Emma L. Bowen Community Service Center

01/01/2026

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

As we welcome 2026, the Emma L. Bowen Community Service Center is entering a truly special year.

Today marks the beginning of a yearlong celebration of our 40th anniversary... four decades of providing compassionate,
community-based mental health, addiction treatment, and supportive services to Harlem and beyond.

We are deeply grateful to our clients, staff, partners, and supporters who have been part of this journey.

Together, we look forward to honoring our legacy, celebrating our impact, and continuing to build a stronger, healthier community in the year ahead.

12/31/2025

As you are aware, after today, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will stop selling new MetroCards as it completes its transition toOMNY, the new contactless fare payment system.
 
What is OMNY?
OMNY allows you to pay your fare by tapping:
* A contactless credit or debit card
* A smartphone or smartwatch (such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay)
* A physical OMNY card, which works like a MetroCard but does not require swiping
 
Important things to know:
* Existing MetroCards will continue to work until their balance or time expires
* OMNY offers the same fares and free transfers as MetroCards
* You can still qualify for reduced fares if you are eligible
 
OMNY Reduced-Fare (Discount) Cards
If you currently receive a Reduced-Fare MetroCard, you can switch to a Reduced-Fare OMNY card.
You may be eligible if you are:
* 65 years of age or older
* A person with a qualifying disability
* Enrolled in certain public assistance programs
 
How to get a Reduced-Fare OMNY card:
* Visit the MTA Reduced-Fare program website or call 511
* Apply online or by mail
* Once approved, your OMNY Reduced-Fare card will be mailed to you
* Reduced-fare OMNY cards provide 50% off subway and bus fares, just like reduced-fare MetroCards
 
If you currently rely on a MetroCard and would like to continue using one for a little longer, please be sure to purchase it by the end of today.
If you have questions or need help applying for a reduced-fare OMNY card or understanding how OMNY works, Bowen Center staff are available to assist you.

Safe travels!

12/25/2025

Thank you for being an essential part of the Emma L. Bowen Community Service Center community. Your support makes it possible for us to provide comprehensive mental health, addiction treatment, and supportive services to individuals and families in Harlem and across New York City.

As we approach the New Year and prepare to celebrate the Bowen Center’s 40th anniversary in 2026, we are filled with gratitude for our community of supporters, partners, and friends. It truly takes a village, and we are honored to have you as part of ours.

Wishing you a joyful holiday season and a healthy, hopeful New Year.

12/05/2025

Today we celebrate the heart of the Bowen Center: our volunteers. 💙

From stocking shelves and distributing food in our food pantry, to supporting events, to lending a listening ear and a helping hand, our volunteers show up for our community in countless ways, and we are endlessly grateful for their dedication.

Thank you for every hour, every smile, and every act of kindness you share with us. You make our work possible and our mission stronger.

To all of our volunteers past and present, we see you, we appreciate you, and we are so grateful for you today and every day.

12/04/2025

Power of the 4s!

Donate What You Can Today!

Text powerof4 to 53-555

or click here - https://givebutter.com/powerof4

Every donation strengthens our ability to continue providing:

Life-changing mental health care

Compassionate addiction treatment

Supportive services for children, adults, and families
Resources that promote healing, stability, and hope

12/01/2025

World AIDS Day 2025

Today, we honor the lives lost, the battles fought, and the progress made in the decades-long fight against HIV and AIDS. We also stand with the millions around the world and here in Harlem who continue to live with strength, resilience, and hope.

At the Emma L. Bowen Community Service Center, we believe that health is holistic. Access to mental health care, medical support, food security, and community resources all play a role in ensuring that people living with HIV can thrive.

On this World AIDS Day, we reaffirm our commitment to ending stigma, expanding access to compassionate care, supporting families and communities affected by HIV, and uplifting the advocates, caregivers, and pioneers who led the way.

We remember. We honor. We continue the fight together.

11/27/2025

We hope your Thanksgiving table is full of your favorite food and surrounded by your favorite people.

From everyone from the Bowen Center, we wish you a warm and beautiful holiday.

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Esperamos que su mesa de Acción de Gracias esté llena de sus comidas favoritas y rodeada de sus personas favoritas.

De parte de todos en el Bowen Center, les deseamos unas fiestas cálidas y hermosas.

11/26/2025

Meet the heart of our ATS Team — the people who show up every day to guide, support, and empower our clients through some of life’s toughest moments. Their dedication, compassion, and expertise keep our community moving forward, one breakthrough at a time.

11/06/2025

In the midst of the ongoing federal government shutdown, the Bowen Center has stepped up in a big way, expanding its Food Pantry operations to meet a dramatic rise in community need. In October alone, the Center distributed nearly 60% more food packages than the previous month, ensuring that families and furloughed federal workers alike don’t go hungry.

FOX 5 NY and Telemundo 47 recently visited the Bowen Center to see this vital work firsthand, as Congressman Adriano Espaillat joined volunteers to pack and distribute food bags, underscoring the power of community during uncertain times.

Here’s a look at the Bowen Center’s Food Pantry in action as featured on FOX 5 NY and Telemundo 47.

In the midst of the ongoing federal government shutdown, Harlem’s Emma L. Bowen Community Service Center has stepped up in a big way, expanding its Food Pant...

11/05/2025

Today, we were honored to welcome Congressman Adriano Espaillat to the Bowen Center’s Food Pantry, where he met with patrons, spoke with volunteers, and even helped families fill their grocery bags with food provided by the Center.

His visit comes at a critical moment: during the first month of the federal shutdown, the Bowen Center’s Food Pantry distributed nearly 60% more food packages than the previous month, a reflection of the growing need across our community.

We’re deeply grateful to Rep. Espaillat for taking the time to hear directly from Harlem residents and for working tirelessly to ensure families have the resources and support they need during this difficult time.

11/05/2025

Today, we were honored to welcome to the Bowen Center’s Food Pantry, where he met with patrons, spoke with volunteers, and even helped families fill their grocery bags with food provided by the Center.

His visit comes at a critical moment: during the first month of the federal shutdown, the Bowen Center’s Food Pantry distributed nearly 60% more food packages than the previous month, a reflection of the growing need across our community.

We’re deeply grateful to Congressman Espaillat for taking the time to hear directly from Harlem residents and for working tirelessly to ensure families have the resources and support they need during this difficult time.

10/31/2025

Happy Halloween from the Bowen Center! 🎃

Our little ghosts and goblins from the Therapeutic Preschool made their rounds throughout the Center today, collecting treats, sharing smiles, and spreading Halloween cheer with staff along the way!

Click the video below for a quick peek at their fun trek!👻🧡

The children from the Bowen Center’s Therapeutic Preschool took part in their annual Trick-or-Treat hunt today at the Bowen Center, visiting staff offices an...