ABOUT US
Founded in 1978, Rockaway Development & Revitalization Corporation is located in Far Rockaway, Queens, New York
Mission Statement
“To promote the revitalization of the Rockaway’s economic base and neighborhoods, and to secure an improved quality of life for its residents”.
PROGRAMS & SERVICES
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
Pages 4-5
WORKFORCE & CAREER DEVELOPMENT
Pages 6-7
NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION
Pages 8-9
COMMERCIAL REVITALIZATION
Pages 10-14
SUPPORTER ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Pages 15
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Our youth programs are focused on youth 14-21 years of age. The majority of our 1,800+ youth participants are low and moderate income residents in the Rockaways and surrounding Southeast Queens neighborhoods.
Our programs and services offer paid job experience, internships, college placement assistance, money management skills training, career exploration, educational and cultural trips, entrepreneurship, and media arts.
Our key youth programs: Summer Youth Employment Program Work, Learn & Grow Afterschool Employment Program Learn & Earn Program College & Beyond Program
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT IMPACT
Paid summer and afterschool employment to 1,090 youth 16-21. Paid internships to 665 youth aged 14, 15. Established 330+ summer and afterschool business partnerships. Successfully assisted 132 youth apply and enroll in college. Sponsored 25 youth to attend the RDRC Annual College & Cultural Tour to Delaware and Washington, DC. Awarded 20 college scholarships totaling $30,000 to local students. Established seven (7) youth entrepreneur businesses. Trained and certified five (5) youth as FAA Drone Pilots. Trained 15 students in Media Relations including filming, production set-up, and interviewing.
WORKFORCE & CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Our workforce development services are focused on adult job seekers 18+ years of age. The majority of our participants are low and moderate income residents the Rockaways and surrounding Southeast Queens neighborhoods.
Our services include a Basic Job Readiness Skills Training Course, financial capabilities workshops and counseling, Basic Desktop Computer Skills Training Course, Certified Customer Service and Retail Courses, Information Technology Certification, IT Essentials Certification, and HelpDesk Certification.
Our training & certification partners:
CISCO
Microsoft
National Retail Federation
WORKFORCE & CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES IMPACT
Successfully graduated 84 students with Adult Job Readiness Course certificates of completion.
Issued a total of $8,400 in stipends to students completing job readiness course.
Provided advanced learning courses/certification training to 35 students.
Implemented a Conversational Language Arts Course for Non-English Speakers as a pre-requisite for the Basic Job Readiness Course. Created a Basic Job Readiness Course for Non-English Speakers (FrenchCreo).
Established a Basic Computer Course for Non-English Speakers (FrenchCreo).
Co-sponsored OSHA 30, Flagger and Site Safety Training Course for 40 Non-English Speakers (Spanish). Certified 40 Non-English speaking students with OSHA certificate training.
NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION SERVICES
Our Neighborhood Preservation Services are certified by the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development Agency. We offer a 13hour First Time Homebuyer course, homeownership preservation foreclosure prevention counseling services, and credit counseling services.
RDRC is a member of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) and Neighborhood Preservation Coalition of New York State (NPCNYS).
RDRC is NYCHA Resident Economic Empowerment & Sustainability (REES) partner and NYC Housing Preservation and Development Housing Ambassador.
NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION SERVICES IMPACT
Provided financial capabilities training and pre-purchasing counseling services to 400+ youth and adults.
Provided seven (7) First time homebuyer workshops resulting in the issuance of 35 HUD First Time Homebuyer Certificates of Completion.
Assisted twelve (12) existing homeowners with foreclosure assistance services. Provided rental assistance counseling services to 67 persons seeking assistance applying for NYC HPD Affordable Housing as a designated HPD Housing Ambassador. Provided first-time homebuyer workshops to 27 NYCHA residents.
COMMERCIAL REVITALIZATION SERVICES IMPACT
RDRC’s Commercial Revitalization Services include business retention and attraction, district marketing, public space management, and placemaking services.
