The Center for the Women of New York (CWNY) will eventually move from Borough Hall to Fort Totten, but the organization is still out to help all women, in the whole borough.
The Center’s founder, Douglaston resident Ann Jawin, recently spoke at a meeting of Assemblymember William Scarborough’s 29th Assembly District Task Force, at the Robert Ross Johnson Family Life Center in Saint Albans.
There, Jawin explained to the audience, Scarborough and his co-host, City Councilmember Leroy Comrie, that since its founding in 1987, CWNY has added educational, fitness and career services to its mission of legal advocacy.
As there was success in overcoming legal obstacles to providing adequate protection for abused women, CWNY tackled problems like economic conditions of women, sex bias in employment, education, health and legislative issues.
Today, CWNY is helping women with a weekly Job Club, career counseling, help line, Legal Assistance Clinic, Money Management Clinic and support groups for crisis situations and life changes.
Another major program is their annual “World of Working Women October Conference and Job Fair,” which will be held this year at the Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel, 135-20 39th Avenue in Flushing.
They also offer computer instruction, English as a Second Language (ESL) and General Equivalency Diploma (GED) classes and a certificate program for Family Day Care providers.
In terms of personal development, CWNY offers self-defense and yoga classes, as well as workshops in stress management and self esteem.
Jawin stressed that they welcome all women, and will continue to do so when they move to the landmarked building that will be their new headquarters.
Call CWNY at 718-793-0672 for more information.
The Task Force meets at 10 a.m. on the last Saturday of every month except July and August, at the Robert Ross Johnson Family Life Center, 172-17 Linden Boulevard, just east of Merrick Boulevard. Their next meeting will be on September 27.
For more information on the Task Force, call Scarborough’s office at 718-723-5412. The office is located at 129-32 Merrick Boulevard in Jamaica.
