HOPE's Homework Haven Celebrates Grand Opening at Parkside Place

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — A unique afterschool program with origins in the darkest days of the pandemic celebrated its official grand opening in style.

HOPE's Homework Haven, an afterschool program for grades 2-8, celebrated its official grand opening Wednesday at Parkside Place with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The new learning hub, located in the renovated community room at 570 Fifth Ave., provides free homework help, tutoring, arts and crafts, games and recreational activities.

"The residents of Parkside Place are very special to HOPE," Hope Community Services Director Walter Ritz said. "We formed our relationship with them during the Pandemic and have been with them ever since. I am thrilled to be able to better serve this wonderful community with Homework Haven. "

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Parkside Place residents faced a greater challenge connecting to relief services due to their distance from many providers. HOPE's Mobile Food Pantry assisted by bringing emergency food, toiletries, clothing, books, masks and laundry detergent. The property owner, NDR Group, refurbished the Community Room to accommodate this effort and collaborated with the city of New Rochelle and HOPE to create the afterschool program.

"HOPE mobilized in a time of crisis to bring much-needed assistance directly to a community that is geographically cut off from other service providers," New Rochelle Deputy Mayor Sara Kaye said. "I understand the need for a robust support system in order for our children to thrive and I am very happy the City was able to provide the resources to create this vital program."