50 for 50: Meet Patrick Pinchinat

QCH is celebrating 50 years of impact and community building across the borough! We're continuing our "50 for 50" series, honoring people – past and current – who embody the QCH spirit.

"Growing up in Lefrak City, a large community without a dedicated center, meant the streets became the unintended social hub for many, including myself as a pre-teen. This environment led me and some friends down paths with wrong choices, some even facing incarceration or worse. I knew I needed a different direction.

In 1995, my mom introduced me to the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), not so much for a career, but for some pocket money and a way to figure things out. I was placed at the Forest Hills Community House. Surprisingly, I found a connection there. I enjoyed being around people, especially kids, and the community spirit resonated with me. My supervisors noticed, even though I was just figuring things out, and they asked me to return during the school year.
Working at the Center felt less like a job and more like supporting people, which I loved. I saw how the organization connected individuals with resources and supported them at every stage of life. I, myself, even benefited from their housing eviction prevention services during a tough time.

Forest Hills Community House (now Queens Community House) wasn't just an afterschool program for me; it connected me to families and the wider community. Through trainings and professional development opportunities, I grew within the organization, from a youth worker to eventually becoming the Director of the Pomonok Community Center.

Looking back, my journey is a testament to QCH's commitment to providing opportunities and fostering growth. I see my younger self in some of the participants who walk through our doors. It's a full-circle moment, and it fuels my commitment to pay forward the support I received by ensuring the Pomonok community has the same welcoming, inclusive, and opportunity-rich environment that shaped my life. QCH has always been about meeting people where they are, and I'm proud to be part of extending that reach and impact."

– Patrick Pinchinat, QCH Director of the Pomonok Community Center