Every day at Queens Community House, neighbors turn to us for support. Some come for afterschool programs. Others seek help finding employment, staying in their homes, accessing food, or navigating difficult moments in life.
Queens, NY — May 2, 2026 — New York City Council Finance Chair Linda Lee headlined Queens Community House’s (QCH) 27th Annual Youth Leadership Conference, inspiring nearly 200 young women, families, and community members gathered at the organization’s Forest Hills Community Center.
Our final 50 for 50 feature spotlights Ben Thomases, CEO of Queens Community House, on what it means to build community—then, now, and what comes next.
"To understand how I first got connected to the Community House, you have to know what was happening in Forest Hills at the time. The development it was built to serve was at the center of a major conflict that drew national attention.
