We’re thrilled to share that CCE Suffolk has been recognized by the Long Island Press (part of Dan’s Papers) as one of the Top 11 Organizations to Work For on Long Island!
This honor is a true reflection of our people — from our Marine and Energy teams to the dedicated staff at the Suffolk County Farm & 4-H programs, from Agriculture and Community Education educators to our amazing administration team who keep everything running smoothly. 💚
Every program, every staff member, and every volunteer plays a vital role in creating a supportive workplace and making a lasting impact in our communities. Together, we are proud to serve Suffolk County with knowledge, care, and heart. Thanks for all you do!
Last week, we welcomed police officers, first responders, and government officials to the Suffolk County Farm for a First Responder & Military Trauma and Suicide Psychoeducation Seminar, led by Liz Pol, founder of Resilient Heros.
Liz is a 22-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department, a mental health professional, and a certified suicide psychological autopsy investigator. She brought something rare to the room: real experience, real tools, and a real commitment to the people who spend their lives protecting ours.
And yes, we brought in baby goats during the break. Because sometimes the best support comes on four legs.
The Suffolk County Farm is a place for education and connection. Events like this are exactly why.
Thank you to everyone who showed up, and to Resilient Heros for the incredible work you do.
#NationalMilitaryAppreciationMonth #SuffolkCounty #CCESuffolk #ResilientHeroes #FirstResponders #SuffolkCountyFarm #MentalHealthMatters #ScienceInService
This week, CCE Suffolk's Marine Program joined EPA Regional Administrators, NOAA scientists, NYS DEC representatives, Save the Sound, and the Town of Huntington for a Day on the Sound - an on-the-water look at the partnerships protecting Long Island Sound.
Our Marine Botany andHabitat Restoration Specialist Stephen Schott, Natural Resource Education Specialist Carolyn Sukowski, and Marine Educator and Researcher Dr. Matt Scalfani led presentations aboard the Town of Huntington's Harbormaster vessel, showcasing CCE Suffolk's coastal restoration work - from deploying ribbed mussels and cordgrass to restore degraded shoreline marshes in Centerport Harbor, to advancing nutrient bioextraction through shellfish and seaweed cultivation, to supporting healthy aquaculture across Long Island.
On land at Gold Star Beach Park, NOAA shared findings from a multi-million-dollar study on the health of Long Island Sound's oyster beds, while EPA dive teams demonstrated how they collect water quality and oyster data to support restoration efforts.
Cleaner water, healthier habitats, stronger coastal communities, none of it happens without this kind of collaboration. Proud to be at the table and on the water.
#CCESuffolk #LongIslandSound #MarineProgram #CoastalRestoration #EPA #NOAA #SaveTheSound #NYSDEC #Bioextraction #ShellfishRestoration #Partnership
The North Shore trail is here. The Long Island Seafood Cuisine Trail just expanded, and now stretches from Northport to Greenport, joining the South Shore trail that runs from Bay Shore to Montauk. Together, that's 40+ restaurants, fish markets, and oyster farms committed to serving and selling locally harvested seafood.
Built by CCE Suffolk's fisheries team in collaboration with @nyagandmkts as part of the state's Blue Food Transformation initiative, the trail connects you directly to the people and places that bring Long Island seafood from the water to your plate. To mark the North Shore launch, we sat down with two trail partners: Amanda Jones of @inletseafoodmtk on the South Shore and Ian Wile of @northforkoysters on the North Shore, to talk about the state of Long Island's commercial fishing and aquaculture industries, the challenges they're facing, and why supporting local seafood matters now more than ever.
Those conversations are coming soon, stay tuned. In the meantime, download the Seafood Trail app and start exploring. Find a restaurant. Try a new fish market. Order the local oysters. Every plate of Long Island seafood supports the fishing communities that keep our waters working.
Download the app: App Store & Google Play
Explore the trail: localfish.org/seafood-trail
Follow @long.island.fish for more
#LISeafoodTrail #ChooseLocalFish #CCESuffolk #LongIslandSeafood #NorthShore #SouthShore #EatLocal #SupportLocalFishermen #BlueFoodTransformation #NYSAgAndMarkets
A chickpea lemon salad, a chicken stir-fry, and yogurt parfaits, all made by kids and parents cooking side by side. But the real recipe was the conversation that happened when everyone sat down to eat. That's the Family Dinner Project, a collaboration between CCE Suffolk's parent and nutrition educators that brings families together to cook an affordable, nutritious meal and learn why something as simple as eating together can make a lasting difference.
