Pitkin BID: now with more interns!

The Pitkin Ave BID is now home to interns, Katie Raffa and Tracey McDonough. Both enjoy their work immensely (and are not paid to say this... in fact they are not paid at all. -ed.). Katie, a super intern, has been working alongside Kat Rutkin since September 2009. She is sophomore at Pace University. At Pace she studied Political Science and is currently participating in the Model UN program in which she along with classmates will represent Haiti. Following are her comments about her experience with the Pitkin Ave BID...

Being an intern means learning things from Kathleen, meeting new people everyday. I get to work on a variety of events and see how great the end product is. Seeing how happy it makes people is incredibly rewarding for me. Being an intern means going to a place I would have never gone to previously and meeting many people I would have never had the chance to work with in a non traditional environment. I've invaluable work experience and had a lot of fun. I look forward to applying all the skills I have learned with Kathleen to the real world/next level.

Tracey McDonough, a very recent addition to the team is excited to develop an event from the start and see the final product. Tracey is also a Political Science student at Pace University. She will with Katie represent Haiti this year. Originally, from San Diego she is especially excited to travel to different neighborhoods in Brooklyn. Following are her comments on being an intern with the Pitkin Ave BID...

Having participated with Shop Brooklyn and the Christmas Tree lighting I looks forward to upcoming events such as It's My Park Day in May. Being new to any kind of urban development makes learning about the process in coordinating community events thrilling. As Katie had mentioned I too agree that the smiling faces of all the children and families at the Christmas Tree lighting were most rewarding. Taking the time to carefully craft programs and events for neighborhoods is time and energy well spent.

To see pictures from the Christmas Tree lighting visit http://pitkinbid.org/pdf/pitkin-treelighting09.pdf

Inside: Shoppers World!

Pitkin Avenue is home to over 200 merchants, selling everything from homegoods to jewelry. One of our stores, Shoppers World, sells just about everything you can imagine. If you need it, Pitkin Avenue has it, and this is a sample of what Shoppers World offers:



Homegoods- and excellent windows for window shopping...


Girls' dresses in a range of colors and sizes, at amazing prices.

Come check them out yourself- 1572 Pitkin Avenue. And stop by the BID office while you're here, we're upstairs!

Pitkin BID Mother's Day celebration

Last Saturday, the Pitkin BID took some time out to celebrate area moms! Over 200 flowers were handed out to moms as they shopped on the street. A special thanks to board members Reverend Hatter and Mark Tanis for their help!

Teen Interns Available for Summer!

The Emmanuel Community Economic Development Corp. runs a program called Teens That Mean Business (TTMB). They are looking for businesses to participate in this year's program. You would need to employ the intern for four days a week, for between 24-28 hours. If you are interested in having a teen intern this summer, please contact the BID office at (347) 992-3682 or kat@pitkinbid.org. You can also download an application on their website. The deadline to apply is May 15, 2009.

About the program:

Teens That Mean Business is an innovation in summer youth programs, was launched in July of 2005 by the Emmanuel Community Economic Development Corporation (Emmanuel CEDC). Emmanuel CEDC is in the business of strengthening families and transforming lives through financial education, through housing advocacy for home ownership and asset protection, and by facilitating meaningful business and employment opportunities. TTMB is one of many CEDC programs making an impact on the lives of residents in Brooklyn and beyond.

Emmanuel CEDC is a nonprofit subsidiary of Emmanuel Baptist Church (EBC), a 4,000 member congregation with a strong legacy of meeting the spiritual and social needs within Central Brooklyn. Reverend Anthony L. Trufant is Senior Pastor.

Join Congresswoman Velazquez for a Small Business Workshop

Congresswoman

Nydia M. Velázquez

Presents

Small Business and the American

Recovery and Reinvestment Act

Resources to Help Entrepreneurs Lead Economic Recovery

Find out how to access this assistance and help your business thrive

A Free Workshop for Small Business Owners

Presenters

Alfred J. Titone

Acting New York District Director, Small Business Administration

James L. King

State Director, New York State Small Business Development Center

Sherry D. Roberts

Executive Director, Local Development Corporation of East New York • Women’s Business Centers

Kim Young

New York State Stakeholder Liaison Area Manager, Internal Revenue Service

Patrick J. MacKrell

President & CEO, New York Business Development Corporation

Scott Munson

Associate Certification Analyst, Empire State Development Corporation

Paul Quintero

Chief Financial and Operating Officer, ACCION

Monday, May 11, 2009

6:30pm-8:30pm

Brooklyn Borough Hall Court Room

209 Joralemon Street • Brooklyn, NY 11201

(Between Court & Adams Streets)

Subway: 2, 3, 4, 5 to Borough Hall • A, C, F to Jay St/ Borough Hall • M, R to Court St.

Bus: B25, B37, B38, B41, B45, B51, B52, B54, B65, to Court St/Jay St/Borough Hall

REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED AS SEATING IS LIMITED.

Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested.

CONTACT: 718.797.0187 or Email: SBDC@CityTech.Cuny.Edu

Prom Dress Drive!

The Pitkin Avenue BID and the 73rd Precinct of the NYPD have joined forces to sponsor a prom dress drive! Please donate your used prom, formal, or bridesmaids dresses to the BID office at 1572 Pitkin Avenue. We need your donations by May 15, 2009.

If you do not have dresses to donate, but would like to sponsor a new dress, hairstyle, or accessories, please contact Kat at the BID office- (347)992-3682.

Thanks for helping us make prom really special this year.

A Special Announcement from the ASPCA

I just got an email from the ASPCA regarding new regulations for pets in public housing. I'll be checking to see if this is posted at the Pitkin Avenue Petland, but for now, if you live in public housing and have pets, please take note.

Dear New York City Supporters,

If you live in New York City Public Housing or know someone who does, please read and pass along this important email regarding upcoming changes to the housing administration’s pet policy.

WHO: Residents of New York City Public Housing governed by the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and their dogs.

WHAT: NYCHA has decided to allow only small dogs in public housing. The maximum allowable weight of pet dogs is being lowered from 40 to 25 pounds.

NYCHA also plans to ban certain breeds outright—NYCHA tenants will not be allowed to own or register purebred or mixed-breed Rottweilers, pit bulls or Doberman pinschers.

WHEN: The new policy is scheduled to go into effect this Friday, May 1, 2009.

EXEMPTIONS: Service animals are exempt from weight and breed restrictions.

FOR CURRENT DOG OWNERS: Dogs already living in NYCHA buildings who are 40 pounds or under can be grandfathered in under the existing pet policy—regardless of breed—as long as residents submit a dog registration form to their NYCHA housing office by this Thursday, April 30. Residents who submit this form will have an additional 90 days to license their dogs with the City (which may be done online) and submit the required veterinary certificate indicating that their dogs are licensed, spayed/neutered and vaccinated against rabies.

Visit ASPCA.org for more information and to locate the forms needed to register pets with NYCHA.

The ASPCA is opposed to the revised NYCHA pet policy, and we are working to prevent it from going into effect. In the meantime, it is important that dogs who have already found good homes do not lose them.