Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens Hosts Annual ‘Kid’s Fun Day’

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Currents News Staff

On August 2, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens hosted its 11th Annual Kid’s Fun Day in Astoria, Queens, to help families and kids get ready for the back-to-school season. Over 700 children participated in the block party-style event at Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish. 

“We’re really excited, this is our eleventh year doing Kid’s Fun Day,” said CCBQ’s Director of Community Program Services, Debbie Hampson. “We started out very small and now we get over a thousand people a year. It’s become a street festival.”

Children enjoyed an inflatable maze and face painting while parents took the opportunity to collect school supplies and access resources from over 30 organizations tabling at the event. 

Among the amenities: free blood screenings from the Floating Hospital, dental screenings by Healthplex, Child Safety ID’s by New York Life and hands-only CPR by Weill Cornell Medical College.

“There is a need in the community,” Debbie explained. “We were getting a lot of requests for backpacks and school supplies so this was a way for us to give it out to the community in addition to giving out resources to the community as well.”

However, not all families came for the resources offered. Eleven year-old Anwara Prapty came with her mother, Saima Shima, looking to have fun instead of spending her summer indoors. 

“I like being with the community and joining community events,” said Prapty. “All around, gathering everyone, it’s really fun.”

Just like many of the kids, Prapty packed her bookbag with a ruler, coloring pages, highlighters, a book and other items offered by vendors.   

“This a fabulous event and what’s exciting is how many people show up and are excited about it,” said Debbie. “We start getting calls in April asking, ‘When is Kid’s Fun Day?’ It’s really become a community event that people look forward to every year.”