The 34th Avenue Open Streets Coalition
2023 & 2024 - $15,000 General Operating Support
The 34th Avenue Open Streets Coalition is a volunteer-led non-profit organization that transforms 26 blocks of 34th Avenue in Jackson Heights, Queens, into a safe, inclusive outdoor community center open daily from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Founded in 2020 in response to the pandemic’s need for open spaces in Queens, 34th Avenue has become NYC’s first permanent Open Street.
The Coalition’s focus is on building community by providing free programming, cultural events, and essential services that advance wellness, education, mobility, and belonging for residents of Jackson Heights, Corona, Elmhurst, Woodside, and East Elmhurst. Working in partnership with NYC DOT and many other local organizations and city agencies, they provide year-round classes, youth activities, food and clothing distributions, and health and immigration resources.
Through celebrations that reflect the neighborhood’s extraordinary diversity, they create a welcoming public space where neighbors of all ages can gather, learn, play, and thrive. Their work is rooted in the belief that public space should serve the community every day and that streets can be catalysts for safety, connection, and opportunity; they welcome everyone to join them on the street!