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On August 22, 91Ӱ�� from all five boroughs were treated to a cool surprise – soft serve ice cream! For the second year in a row, NYCHA – in partnership with the Public Housing Community Fund (PHCF) – brought together community members of all ages to enjoy free treats and giveaways.

The Soft Serve and Smiles event kicked off in 2024 and serves as both an unofficial back-to-school celebration and a fond send-off to the summer season. This year, over one thousand ice cream cones were presented, free of charge, to community members at NYCHA developments across the city. A single ice cream truck and driver, enlisted by the PHCF and its Executive Director Alex Zablocki and accompanied by a host of NYCHA staff and resident leaders, carried out the mission, visiting five NYCHA developments across all five boroughs: St. Mary’s in the Bronx; Carver Houses in Manhattan; Cooper Park in Brooklyn; Woodside in Queens; and South Beach in Staten Island.

The Soft Serve and Smiles event kicked off in 2024 and serves as both an unofficial back-to-school celebration
and a fond send-off to the summer season.

“Nothing says summer in New York like the sound of the ice cream truck coming down the block. We’re proud to partner with NYCHA on this annual event that brings residents together across the five boroughs for music, giveaways, and free ice cream,” said PHCF Executive Director Alex Zablocki. “Soft Serve and Smiles shows why public housing communities are so special: the residents. Thank you to everyone who made it possible and joined us to celebrate summer with a sweet treat.”

“As we arrived at each destination on the tour, NYCHA staffers from Resident Partnerships and Civic Engagement were there waiting for us,” said Leroy Williams, NYCHA’s Vice President of Resident Services. “They helped make sure that each community knew about what was coming – not just the free ice cream but also the other giveaways: the candy, the squishy toys for the kids, everything. It was such a fun day! Next year, we intend to make it happen again, and we’ll bring it to five new developments to make sure we spread the joy around!”

More fun times are coming to celebrate the fall season – the PHCF and NYCHA are already planning Halloween events and Thanksgiving turkey giveaways.