Our Mission

The mission of Center for Family Life is to promote positive outcomes for youth, adults and families in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, through the provision of a comprehensive range of neighborhood-based family and social services. We partner with the community to provide opportunities for personal growth, life-long learning and the development of mutually enriching interpersonal relationships that sustain and nurture families, support youth to develop into confident, capable adults and enrich the quality of life for neighborhood residents. Our dual focus on work at the level of the individual child, adult or family and on community-building is fundamental to the mission of the Center.

Who We Are

The Center for Family Life, established in 1978, is a neighborhood-based social service center offering a comprehensive range of enriching social services and supports in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. This year alone, Center for Family Life engaged over 12,000 individuals. The Center partners with the community to identify shared goals and to implement programs that promote the healthy development of families and children and advance the quality of life for neighborhood residents. Our model of practice integrates family strengthening, youth development, and community building in an array of interrelated program components that includes family counseling and a small neighborhood foster family program, adult and youth employment programs, an emergency storefront for food, clothing and advocacy, and extensive cultural, educational and recreational programs for youth and adults at three neighborhood public schools.

Sunset Park is a densely populated, low income neighborhood with a large percentage of recent immigrants all living in less than three square miles. Nearly one-third of the neighborhood's 120,000 residents are children and teens. The Center's work is rooted in the daily, lived experience of this community and is guided by a vision of families and social institutions evolving over time and contributing to each other's ongoing growth. With an appreciation for the larger social, political and economic forces that deeply affect community, Center for Family Life views the neighborhood as the essential context for understanding and responding to human needs, strengths and potential. We believe that there is a fundamental need for connectedness in human relationships and we seek to promote meaningful bonds and reciprocity within the dynamic interactions of family and community.

The parent agency and sponsor of Center for Family Life is SCO Family of Services. With its strong reputation among city and state officials as well as accrediting bodies, SCO Family of Services is affiliated with the Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn and the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies. The agency is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Services for Families and Children.

"The Center for Family Life is the heart of this community."

Elvira Gonzalez,
Advisory Board Member

"I hope CFL has another great 25 years"

CFL Staff member

Our History: 1978-2004

In 1978, Sister Mary Paul and Sister Geraldine, two highly regarded Sisters of the Good Shepherd with extensive social work and community development experience, carefully chose the Sunset Park community for a new project. They came to Sunset Park with a belief in the dignity of families and the knowledge that families could solve their problems given appropriate support. Out of a 6-month long needs assessment came a commitment for sponsorship by St. Christopher's Home (which later was named St. Christopher-Ottilie and has recently become SCO Family of Services), a non-profit voluntary agency serving New York City children and families, to open the Center for Family Life in Sunset Park. Foundation grants were secured to cover the costs of site renovation at 345 43rd Street, a location central to the Sunset Park community.

In November 1978, the Center for Family Life opened its door with a skilled staff offering intensive family-centered services. For more than two decades, the Center has worked in conjunction with community organizations and individuals to set priorities and further develop programming in response to community needs. Following is a timeline illustrating program development and expansion that has occurred throughout the 25-year history of the Center.

Our Community: Sunset Park

Sunset Park is a densely populated neighborhood in Brooklyn, about one-half hour from downtown Manhattan. The area enjoys a very rich history and has ties to multiple ethnic groups, as it has always been a melting pot of newcomers. This is reflected in both the residential as well as commercial avenues of the neighborhood. There has been a major influx of new residents. The population increased over 30% since 1980 and continues to grow.

The population in Sunset Park is very young; almost one-third of the population is under the age of 18. Services and facilities for children and youth are inadequate in some areas. All of the local schools are overcrowded and have significant needs for improvement. The Center runs programs at three of these neighborhood schools.

Sunset Park suffers from many typical inner-city problems. Housing is scarce and the economic downturn, heightened by the events of 9/11, has caused hardships in the area of affordable housing and employment. Simultaneously, the neighborhood has many positive qualities that are a source of pride for its residents. The population is remarkably diverse and constantly evolving, which brings new life, businesses and sustained hope to the people of Sunset Park.

The Center is embedded in the life of the Sunset Park community and functions as a reliable partner to neighborhood families, schools, health service organizations, day care centers, income support centers, housing agencies, the police, churches and community organizations.