Carroll Gardens Association Incorporated

CARROLL GARDENS ASSOCIATION'S SERVICE AREA IS LOCATED IN SOUTHWEST BROOKLYN, INCLUDING THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF RED HOOK, THE COLUMBIA STREET WATERFRONT DISTRICT, CARROLL GARDENS, GOWANUS, AND SUNSET PARK. WHILE WE SERVE THE ENTIRE SOUTHWEST BROOKLYN AND PORTIONS OF BROOKLYN COMMUNITY BOARD 6 AND COMMUNITY BOARD 7, OUR CATCHMENT AREA FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION PROGRAM FOCUSES MAINLY ON THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF RED HOOK, THE COLUMBIA STREET WATERFRONT DISTRICT, AND CARROLL GARDENS.AS A COMMUNITY-BASED HOUSING DEVELOPER AND NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION COMPANY (NPC), CARROLL GARDENS ASSOCIATION HAS COMPLETED OVER 500 AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF RED HOOK, THE COLUMBIA STREET WATERFRONT DISTRICT, CARROLL GARDENS, AND GOWANUS.WE ARE ALSO WORKING TOWARDS A NEW COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK ROOTED IN CREATING DEMOCRATIC WORKPLACES, BROADENING OWNERSHIP OF CAPITAL AND ASSET GENERATION, EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE GROWTH, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY.

PERHAPS MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, EXPANDING THE EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO RESIDENTS OF THE COMMUNITY AND HELPING THEM INCREASE THEIR EARNING POWER, IS AT THE HEART OF OUR VISION FOR SOUTHWEST BROOKLYN. OUR EFFORTS TO REALIZE THIS VISION ARE ORGANIZED AROUND THE OBJECTIVE TO IMPROVE RESIDENTS' ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE METROPOLITAN REGION.CARROLL GARDENS ASSOCIATION PROVIDES FREE COMPUTER TRAINING TO DOZENS OF INDIVIDUALS ANNUALLY. THE COMPUTER TRAINING PROGRAM IS A SEVEN-WEEK COURSE THAT PROVIDES PARTICIPANTS WITH INSTRUCTION ON BASIC COMPUTER SKILLS, THE USE OF THE INTERNET, AND LESSONS ON MICROSOFT WORD, EXCEL, AND POWERPOINT. AFTER SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE TRAINING PROGRAM, PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE A CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION THAT THEY COULD SHOW TO PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYERS.SESSIONS FOR THE COMPUTER TRAINING PROGRAM ARE HELD AT THE CGA TRAINING CENTER. THE CGA TRAINING CENTER INCLUDES SPACE FOR A COMPUTER LAB AND A CLASSROOM TYPE SETTING. IN ADDITION TO THE FREE COMPUTER TRAINING PROGRAM, A VARIETY OF EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS ARE HELD REGULARLY AT THE CGA TRAINING CENTER.

CGA'S ENTREPRENEUR ASSISTANCE PROGRAM OFFERS RESOURCES TO SMALL BUSINESSES THROUGH WORKSHOPS AND ONE-ON-ONE COUNSELING WITH THOSE WHO WISH TO START A BUSINESS OR EXPAND AN EXISTING BUSINESS. THE PARTNERSHIP WILL ALSO MAKE GOVERNMENT RESOURCES TO ASSIST SMALL BUSINESSES AVAILABLE TO OUR COMMUNITY. IN PARTICULAR, CGA WORKS WITH THE NYC SMALL BUSINESS SERVICES (NYC SBS) TO OFFER 1-ON-1 COUNSELING TO AREA RESIDENTS, ENTREPRENEURS, AND SMALL BUSINESSES.CGA WAS SELECTED AS ONE OF SIX COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS BY THE CENTER FOR FAMILY LIFE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE NEW YORK CITY WORKER COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE. THE INITIATIVE, A MULTI YEAR INTENSIVE TRAINING, EQUIPS STAFF WITH THE NEEDED SKILLS AND RESOURCES FOR CGA TO LAUNCH A WORKER COOPERATIVE INCUBATION PROGRAM .

PERHAPS MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, EXPANDING THE EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO RESIDENTS OF THE COMMUNITY AND HELPING THEM INCREASE THEIR EARNING POWER, IS AT THE HEART OF OUR VISION FOR SOUTHWEST BROOKLYN. OUR EFFORTS TO REALIZE THIS VISION ARE ORGANIZED AROUND THE OBJECTIVE TO IMPROVE RESIDENTS' ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE METROPOLITAN REGION.CARROLL GARDENS ASSOCIATION PROVIDES FREE COMPUTER TRAINING TO DOZENS OF INDIVIDUALS ANNUALLY. THE COMPUTER TRAINING PROGRAM IS A SEVEN-WEEK COURSE THAT PROVIDES PARTICIPANTS WITH INSTRUCTION ON BASIC COMPUTER SKILLS, THE USE OF THE INTERNET, AND LESSONS ON MICROSOFT WORD, EXCEL, AND POWERPOINT. AFTER SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE TRAINING PROGRAM, PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE A CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION THAT THEY COULD SHOW TO PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYERS.SESSIONS FOR THE COMPUTER TRAINING PROGRAM ARE HELD AT THE CGA TRAINING CENTER. THE CGA TRAINING CENTER INCLUDES SPACE FOR A COMPUTER LAB AND A CLASSROOM TYPE SETTING. IN ADDITION TO THE FREE COMPUTER TRAINING PROGRAM, A VARIETY OF EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS ARE HELD REGULARLY AT THE CGA TRAINING CENTER.

CGA'S ENTREPRENEUR ASSISTANCE PROGRAM OFFERS RESOURCES TO SMALL BUSINESSES THROUGH WORKSHOPS AND ONE-ON-ONE COUNSELING WITH THOSE WHO WISH TO START A BUSINESS OR EXPAND AN EXISTING BUSINESS. THE PARTNERSHIP WILL ALSO MAKE GOVERNMENT RESOURCES TO ASSIST SMALL BUSINESSES AVAILABLE TO OUR COMMUNITY. IN PARTICULAR, CGA WORKS WITH THE NYC SMALL BUSINESS SERVICES (NYC SBS) TO OFFER 1-ON-1 COUNSELING TO AREA RESIDENTS, ENTREPRENEURS, AND SMALL BUSINESSES.CGA WAS SELECTED AS ONE OF SIX COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS BY THE CENTER FOR FAMILY LIFE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE NEW YORK CITY WORKER COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE. THE INITIATIVE, A MULTI YEAR INTENSIVE TRAINING, EQUIPS STAFF WITH THE NEEDED SKILLS AND RESOURCES FOR CGA TO LAUNCH A WORKER COOPERATIVE INCUBATION PROGRAM .