The John Paul II Center has a lot more to offer than just meals.   Trips, games, social events were a vital part of the program since the very beginning.  All that was made possible by St. Stanislaus Church, whose consecutive pastors understood well the needs of the senior population.  Today, as in the past, the is committed to carrying on with the mission of making the lives of the seniors interesting and fulfilling.

September 1, 1996 marked an important change in the life of the Center.   It was on that day, that the Polish & Slavic Center, Inc. (a large ethnic, non-profit organization, operating out of Greenpoint - the "heart" of East Coast Polonia), formally assumed responsibility of the John Paul II Friendship Center.  The new staff made a solemn promise to live up to the rich tradition of the Center.  The change of sponsorship coincided with the appointment of a new pastor, whose dedication towards the seniors paid off with a complete renovation of our place in 1997.  That, in turn, attracted many new members with novel ideas. 

The Senior Advisory Board became involved in the activities of the Center deeper than ever before.  Trips are organized at leas once a month and their popularity keeps growing.  Bingo and domino fans enjoy their games daily, birthday parties and professional performances attract large crowds.  To the benefit of our seniors, we've started cooperating with the NYU School of Nursing and the East Side Community High School.

The positive changes could not go unnoticed by the New York City Department for the Aging - the funding organization.  They have recently increased the amount of daily meals for our seniors and expressed a willingness to extend our current three (3) year contract.  The John Paul II Friendship Center is doing better than ever and we believe that is has strong foundations to enter the XXI century with pride.  The stage is et for new initiatives and according to Tony Gugliemo, the president of our Advisory Board, "We've only just begun."

John Paul II Friendship Center's current contract with the NYC Department for the Aging guarantees 116 meals daily and a variety of social services, nutrition education and entertainment.

Ms. Krystyna Musial, the program's new social worker and ed/rec coordinator has introduced different kinds of entertainment, like Ethnic appreciation Days, events presenting cultures most Europeans may not be familiar with, etc.

Come, join us and see what we have to offer.  Everyone aged sixty and over is welcome Monday through Friday, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.