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Nonprofits host Bronx Father’s Day event to connect families with services
Summary
Sparrow in Arms and the Muslim Community Network held a Father’s Day event on the Grand Concourse offering free haircuts, food and service referrals while organizers stressed needs for food assistance, health care access, immigration legal help, housing and employment supports.
On the Grand Concourse at the Andrew Freeman property, local nonprofits organized a Father’s Day weekend event combining celebration with on‑site services and advocacy for borough resources.
A presenter described the goal as both honoring fathers and encouraging civic engagement. “We are trying to bring the community together, get them civically engaged, and also basically bring unity within the community,” Presenter 1 said, adding that the organizers want people who grew up in the neighborhood to “pour back into the community.”
The gathering offered music, food and complimentary haircuts. A resident who accepted a haircut said, “It’s cool. It’s very cool. I got a haircut. I walked in a little scruffy.” The on-site services illustrated organizers’ emphasis on meeting immediate needs while building relationships.
Organizers said the event is part of an ongoing collaboration between local nonprofits to expand social and financial supports for vulnerable Bronx families. “When it comes to food insecurity and making sure people get SNAP benefits, when it comes to health insurance and making sure people have proper and adequate health care … when it comes to immigration legal services, we have large immigrant populations in the Bronx,” Presenter 2 said, listing service gaps organizers are aiming to address and saying these gaps leave some residents fearful of ICE enforcement.
Presenter 2 also urged increased affordable housing, job-placement assistance and employment specialists, and said ongoing events help keep the community aware of available supports. “We need a whole lot of things in the Bronx, and I think that as long as we keep coming together and keep having events and keeping the community aware, we'll get exactly what we need,” Presenter 2 said.
The event organizers and volunteers framed the day as part celebration and part outreach, aiming to pair immediate, tangible services with longer-term advocacy for housing, food security, health coverage and immigration assistance. Chris Kimmel, Bronxnet, reported from the scene on the Grand Concourse.
