Recession Survival Fair

If you're interested in volunteering in Brooklyn, here are the details of an upcoming event:

Recognizing that the coming year will likely be a difficult one for many of us here in Brooklyn, Brooklyn for Barack, hosted by the Stuyvesant Heights Parents' Association, is planning a Recession Survival fair!

The fair will focus on how we can help each other get through the current economic downturn. It will both give attendees as much information as possible about programs that already exist, and allow us to come together as a community to trade skills and knowledge.

When: Saturday, June 6th from 11 AM to 4 PM
Where: Brooklyn Brownstone School
272 MacDonough St (at Lewis Ave)

Directions: A/C to Utica, B15 to Bainbridge, B25, B26 to Lewis Avenue, B43, B46 to MacDonough Street

The Recession Survival Fair will have several components. First, we will have tables for organizations that offer services or programs that can give immediate help to people who've been laid off or otherwise negatively impacted by the current economic crisis. We're focusing on organizations that can offer practical help, either on site – health screenings, for example -- or in the form of information attendees can take home and act on right away.

Second, we will hold panel discussions of experts who can offer concrete information on key topics affecting our community during the recession: healthy eating on a budget, health care, jobs, credit management, and foreclosure information.

Third, we’re planning to create a more informal community exchange of services and knowledge that goes beyond what’s available through official channels. Whether through online barter, or some other form of exchange, we will pool our resources as a community to provide ongoing help to our friends and neighbors.

If you’d like to participate in the community exchange, please email us: continuethechange@gmail.com. Please let us know the following:

• Your contact info
• What skills/knowledge you feel you have to offer to your fellow Brooklynites (this may be a professional skill or simply a talent you can share, like teaching someone to knit or bake)

and/or

• What skills/knowledge you are looking to acquire (e.g.,“I’d like to learn Photoshop”)

If you are able to help plan the event (we need volunteers right now) and/or volunteer on the day itself, please let us know. Contact us: continuethechange@gmail.com.