The Friends of Astoria Heights Park is a neighborhood group committed to making Astoria Heights Playground a beautiful, clean, safe, fun and inspiring public space. To achieve this in a manner that is sustainable over time, we partner with elected officials, the New York City Parks Department, not-for-profits and local businesses whose expertise and purposes align with ours. Most importantly, we are committed to building community awareness and engagement with Astoria Heights Park and the surrounding neighborhood. Through teamwork with our neighbors, we are promoting appreciation, investment, community pride, and regular involvement in the Park and neighborhood that will contribute to its improvement and upkeep over time. The group is fiscally sponsored by the City Parks Foundation and is the recipient of several small grants aimed at capacity building, tree stewardship and increasing youth volunteerism.

We aim with the funds, to provide youth/family sports programming for basketball, tennis/ pickle ball and in conversation with Electeds to help advocate for increased program funding, will engage our youth more consistently, providing a safe space to play, stay fit and hopefully learn skills. Providing funding to support sports workshops, and with local facilitators, will offer families a local and free option for programming. Our workshops that we were able to host prior for basketball were successful, engaging several age bands, and addressing a need in the neighborhood. Some supplies may be needed for the activities/ workshops although we do try to attain donations for to minimize costs. If possible, we would also like to repeat our yoga for teens/adults workshops that were a hit during the pandemic.

The garden club is meant to spearhead a group of multi-generational volunteers, to learn about and help with weeding, planting, tree care, cleaning the park and other identified and related group needs. Supplies such as garden gloves, t-shirts, trowels and signage may be needed.  Special workshop(s) would also be welcomed to engage new volunteers as well and to offer incentive.