Hundreds of residents attended the Jamaica-Hillside Resource Fair on Thursday, June 5, 2026, in Jamaica, Queens, connecting with the city agencies, nonprofit organizations, and business-support providers offering information on public services, economic opportunities, and community programs.
The event was organized by NYC Small Business Services (SBS) in partnership with BHALO and BABSHA. Organizers said the fair was designed to increase awareness of available resources while strengthening community engagement and civic participation.
Representatives from numerous city agencies and organizations staffed information tables, including NYC Small Business Services, the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, NYC Emergency Management, the Department of Youth and Community Development, the Department of Housing Preservation & Development, and Community Education Council District 23.
Visitors received information on small-business development, immigrant services, emergency preparedness, youth programs, housing assistance, voter rights, and educational opportunities. Agency representatives also answered questions and guided accessing city services. They provide information and flyer in different languages including
Bengali, Arabic, English and Spanish.
Organizers said the fair provided residents with a valuable opportunity to learn about programs and services available in their community. Attendees visited exhibits, spoke with agency representatives, and gathered information relevant to their personal, educational, and business needs.
“It is a great opportunity to reach the community. Many people are not aware of their rights and the services available to them. Events like this help connect residents to resources that can benefit them,” said Michael Hsieh of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs.
Jin Hyun Bae, special adviser at Queens Public Library, praised the event but noted the need for additional space. “I came to visit the fair, and it is great,” Bae said. “However, it would be even better if there were more space. There are a lot of people here, and the tables are quite crowded.”
Rabby Syed, general secretary of the Jamaica Bangladesh Association, said the fair played an important role in encouraging civic participation. Syed said. “This is an amazing fair, events like this are important for civic engagement. More community events should be
organized to bring residents and service providers together.”
Many young people attended the fair to learn about opportunities available to them. Some said they discovered programs and services they had not previously known existed.
“I came here just to visit,” said Tasfia Noor, an intern at the New York City Economic Development Corporation. “I found out about many youth programs that I didn’t know about before. It has been a very informative experience.”
The event highlighted the value of collaboration among government agencies, community organizations and business-support institutions in helping Queens residents access resources and opportunities.
The program was supported by the Queens Economic Development Corporation, Queens Chamber of Commerce, Greater Jamaica Development Corporation, BHALO, Can Code Communities, Accompany Capital, Queens Community House and Project New Yorker.
