NYCHA Celebrates the ’24 Winter Holidays

From early December through much of January, NYCHA residents celebrated the winter holiday season and their communities with a range of festive events, including tree and candle lightings, holiday toy giveaways (often hosted by Santa himself), group outings, and home/community decoration efforts. Read on for some of the highlights.

In Brooklyn:

The Brooklyn Chapter of the NAACP Youth Council led a pair of delightful toy drives for two NYCHA developments in their home borough, at Tilden Houses and at Long Island Baptist:

In Queens:

In Queens, Bland Houses hosted a toy giveaway– Santa hosted of course! – for the youngest members of the community.

The Samaritan-Daytop Village Woodside Houses Senior Center hosted a holiday celebration for residents that was also attended by Assembly Member Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas.

In the Bronx:

On December 18, Bronx River Houses hosted a toy giveaway for their community’s kids attended by State Senator Luis Sepulveda.

“I had the privilege of joining Norma Saunders, Tenant Association President of the Bronx River Houses, for her incredible toy giveaway!” Senator Sepulveda posted the next day. “It was heartwarming to see families coming together to celebrate the holiday season. Thank you, Norma, for your leadership!”

Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights Event

This year featured another delightful opportunity for Bronx residents courtesy of NYCHA – which allocated a large block of free tickets – to attend the Bronx Zoo’s Holiday Lights show.

“It was a truly magical experience and the perfect way to kick off the holiday season for our community,” said Morrisania Air Rights Tenant Association President Tanya Pedler. “Our residents thoroughly enjoyed the festive atmosphere, and the addition of free hot chocolate, churros, and s’mores made the evening even more special. Our youngest residents were thrilled by the free holiday train ride, and it was clear that adults and children alike had an unforgettable time.”

Morrisania Air Rights Winter Family Day

Mixing in a bit more festivity this season, the Morrisania Air Rights community also decided to host their Family Day in winter again this year, opting for another “winter wonderland” festival – to the continued delight of their whole community. It featured both Santa Claus and Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson, as well as a lot of treats, games, and fun for everyone.

“This was the second year in a row that we that we chose the theme, and it was a big success!” said Ms. Pedler. “I believe we fed almost 2,000 families that day. We had lots of amazing sponsors – including the Public Housing Community Fund, MetroPlus, TEI, and Macy’s. We gave out toys for all the children that attended, we provided them with free pictures with Santa — who came to us courtesy of Macy’s. It was all just so special!”