Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez a representative of District 14, Ocasio-Cortez represents more than 650,000 people across parts of the Bronx (Pelham Gardens, City Island, Country Club, Van Nest, Morris Park, Parkchester, Pelham Bay, Schuylerville, Allerton and Throggs Neck) and Queens (Astoria, College Point, Corona, North Corona, East Elmhurst, Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, Sunnyside, and Woodside). Those communities have been some of the hardest hit by the pandemic. The need becomes transparent when participating students and parents in remote learning need support, especially after the Zoom classes have ended.
Understanding these challenges, the Ocasio-Cortez campaign launched a free Homework Helpers Program. Launched as a pilot program that ran for seven weeks working with 100 students, the initiative is now up and running with a goal to connect 1,000 students in District 14 by the end of June 2021. After a successful sign-up of volunteers, the program is prepared to help students in other parts of the city.
Jonathan Soto, Political Organizer at Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and an organizer of the Homework Helpers Program. Mr Soto, took notice of the works the BELL Organization has been doing with children and families around New York City. The BELL Organization was cordially invited to participate in AOC’s Homework Helpers Summer festivities where we had the opportunity to meet with the Homework Helpers volunteers, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and staffers to celebrate the end of a successfully launched program.