Our goal is to create a sense of place through the activation of public spaces, by engaging local business owners, attracting more foot traffic into downtown shopping districts, and hosting events and activities. RDRC partners with a host of elected officials, City agencies, and community stakeholder in the planning and execution of placemaking services. This includes the NYPD 101st Precinct, NYS
Senator James Sanders, Jr., NYS
Assemblyman Khaleel Anderson, NYS
Assemblywoman Stacey PhefferAmato, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, Jr., NYC City Council
Majority Whip Selvena Brooks-Powers, NYC Department of Transportation, Parks, Sanitation, Community Board #14, Queens Community Justice Center, Queens Public Library, Queens Defenders, FRANC, and REMA4US.
COMMERCIAL REVITALIZATION SERVICES IMPACT
ROCKAWAYS BUSINESS RESOURCE CENTER
Marketing, e-commerce solutions, planning, access-to-capital and professional development workshops to 300+ retail, food, and professional service businesses.
Assisted thirteen (13) businesses become certified NYC Minority or Women Business Enterprises (MWBE).
Assisted eight (8) businesses become certified NYS Minority or Women Business Enterprises (MWBE).
Assisted two (2) businesses become certified Minority Business Enterprises (MWBE).
Assisted nine (9) businesses become certified Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (ACDBE).
COMMERCIAL REVITALIZATION SERVICES IMPACT
SOUTHEAST QUEEN BUSINESS INCUBATOR
Established the Southeast Queens Business Incubator (SEQBI) to assist businesses with growth plans, ecommerce, accounting, finance and management, and new business opportunities.
PLACEMAKING
Hosted 20 events, concerts, and culturally diverse and inclusive activities that included the Annual Lights of Hope Tree Lighting, Juneteenth Celebration, Queens Caribbean Carnival, Family Day/Back to School Event at Redfern Plaza, Menorah Lighting Ceremony, Kwanzaa Celebration, and Fiesta Del Barrio Street Fair. Attended over 50 community, business, chamber, workforce, airport expansion, civic events to promote the Rockaways as a destination place.
COMMERCIAL REVITALIZATION SERVICES IMPACT
PLACEMAKING
Launched a Residency for Youth Program that taught youth how to plan, design, and install public space artwork that is featured in a high trafficked area of Far Rockaway.
DISTRICT MARKETING
Successfully implemented the distribution of two (2) weekly enewsletters, one focused on workforce, youth, health & wellness, and community engagement activities, and a second focused on small business development. Expanded its weekly e-newsletter from 4,000 to 7,500 viewers. Created a Rockaways Food Crawl to promote local restaurants and that attracted over 500 residents into the district.
COMMERCIAL REVITALIZATION SERVICES IMPACT
REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT
Finalized plans for two (2) customized commercial kiosks to be placed in the Beach 20th Street Plaza to establish the Beach 20th Plaza Market.
Awarded a $2.7M capital construction project to establish the Rockaways Music, Arts & Cultural Center.
Awarded $275,000 to install modern, ecological and technology designed waste receptacles and kiosks in Downtown Far Rockaway.
Raised $1.7M in capital grants to assist St. John’s Hospital modernize its birthing wing, JCCRP build-out a daycare center; and Queens Defenders retrofit its Far Rockaway space.
2O24 FUNDING PARTNERS
NYS Senator James Sanders, Jr.
NYS Assemblyman Khaleel Anderson
NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams
NYC City Council
Majority Whip Selvena Brooks-Power
NYC Council Queens Delegation
NYS Department of State
NYS Department of Criminal Justice Services
NY Empire State Development
NYS Office of Homes & Community Renewal
NYS Regional Economic Development Council
NYC Department of Youth & Community Development
NYC Housing Authority
NYC Department of Small Business Services
City University of New York
Cross River Bank
Council for Airport Opportunity
Episcopal Hospital Services
Haugland Companies
Howard Memorial Fund
JetBlue
Local Initiatives Support Corporation
L & M Development Partners
National Grid
New York City Green Fund
Port Authority of New York & New Jersey
PSEGLI
Queens Defenders
Queens Public Television
Resorts World New York City
Spectrum
67 Precinct Council/Mayor’s Office
The Community Builders
The New Terminal One
