however, are that their real priority is retail and high end housing.
There is a real question as to whether Coney Island will ever have amusements, other than the Cyclone and the Wonder Wheel in its future. Instead it appears to be that a series of shopping malls and condos will replace amusement parks as the centerpiece of the Coney Island that has been here for over 100 years. This is a tragic loss for the City of New York and visitors around the world.

Astroland Kiddie Park and the Cyclone Roller Coaster will open for the last weekend on Friday, Sept 5 at 12:00 noon. Major thrill rides will open at 4 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday, all attractions will open at 12:00 noon.
We invite all New Yorkers to come to Astroland this weekend to bid farewell to this historic icon.
And we look forward to seeing many of our loyal patrons on opening day for the Cyclone roller coaster, Sunday April 5, 2009.