Blog & News

A young woman displays a scholarship certificate while standing in front of a Goddard/Isaacs Center backdrop

Scholarships Help Bring College Dreams to Life

Getting into college can be a challenge —and for low-income students of color and first-generation students it’s even harder. A recent study by the Pew Research Center found only 20 percent of first-generation students completed college, compared to 82 percent of those who had two parents with bachelors degrees. This summer, as they have for […]

Two students watch as a third student speaks on a video screen

Are Schools Ready for Students?

Youth-Led Research Finds Room for Improvement  We often hear alarming talk about students not being ready for college. But are colleges and schools ready for students—that is, all the different kinds of students who seek them out?  That’s the subject of a new youth-led study released by #DegreesNYC, and their findings are sobering.  “We’re living […]

Story Workshop Captures Older Adult Memories 

“I’ll never forget Mrs. Heller. Because I lived far from school. And I had to walk a long distance. And a lot of it was uphill. And I was a little girl.”  That’s how one story started at “Tell Us Your Stories,” an event at our  Columbus Avenue Older Adults Center in June.  With the […]

Six people pose for a photo in front of a Goddard Riverside Good Neighbor Awards backdrop

Good Neighbor Awards Honor Volunteers who Make our Communities Stronger

Fighting homelessness, advocating for students with special needs, feeding the community, and empowering women around the world: these are just some of the contributions of the five longtime local volunteers honored with Goddard’s Good Neighbor Awards this year. In addition, State Assembly Member Danny O’Donnell, who is retiring from the legislature, received a Community Champion […]

2024 Nonprofit Trailblazers logo over a head shot of Roderick L Jones

Goddard President Roderick L. Jones Honored as “Trailblazer”

Here at Goddard Riverside, we’ve always seen our president, Roderick L. Jones, as a trailblazer. But it was gratifying to see him recognized by City and State Magazine, which recently named Jones as one of its Nonprofit Trailblazers for 2024.  Jones grew up in the Cypress Hill projects in East New York. He went to […]

Upper West side’s Got Talent Show. Join us for memorable performances filled with passion and moxie by the finalists of the Upper West Side Talent Contest! June 8th at 7pm. Tickets for $20.

Future Stars Come out to Shine at Upper West Side’s Got Talent

Get tickets for Upper West Side’s Got Talent here They may not be famous—yet—but the performers battling for the grand prize at our upcoming show definitely have star power. From a singer who’s appeared throughout the tri-state area, including at the legendary Apollo Theater, to a young dance troupe with multiple TODAY Show performances, these […]

A headshot of a woman alongside a photo of her receiving an award on a stage with a bright purple background

Arts Manager Honored for Going Above and Beyond 

Since becoming the manager of our Community Arts program in 2022, Manon Manavit has put her own stamp on it—adding new performers and events and using the arts to take a fresh look at the challenges faced by our community.   She booked a group called Theatre of the Oppressed to do an interactive performance […]

A white-haired woman with a warm smile

“It means a lot to me”: Two decades of volunteering at the Older Adult Center 

When you come to lunch at our Lincoln Square Neighborhood Center between Tuesday and Friday, Rosa Cruz will be there to check you in—a warm, welcoming face for old and new members alike. For Director Viktoriia Zakhary, it feels like she’s always been there.  “When I started in this role, Rosa showed me how everything […]

Testimony by Nathalie-Pierre Louis of our Resource Center to NY City Council

Thank you to Chair Ayala and the members of the committee for the opportunity to testify at this important hearing. My name is Nathalie Pierre-Louis, and I am the Assistant Program Director at the Resource Center, a program of Goddard Riverside. Goddard is a Settlement House working with New Yorkers from early childhood through older […]