ABOUT US
Mission Statement
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The IACRL's purpose is to enhance the services of youth and families in the communities we serve to promote neighborhood harmony, stability​ and quality of life. We facilitate the social advancement of youth and families by providing them enrichment, academic, arts and cultural, and workforce development programs to give them the tools of empowerment and prepare them for economic mobility, stability and self-sufficiency.
Vision Statement
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From its roots in fighting discrimination IACRL will expand its legacy to become the preeminent agency providing services to youth and families in Canarsie, Brownsville, ENY, to greater Brooklyn and beyond. We will continue our mission to inspire people, young and old, and provide opportunities for them to enhance skills so they can take action and help make their communities stronger for many years to come!
Our Legacy
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IACRL was originally founded to fight discrimination against Italian Americans, but over the past five decades, we have evolved to become one of the most recognized youth and community service agencies to offer youth employment services and school/community based youth programming in the East New York, Brownsville, Canarsie and surrounding areas. Our ​track record is one of proven success because we have consistently provided quality programming and services throughout all the Brooklyn communities we have served since 1975. We are proud that we have historically been an organization that has received acknowledgement from our funders regards to our contractual, programmatic and fiscal management.
One of the more notable and longest running has been our Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), that we have been offering since our inception, which has literally exposed tens of thousands of Brooklyn youth and young adults to workforce preparation and placed them in invaluable real life working experiences. Today, we proudly continue this tradition of service to our communities by offering innovative programs for individuals 14 to 24 years of age.
Over the years, IACRL has provided programming and assistance to meet the diverse needs of our participants and their communities; whether its securing toys at Christmas for children and families in need, or by creating educational opportunities for students with developmental challenges, we secure resources or work with other organizations to ensure that our participants can be successful and are supported. We also make every effort to expose participants to new arts and cultural experiences by taking them to Broadway, sporting events, or the major art and STEM related cultural institutions through out the City. As a result, we are also highly regarded and respected by students and parents in the community.
We aim to enhance and improve the quality of life for our participants by partnering with other community groups, government agencies, educational institutions and corporate businesses.