CommonPod Queens

The CommonPod Queens Podcast has a Special Series, working with the Commonpoint Queens Ladders for Leaders (L4L) youth employment program! Throughout the Internships with Impact Podcast, we will be discussing the experiences of the ambitious students who participated in our program and the amazing employers we have partnered with.

For the second episode of Internships with Impact, we interviewed Zakia Abraham. Zakia is currently a part-time job placement assistant with the Ladders for Leaders team and works for Amalgamated Bank in their compliance department. Prior to joining our team, Zakia participated in the program twice! Her first internship placement was at the law office of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP and her second placement was at Amalgamated Bank, where she has continued to work since 2019. A self-motivated individual, Zakia's short term post graduate plan is to work full time while receiving her MBA. Once she has completed graduate school, her long term goal is to attend law school and become a corporate attorney. 

Listen along as we discuss how important it is to explore various career opportunities through different internships, to take risks and to pay it forward.

The CommonPod Queens Podcast has a Special Series, working with the Commonpoint Queens Ladders for Leaders (L4L) youth employment program! Throughout the Internships with Impact Podcast, we will be discussing the experiences of the ambitious students who participated in our program and the amazing employers we have partnered with. 

For the first episode of Internships with Impact, we interviewed one of our alumni participants, Yaakov Spraragen. Yaakov is currently a senior at Baruch College and will be receiving his MBA in Israel post-graduation.  As an aspiring international business communications professional, Yaakov discusses his first professional internship, how the L4L team helped find the perfect fit for him, and how this lead to life changing  professional and personal development.  

Listen to hear more about his positive experience with Ladders for Leaders at Commonpoint Queens!

With a Fitness Center and Indoor Pool in Forest Hills, youth sports and gymnastics programs in Forest Hills and Little Neck for children as young as 6-months up to teenage years in multiple locations, and group exercise classes for all ages - both virtual and in person - Commonpoint Queens Health and Wellness programs offers something for everyone.

For episode five of the CommonPod Queens Podcast, we were joined by Adam Ostroff, Senior Director of Health and Wellness programs, to discuss the importance of Health and Wellness during the pandemic, how we've engaged over 20,000 participants virtually, safely returning to in-person programs, and what you can do to stay healthy during these challenging times. 

For more information on Commonpoint Queens' Health and Wellness programs, you can click here, call 718-268-5011 ext. 500, or email Adam directly at [email protected].

In this bonus episode in honor of Election Day, Andy Gavora, Program Coordinator, High School & College Success, shares some helpful tips about voting.

- If you're voting absentee, mail it back ASAP (with 2 stamps) or drop it off at any early voting site or the Board of Elections. You can track your absentee ballot at nycabsentee.com/tracking.

 - You can still vote in person if you've requested an absentee ballot.

 - Early voting has begun and runs through November 1! You early voting site may not be the same as your Election Day site. Find your polling site at findmypollsite.vote.nyc. Hours vary each day. 

 - If you're voting in person and have received an Election Day FastPass in the mail, bring it with you to speed up the voting process. If you have not received it, make sure you know what your Election District is. You do not need to bring an ID unless you did not include the last 4 digits of your Social Security number on your voter registration form or a first time voter. Social distancing will be enforced and voters will receive their own wipes and pens.

More information about the organizations Andy mentions, Pizza to the Polls and The People's Bodega, is available here. 

Make sure to research every race on your ballot and make a plan to vote! If you have questions, call 1-866-VOTE-NYC.

On October 6th, in  partnership with UJA-Federation of New-York, Commonpoint Queens opened the Queens Hub, a  new 9,600-square-foot social service center that will offer employment resources, social services, and access to food in Elmhurst, Queens. 

For episode three of the CommonPod Podcast, we were joined by Brynn McCormick, Assistant Vice President of Adult Workforce programs, to discuss what the opening of The Hub means for our community, all of the services that are being offered (and who is eligible), and how Commonpoint has met the changing needs of clients during the pandemic.

For more information on The Hub, you can click here, call 718-268-5057, or email Brynn directly at [email protected].

Chief Program Officer Greg Rideout discusses the impact that organizations like Commonpoint Queens have on the community at large.

Commonpoint Queens CEO Danielle Ellman discusses the organization's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.