1. Queens Community House
108-25 62nd Drive, Queens, NY 11375 Telephone: 718.592.5757 Facsimile: 718-592-2933 www.queenscommunityhouse.org
For Immediate Release
April 2, 2014
QCH Honored Melinda Katz, Joseph Hennessy at Forest Hills Event
Queens, NY – Queens Community House (QCH) honored Queens Borough President Melinda Katz and
Queens Community Board (CB) 6 Chair and QCH Director Emeritus Joseph Hennessy at its Spring Event
on April 1st
at The West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills. Mr. Hennessy was the recipient of the 2014
Queens Community Builder Award.
Anita Phillips Strauss, Vice President of the QCH Board of Directors, congratulated Katz on her election to
the Borough Presidency, and highlighted Katz’s support of Queens Community House and its neighbors for
over two decades, both in the State Assembly and the City Council. “Melinda’s been a tireless advocate for
residents of this community,” said Strauss, “and now her great leadership will benefit the whole borough.”
Katz was presented with artwork by QCH afterschool participant Amir Djalilov, age 6.
Katz, in turn, read a proclamation from her office naming April 1, 2014 “Joseph Hennessy Day,” and called
the honoree “a gift to Queens.” Hennessy was then presented with the 2014 Queens Community Builder
Award by Blanca Izaguirre, who served with him on the QCH Board of Directors, the Forest Hills Co-op
Board, and Community Board 6, the latter two of which he currently chairs. “Joe has served this community
for more than 37 years. In all he does, he demonstrates the qualities of humility, tenacity, kindness, courage,
compassion and collaboration.” The award was established by the QCH Board of Directors in 2013 to
recognize “an individual who has made a dedicated effort to unite neighborhoods of all backgrounds,
embodying what is best about Queens.”
Hennessy spoke eloquently about the important role that QCH (then Forest Hills Community House) played
in bringing people together after the development of public housing divided the neighborhood in the mid
1970’s. “Like a young tree, the Community House planted its roots in Forest Hills but now its branches
reach out throughout Queens.”
During the evening attendees partook in a wine tasting by distributor Liberty Wine Selections, a silent
auction and raffles. All proceeds directly benefit Queens Community House and its programs, which serve
more than 25, 000 children, youth, families and older adults every year.
Photos from the event can be found here.
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Queens Community House is a private, non-sectarian, non-profit agency that has served the neighborhoods of Queens
for almost 40 years. Our programs and services currently reach approximately 25,000 children, teens, adults, and older
adults a year. QCH’s 21 sites serve as centers for community gathering, organizing, and social service activity, while
working to promote inter-generational and cross-cultural cooperation and exchange. For more information, please
contact Ada Ospina at 718-592-5757x241.