Queens Temple Corps helps heal with after-school programs
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.COM | JULY 2-JULY 8, 2021 9
BY JULIA MORO
As the COVID-19 pandemic shut
down many after-school activities,
the Salvation Army Queens Temple
Corps continued providing a muchneeded
creative outlet for kids of all
ages.
The organization goes beyond just
providing a creative out, though.
Daniela Baptista said her daughter
was able to recover from organ
failure and an induced coma because
of the Queens Temple Corps’ online
conservatory program, where she
was able to practice lyrical dance.
“After being in the hospital for
three months, she was finally able
to socialize with kids over Zoom,”
Baptista said.
Baptista’s 9-year-old daughter,
Luna, was hospitalized as COVID
19 was just beginning to spread
throughout the U.S. She nearly lost
her life.
“It was the scariest moment of
my life. As a mom I asked, ‘Why
not me?’” Baptista said. “When the
doctors told me to get ready for the
worst, I lost myself.”
Throughout Luna’s hospitalization,
Baptista would go to the Queens
Temple Corps, located at 86-07 35th
Ave. in Jackson Heights, every Sunday
to pray for her daughter.
“It was my backbone throughout
this whole thing,” Baptista said. “I
went there and the songs gave me
strength. The energy that you feel
in that temple is inexplicable. When
I came out of that church, for some
reason, I knew that Luna was going
to be okay.”
When Luna was released from the
rehabilitation center, she was still not
fully able to walk since she had been
in bed for so long. But after dancing
with the Salvation Army’s program,
she started to regain mobility.
“She puts all her energy into the
program. She wants to be herself
again,” Baptista said. “The conservatory
camp has helped her be herself
again. We’re just really grateful.”’
Baptista said after being in medical
care for three months, then going
straight into quarantine, the virtual
dance classes were extremely influential
in boosting Luna’s spirits.
“She was able to socialize and
see kids her age,” Baptista said. “It
distracted her from quarantine and
being stuck at home.”
The Salvation Army goes beyond
providing meals to families in need;
they also provide free or reducedcost
music lessons and dance classes
to kids of all ages.
“We see individuals as a whole,”
Salvation Army Lt. Sarai Olmedo-
Garcia said. “We know that the need
in our community does not end with
a plate of food or a box of pantry
goods. We serve in the capacity that
we can and this does not limit the
physical hunger.”
Olmedo-Garcia also said there is
a lot of benefit to serving the community
in this way.
“We believe that when we serve
our children to learn music it makes
a lifetime impact,” Olmedo-Garcia
said. “Children develop socially
since when they’re in groups, they
are more likely to stay away from the
streets. It creates a sense of responsibility
and discipline.”
There are about 50 students participating
in the music and arts program.
This includes classes in dance,
drama, brass and timbral.
Olmedo-Garcia said that these
classes are open to anyone, as the
Queens Temple Corps works to
preach the gospel and serve their
community without discrimination.
Kids participate in the Queens Temple Corps choir program.
Photo courtesy of Salvation Army
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