About The BID

Our History

The Church Avenue BID covers thirteen blocks along Church Avenue from Flatbush Avenue to Coney Island Avenue and contains approximately 150 merchants. The BID is located in the heart of Flatbush, a vibrant multi-cultural neighborhood in central Brooklyn. The BID has been in operation since 1984.

The Church Avenue BID provides supplemental services to the merchants and property owners within the district. These services include: sanitation, marketing, business development, streetscape improvement, and advocacy. Additionally, the BID gives merchants and owners an opportunity to be active in their community and take responsibility for making Church Avenue a better place to shop and do business.

Our Staff

Lauren Elvers Collins
Executive Director

Lauren leads the organization’s marketing, supplemental sanitation, business development, government and community affairs, and advocacy efforts. Her goals are to continue to improve the cleanliness, safety, and appearance of the district and attract an ever-increasing number of visitors to take advantage of the varied goods and services the BID’s merchants have to offer. Lauren was formerly the Executive Director of the Gowanus Canal Conservancy and co-founded the Windsor Terrace Alliance neighborhood association. She served on Community Board 7 and on Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams’ Small Business Committee and currently, serves on the NYC Dept. of Transportation’s Better Buses Advisory Group and the NYC BID Association’s working groups focusing on Small Business Advocacy, Vending, and City construction projects. Lauren earned her undergraduate degree from the CUNY BA Program, her J.D. from Fordham University School of Law, and completed Coro NY’s 2011 Neighborhood Leadership Program. She was born and raised in NYC and lives in nearby Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn.

Hope Moriki
Project Coordinator

Hope Moriki works alongside Lauren as the BID’s Project Coordinator. Her duties include helping to manage daily operations, grant and policy administration, event coordination, and the marketing and promotion of the area as a local and citywide destination. Hope spent several years as a volunteer treasurer for two school programs, worked as a virtual event coordinator, and managed a small business coffee shop. She lives nearby on the border of Windsor Terrace/ Kensington, Brooklyn with her family.

Board of Directors

Class A: Property Owner

Fabiola Santos-Gaerlan Honeydew Drop Playhouse
Leon Mann Bobby’s Department Store
Jack Mann Bobby’s Department Store
Shirley Walker Shirley’s Heavenly Touch
Casey Martinez United American Land
David Sheridan Wheated/span>
Steve Rogers
Open

Class B: Commercial Tenant

Handel Edwards 
HJ Edwards & Associates
open

Class E: Non-Voting

Shawn Campbell, 
Community Board #14

Class C: Resident

Open

Class D: Government Officials

Mayor Eric Adams
 represented by Mahadya Mary of the Department of Small Business Services
Council Member Rita Joseph 
represented by Vinuri Ranaweera
Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso represented by Eileen Mullaney-Newman
NYC Comptroller Brad Lander, represented by Pinchus Hikind

Employment/Internships/Volunteer Opportunities

Ave NYC Program Manager

PT Admin/Outreach