Neighborhood Notes: Join Your Community Board

Neighborhood Notes: Free Immigration Service

Apply to Local Community Board Applications for placement into a local community board are available. City residents who qualify must either reside, work or have a professional or other significant interest in the Bronx. Applications are open to anyone as young as 16 years old. Deadline for application submission is Feb. 9, 2018. For more information and to apply, call (718) 590-3913 or visit bronxboropres.nyc.gov/community-boards/. Summer Camp Applications Applications for summer camps sponsored by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will open Jan. 24, 2018. Applications should be submitted through the online registration program at http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/29.html. Parents

By KEYLA GARCIA

This time of year is filled with holiday cheer, gatherings, and lots of great food. For many folks the holiday season means eating more than usual, putting on a few extra pounds followed by weight loss being a New Year’s resolution goal. However, the holiday season doesn’t have to include weight gain if you eat in moderation, use portion control, and exercise regularly. It’s important to take a healthier approach to what we eat during the yuletide. The American Heart Association offers several tips toward a healthy approach. Small changes make a big difference. Control portions. Especially during the holidays,

Dear Fellow Readers, The latest edition of the Norwood News, covering the Norwood section of the Bronx and its surrounding neighborhoods, is out with its last edition of 2017! It’s certainly been a ride. To refresh your memory of some of this year’s happenings, we encourage you to take a look at our editorial. It’s worth a read. But let’s get back to the beginning and page one! On Dec. 19, Bronx Community Board 7 finally found another district manager. This time it’s Ischia Bravo, who becomes the first female district manager since the late Rita Kessler. Her hiring was met

BRONXITE MIKE BUFFALO (seated front center), an alum of Wings Academy, returned to his home borough on Dec. 8 for an event at The New School for Leadership and The Arts. After realizing his professional basketball dreams in Europe, the 26-year-old founded the Westchester-based Faith & Grind Basketball School. Photo by Miriam Quinones

Volunteers Spread Holiday Cheer to Kingsbridge’s Vulnerable

By STEPHANIE LUCIANO

Amid the season of giving, volunteers filled the space with holiday spirit at Jericho Project’s Kingsbridge Terrace Veterans Residence to spread some cheer. This year Jericho kicked off the holidays raising awareness on homelessness and formerly homeless individuals at the Jericho Project’s Day of Action on Dec. 8 at 2701 Kingsbridge Terr., one of their buildings reserved exclusively for veterans. Jericho Project provides supportive housing owning eight different buildings in Harlem and the Bronx. The residents are provided assistance, employment and educational credentials, to keep them from returning to the streets. Tori Lyon, Jericho Project’s CEO, employees and their supporting

COMMUNITY BOARD 7, covering Norwood, Bedford Park, Kingsbridge, Fordham and University Heights sections of the Bronx will hold its monthly board meeting on Dec. 19 at Kittay House, 2550 Webb Avenue, at 6:30 p.m. CB7 committee meetings are held on the following dates at the board office, 229 E. 204th St., at 6:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted: Housing, Land Use & Zoning Committee meets on Dec. 12; and Executive Committee meets on Dec. 14. There will be no Parks Committee meeting as it’s happening on Dec. 7, the same time as the CB7 Annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony. For more information,

Lawmakers Advocate for Tenants at Pair of Morgan Group Buildings (Picture)

By YARA PALIN and DIEGO BARCACEL PEÑA

The ongoing hazardous conditions at a Kingsbridge Heights apartment building is now getting the attention of a Bronx legislator. State Senator Gustavo Rivera, representing the neighborhood, has stepped in to show support for the tenants of 60 E. 196th St., which has been plagued with disruptive construction. In response to the situation, Rivera attended a Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) investigatory conference with tenants and the Morgan Group, which owns the building. He also has secured legal assistance from Legal Services of New York (LSNY) in cooperation with the Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition (NWBCCC) and organized

The following letters to the editor were published in the Norwood News December 7-20, 2017 edition Shelter Needs More Checks and Balances The title of the article from the Nov. 9-22 issue (“Fordham Shelter Housing Site Here to Stay”) written by Reggie Francois gives the impression that FHOC [Fordham Hill Owners Corporation] and the neighborhood were defeated when in fact FHOC played a vital role in mobilizing our community so that our voices could be heard. It was written recklessly and in an insensitive tone, where fear was invoked in the commentary. Francois mentioned many of the local legislators present

Canned Food Drive Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz holds annual Holiday Canned Food Drive until Dec. 13. Donations, which are given to Bronx non-profits for families in need, can be dropped off at his office, 3107 Kingsbridge Ave. For more information, call (718) 796-5345. Heating Assistance Sign up to receive free heating assistance through the New York State Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). Eligible households can receive assistance of up to $725. A family of four with a yearly income of $53,482 can still qualify for help. For more information about eligibility, and to sign up, call (212) 331-3126. Public Engagement Workshops