What we do
Youth Services
Youth Services
The C.O.R.E. – Culture Of Recovery for Excellence
Elmcor operates the first and only Youth Recovery Club House in Queens funded by Office of Addiction Services and Support (OASAS), and operates within our recreation building. The Youth Clubhouse is open to all Queens youth ages 12-25 and their families. Working with youth living in the communities of Long Island City, Astoria, East Elmhurst, Elmhurst, Corona, Jackson Heights, Woodside, and Jamaica, the space is housed in its own safe, youth-friendly, spacious, and supportive space. It features peer-driven, peer-led programming; a range of evidence-based practices and other supportive activities; specialized groups for youth in recovery and prevention skills development; a peer-led Community Advisory Committee; and an intensive member recruitment and community education plan.
For program inquiries, please contact Joewyn Diaz, Assistant Director of Youth Recovery Services at 718-651-0096 (Ext 290) or via email at j.diaz@elmcor.org
Recreation Program
Located on Elmcor’s campus, our recreation program is housed in a professional, regulation-sized gymnasium where youth can participate in an array of team sports, such as basketball, soccer, and softball, as well as learn boxing techniques in our state-of-the-art boxing ring. In addition to the traditional programs, we also provide competitive travel teams and many special events throughout the year. Designed to provide a safe space and promote the advancement of youth by encouraging athletic development through sports, health education, and themed programming, our recreation programs help strengthen confidence and character.
Our recreation program is open to youth between the ages of 8 and 21. For program inquiries, please contact Darnell Childs, Recreation Manager, at 718-651-0096 or via email at d.childs@elmcor.org.
B.R.A.V.E- Building Resilience and Alternative to Violence Everyday
B.R.A.V.E, Elmcor’s first violence prevention program, addresses gang and gun violence in the East Elmhurst, Corona, Lefrak, and Jackson Heights communities in Queens through collaboration with various community based organizations and the community to develop strategic, violence-interruption plans designed to authentically engage vulnerable populations most involved in and impacted by violent activity. This initiative offers youth positive alternatives through a comprehensive drug-prevention curriculum, counseling, youth-relevant workshops and resources for participants and their families.
Working together, fueled by unwavering purpose, the long-term objective is to improve community safety conditions and neighborhood morale through a significant investment in rehabilitation, as well as personal and professional growth.
For program inquiries, please contact Eric Moore, Program Coordinator at 718-651-0096 (Ext.246) or via email e.moore@elmcor.org or Joewyn Diaz, Assistant Director of Youth Recovery Services, at 718-651-0096 (Ext. 290) or via email at j.diaz@elmcor.org.
STEM Saturdays
STEM Saturdays is our free weekend programming covering various topics related to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Through the program, youth conduct hands-on lab experiments; participate in workshops, training, and educational trips; engage in mentoring sessions with skilled professionals; and work with different themed projects on a 3-D printer. Elmcor’s goal is to spark early career exploration while developing a diverse pipeline of young students and professionals for the ever-changing and quickly evolving STEM economy.
STEM Saturdays is open to youth between the ages of 9 and 16. For program inquiries please contact Joewyn Diaz, Assistant Director of Youth Recovery Services, at 718-651-0096 (Ext. 290) or via email at j.diaz@elmcor.org.
R.I.S.E.U.P. – Resiliency Inspired Self Empowerment creates Unlimited Possibilities
Our R.I.S.E.U.P. program provides positive alternatives and opportunities to youth, adolescents, and young adults. Qualified counselors provide drug prevention/education services, incorporating evidence-based and positive youth development interventions including: individual/group counseling, life-skills workshops, career, and education counseling, support services, and referrals. Services are provided at Elmcor and in convenient neighborhood locations: community centers, schools, churches, and community-based organizations. Participants receiving prevention services can also participate in a menu of recreational, community service, and civic engagement activities that help build resilience and self-confidence. Families can also attend parenting/strengthening families workshops.
R.I.S.E.U.P. is open to youth between the ages of 5 and 20.
For program inquiries, please contact Nelson J. Ravel Jr., Prevention Coordinator, at 718-651-0096 (Ext. 272) or via email at n.revel@elmcor.org or Nicholas Steele, Assistant Director of Prevention Services, at 718-651-0096 (Ext. 296) or via email at n.steele@elmcor.org.
College Prevention Initiative (CPI)
The College Prevention Initiative (CPI) at LaGuardia Community College (LAGCC) is a partnership designed to address alcohol and substance misuse prevention among students. The initiative is funded through grants provided by OASAS. The goal is to implement evidence-based practices and strategies to prevent or reduce substance misuse among students, including community-level, environmental change strategies. Overall, the objective is to positively impact the lives of students and enhance the LAGCC’s wellness program.
For program inquiries, please contact Nelson J. Ravel Jr., Prevention Coordinator, at 718-651-0096 (Ext. 272) or via email at n.revel@elmcor.org.
CAPP/PREP
The Comprehensive Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention (CAPP) and Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) programs address sexual health and other health outcomes for adolescents, as well as promoting preventive health care services. This encompasses reproductive health, HIV education, family-planning services, supporting social-emotional development, prioritizing health and healthy relationships, and decreasing disparities in all core outcomes among New York State adolescents. Both programs also seek to reduce the adolescent pregnancy rate and the rate of unintended pregnancy by promoting the practice of healthy behaviors/reducing risky behaviors, as well as increasing the percentage of adolescents who receive preventive reproductive health care services.
For program inquiries please contact Patricia Lopez, Program Manager, at 718-651-0096 (Ext. 320) or via email at pa.lopez@elmcor.org or Nicholas Steele, Assistant Director of Prevention Services, at 718-651-0096 (Ext. 296) or via email at n.steele@elmcor.org.
Queens Prevention Community Coalition (QPCC)
QPCC is a dynamic initiative hosted by Elmcor Youth & Adult Activities, Inc. and funded by the Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) with a resolute commitment to engaging in adult prevention initiatives in Queens, NY. QPCC’s mission centers on engaging Queens stakeholders in executing robust environmental strategies using a strategic prevention framework, leveraging community-specific data, and collaboratively decreasing the involvement of individuals—both young and adult—in underage and high-risk substance misuse activities.
For program inquiries, please contact Nelson J. Ravel Jr., Prevention Coordinator, at 718-651-0096 (Ext. 272) or via email at n.revel@elmcor.org or Nicholas Steele, Assistant Director of Prevention Services, at 718-651-0096 (Ext. 296) or via email at n.steele@elmcor.org.
Rising Scholars
Elmcor’s Rising Scholars program is a free, Department of Education-funded program for Universal 3-K and 4-K-eligible children. It is designed to establish a platform for participation in early, rigorous academic exploration in literacy, numeracy, phonemic awareness, technology, art, and science. Knowledge is then applied through play-based learning, providing an opportunity to invent, construct, grow, design, and create individual and school-wide projects.
The core purpose of the Rising Scholars initiative is to recognize the diversity of our participating families, and celebrate each child’s unique talent, abilities, and qualities. Our staff is committed to working one-on-one with parents to ensure each child is provided a solid foundation to develop into an academic achiever. Embracing a growth mindset, we provide a warm, friendly, and emotionally supportive environment for children to develop, be nurtured, and receive positive, guiding strategies.
For program inquiries, please contact Shawnika Williams, Education Director, at 718-651-0096 or via email at s.williams@elmcor.org.
Other Services
Behavioral Health Services
Housing Services