Regular family meals improve physical and mental health, boost academic performance, build resilience in children, and reduce risk-taking behavior. But knowing that and actually making it happen are two different things, and that's where this program meets families where they are. At our recent session at Amityville Public Library, families learned easy conversation starters and games to make dinnertime something everyone looks forward to.
Parents told us that while they thought they'd been doing okay with family dinners, what they learned changed how they'll approach mealtime going forward. Good food. Real conversation. Stronger families. That's what community education looks like.
#CCESuffolk #FamilyDinnerProject #CommunityEducation #NutritionEducation #FamilyMeals #SuffolkCounty #AmityvilleLibrary
Ever wonder how Long Island vineyards stay ahead of the weather, protect their crops, and know exactly when to harvest? It starts with stations like this one. CCE Suffolk's Grape Program Assistant Amanda Gardner services weather stations located in North Fork vineyards that feed real-time data into a statewide network used by growers across New York. That data helps farmers make smarter decisions, from frost protection to pest management to harvest timing. It's one of the quieter things we do, but it's the kind of behind-the-scenes work that keeps Long Island wine country thriving.
Sponsored by @newyorkwines . Learn more about the network:
https://newa.cornell.edu/#shellfishrestoration
#CCESuffolk #NorthFork #LIWineCountry #SuffolkCountyAg #VineyardLife #BehindTheScenes #GrapeGrowing
More than 150 community members came together at Gospel Health Fest at Suffolk County Community College’s Brentwood Van Nostrand Theater, an event sponsored by Suffolk County Executive @edwardpromaine and the @suffolkhealth Office of Minority Health, to focus on health and wellness. CCE Suffolk’s own Nicole Cappello was there, providing nutrition education and diabetes screening resources. As she shared with @newsday , “We’re trying to promote awareness for diabetes. Our goal is to prevent type 2 diabetes.” This is what our @ccesuffolkcommunityeducation team does, shows up where people are and makes health education accessible, practical, and real. Across Suffolk County, every day.
Our bays don't restore themselves, but with the right people, they're coming back. Since 1985, CCE Suffolk's Marine Program has been working to improve water quality, restore shellfish populations, rebuild coastal habitats, and protect the marine environment that defines life on Long Island.
Through our Back to the Bays Initiative, that work isn't just happening in labs and hatcheries, it's happening alongside the community. Our Back to the Bays Stewardship Program puts you on the water and in the field with CCE marine scientists and educators. Stewards help seed clams and scallops, deploy oyster reefs, restore eelgrass meadows, tend coastal plant gardens, and more, hands-on work that's having a real, measurable impact on the health of Suffolk County's bays.
This is what community-driven science looks like. And it's one of the ways CCE Suffolk connects the public to the research, restoration, and education that keeps our coastal resources thriving for the next generation.
Stewardship sessions are happening throughout the year. Follow @backtothebays and @ccemarineprogram to see what's coming up and learn how to become a steward.
#CCESuffolk #BackToTheBays #MarineRestoration #SuffolkCounty #ShellfishRestoration #CommunityScience #LongIsland #OurBays
Join us tomorrow, Wednesday, April 15th at 10am at the @suffolkcountyfarm ! Free and no registration required! Sign in at the welcome center. #suffolkcountyfarm #cornellcooperativeextensionofsuffolkcounty
Thank you to everyone who stopped by to chat with the Hub at the Patchogue Village Electric Vehicle and Sustainability Fair! We loved connecting with you, answering your questions, and sharing how clean energy can make a difference in your home and community. 💚
Please contact the Hub for more information.
#longisland #communityengagement #energyefficient #patchogue #savemoneylivebetter
A room full of teens building their own yogurt parfaits might look simple, but what's happening underneath matters. When young people learn to nourish their bodies, it changes how they show up for themselves.
For National Nutrition Month, CCE Suffolk's community education team partnered with Life is Precious, a Latina suicide prevention program supporting girls ages 12–17, to bring hands-on nutrition education to their Hempstead location. Together, we explored physical fitness, built balanced meals, and made yogurt parfaits from scratch.
Participants didn't just learn about nutrition; they practiced taking care of themselves. Small moments like these help build confidence, connection, and lifelong healthy habits. That's the kind of foundation these young women deserve.
#NationalNutritionMonth #CCESuffolk #CommunityEducation #LifeIsPrecious #HealthyHabits #YouthWellness #LatinaCommunity #HandsOnLearning #NutritionEducation #SuffolkCounty
Join us for our FREE virtual spring parenting series! Registration in bio. #ccesuffolk #parenting #parentingclasses #cornellcooperativeextensionofsuffolkcounty
