Brooklyn West Services

The first director of Catholic Charities was a priest named William J. White. In 1899, Brooklyn's Bishop asked him to coordinate the many charitable works taking place within the  Diocese. In his parishes of Saint  Patrick's, Kent Avenue, and Visitation, Red Hook, Dr. White had a deep concern for the many poor people he served, most members of immigrant families. To make more of a difference, he organized groups of volunteers to run educational and recreational activities in various parishes.

Today we still hear this founder's name as the Dr. White Community Center in Fort Greene offers arts and literacy-based programs for children. Other programs in the Brooklyn West area include a dental clinic, apartments for seniors and disabled people, senior development programs, and assistance for those who suffer from mental illness.

Find out more about our services by visiting the area regional center, calling Catholic Charities, or going to the Catholic Charities Web site .

Brooklyn West Family Center
191 Joralemon St.
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: (718) 722-6001
Fax: (718) 722-6045
Hours: 9-5 M-F
Languages spoken: English and Spanish

Brooklyn West service areas include:
Early Childhood--6
Family Center--1
Family Housing--4
Senior Housing--10
Senior Centers--4
SRO Housing--4
Developmentally Disabled--7
Mental Health--2
Homelessness-1
Center for Pregnant Women-1
Citizenship--1

St. Lucy's/St. Patrick's have been reborn to meet the needs of another generation of people in Brooklyn.

The parishes of St. Lucy and St. Patrick were built back-to-back to meet the needs of Irish and Italian immigrants more than a century ago. These Fort Greene neighborhood buildings were brimming with life. People came for Mass, education, and community. During the last century as needs changed, the parishes merged and maintained their presence in the community.

But, as the area changed in more recent years and the needs of new neighbors changed, the parish school buildings were underutilized and fell into disrepair. It was a discouraging site for the neighborhood.

What was really needed was affordable housing for low and moderate income families. A coalition of concern has brought life back to these revered buildings to meet that need. The Church renovations have sparked a renewal of the entire community.

Thanks to the efforts of a group called Progress of Peoples Corporation (POP) along with the parish, the St. Lucy/St. Patrick buildings have become a place people call home. Walls that once enclosed classrooms have become 46 units of safe, affordable family apartments.

Discouragement has turned to hope. In Fort Greene, the Church and the community have joined together to rebuild and renew a beautiful city, one house at a time.