QSAC in Whitestone Photo via Google Maps
TIMESLEDGER | Q 2 NS.COM | AUG. 20 - AUG. 26, 2021
BY JENNA BAGCAL
An urgent-need blood
drive in Bay Terrace received
donations from more
than 100 generous Queens
residents in the midst of a national
blood shortage caused
by COVID-19.
The Ninth Annual Summer
Blood Drive was co-hosted
by Assemblyman Edward
Braunstein and the New York
Blood Center on Thursday,
Aug. 5, at The Bay Terrace
shopping center. According
to the lawmaker, “more
than 300 lives will be saved”
thanks to blood donations
from last week.
“I’m proud to announce
that over 100 northeast
Queens residents answered
the call for urgently needed
blood donations at my office’s
9th Annual Summer Blood
Drive on Aug. 5,” Braunstein
said on Facebook. “Thanks to
their generosity, more than
300 lives will be saved.”
In addition to the lifesaving
good deed, all donors
received a free, limited edition
New York Mets T-shirt
and were entered into a
sweepstakes to win six
tickets to a game.
Since the onset of COVID
19, nonprofits like the
New York Blood Center and
American Red Cross continue
to experience major blood
shortages due to an increase
in trauma cases, organ transplants
and elective surgeries
that were put on hold during
the pandemic.
In a report by City Limits,
NYBC’s Executive Director
Andrea Cefarelli said that
hundreds of school blood
drives were canceled during
COVID-19 and communitybased
drives were reduced
from 550 a month to about
350 a month, which also contributed
to the national blood
shortage.
Over the next few months,
the New York Blood Center
is hosting multiple blood
donation drives in Queens
neighborhoods. Visit donate.
nybc.org/donor/schedules/
geo to find the location of the
nearest donation event.
Reach reporter Jenna
Bagcal by e-mail at jbagcal@
schnepsmedia.com or by
phone at (718) 260-2583.
BY JENNA BAGCAL
A Queens lawmaker
teamed up with a national
home improvement store to
bring new infrastructure to a
Whitestone school that serves
children and adults with
autism.
In conjunction with Lowe’s
100th anniversary, the company
introduced its 100 Hometowns
project, which distributed
grants to help revitalize
community organizations in
36 states across the nation.
The Quality Services for the
Autism Community (QSAC)
School at 1210 150th St. was
one of the grant recipients,
and planned improvements
include new paint, flooring, a
refreshed outdoor space and
garden and a playground for
students up to age 21.
“We are extremely grateful
for the incredible investment
Lowe’s has decided to make
to help serve the autism community
within our district as
part of their 100 Hometowns
campaign,” Councilman Paul
Vallone said. “I am proud to
have immediately connected
Lowe’s with the incredible organization
of QSAC right here
in Whitestone, Queens. The
autism community will truly
benefit from this infusion of
resources for generations to
come.”
As the campaign’s name
suggests, QSAC was one of
100 organizations, including
community centers and
spaces, shelters, housing facilities,
cultural preservation
projects, playground installations
and gardens, to receive
funding.
“Queens, and particularly
the Whitestone/Beechhurst
area, has a very special place
in my heart as it happens to
be my own hometown,” said
Marisa Thalberg, Lowe’s executive
vice president, chief
brand and marketing officer.
“This project is much more
than the act of building a
garden, a playground and upgrading
facilities. It’s about
the community who will see it
with newfound pride, and even
more so the people who will
enjoy and benefit from it every
day. That is at the core of our
improving ‘100 Hometowns’
in concert with Lowe’s 100th
birthday and I am personally
thrilled that one of those
projects is the rejuvenation
of Whitestone’s own QSAC
center.”
Founded in 1978 by parents
who had limited options for
their children with autism,
QSAC now serves more than
2,600 children and adults
in New York City and Long
Island.
According to the nonprofit
charter school, its goal is for
individuals with autism to
achieve greater independence,
realize their future potential
and contribute to their
communities.
“We are grateful to Lowe’s
for seeing the importance and
need in investing in our Whitestone
school through the 100
Hometowns Project,” said Lisa
Veglia, CEO of QSAC. “We
also are thankful for the continued
support and leadership
of Council member Vallone,
who without it this opportunity
would not have been possible.
This award will allow us
to make necessary upgrades
and improvements that need
attention.”
To keep up with the 100
Hometowns project, visit
Lowe’s corporate website, or
search for #100Hometowns on
social media.
Assemblyman Ed Braunstein at the Ninth Annual Summer Blood
Drive at The Bay Terrace shopping center.
Courtesy of Braunstein’s offi ce
Donations at Bay Terrace
blood drive to help save
‘more than 300 lives’
Whitestone charter school to
undergo improvements as part
of ‘100 Hometowns’ project
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