Painting some hope
Make-A-Wish, Brookdale Hospital erect pair of community murals
COURIER LIFE, NOV. 26-DEC. 2, 2021 29
BY BROOKLYN PAPER
Local do-gooders with the
Make-A-Wish foundation are
brightening up Brooklyn with
a series of vibrant murals
aimed at celebrating the resilience
of “Wish Kids.”
The charity, along with
LISA Project NYC, erected the
fi rst two portraits at southern
Brooklyn’s Brookdale University
Hospital Medical Center,
which the head of Make-AWish
Metro New York praised
as an “extraordinary partner”
to the organization, and
a facility that provides topnotch
care to children with
critical illnesses.
“We were thrilled to work
with these exceptional artists
to bring color, art and joy
to the Brookdale community,
and through it, awareness of
the Make-A-Wish mission,”
said Phil Lussier. “Brookdale
has been an extraordinary
partner to Make-A-Wish, referring
kids with critical illnesses
for wishes, which can
be life-changing for them,
their families and their communities.”
The murals aim to highlight
the stories of the many
Wish Kids who have been
helped from the charity, their
neighbors, and their families,
Lussier said.
One of the murals was created
by Rey “The DR¡F” Rosa,
who co-founded the arts organization
LISA Project NYC,
and who has lived with a critical
illness since birth. Rosa
highlights a 1999 trip to Disney
World as bringing muchneeded
cheer to the lives of
sick children, as Make-AWish
aims to do.
“It inspires me to see that
there is hope in the world for
people that are struggling,
that people can fi nd those
rays of light,” said Rey Rosa.
“One of my goals has been
to fi gure out how I can give
back to an organization that
has given me something so
great and had an impact on
my life in an awesome way,”
Rey said. “This is an amazing
way to do it.”
Brooklyn-based artistic
award winner Peach Tao
created the second mural at
Brookdale, while allowing
children in Brookdale’s pediatric
ward to help choose the
fi nal design.
“The radiance and beauty
of the Brookdale Make-AWish
murals bring hope,
strength, and a splash of color
to our patients, employees,
and community,” said Sandra
R. Scott, MD, Executive
Director of Brookdale Hospital
and Medical Center. “The
murals also refl ect the beautiful
partnership between
Make-A-Wish and Brookdale
Hospital. They brighten my
day every morning on my
way into the hospital!”
Make-A-Wish, along with Brookdale Unitersity Hospital Center, helped unveil two new community murals.
Make-A-Wish Metro New York,
BY JESSICA PARKS
Hundreds of families in need will
have a hearty Thanksgiving meal,
courtesy of Operation Gobble Giving
— an annual turkey giveaway organized
by Reaching Out Community
Services.
“Here at our event, we are providing
turkey and all the trimmings for
hundreds of families that are registered
with our organization,” said
Tom Neve, director of the southern
Brooklyn homeless services organization.
Reaching Out Community Services
hosts four annual events focused
on fundraising to end the city’s hunger
crisis, while also serving as a food
pantry for local low-income families,
and offering a suite of social services
such as tax assistance and help fi ling
for food stamps.
On Nov. 2, stands lined the outside
of Reaching Out’s New Utrecht Avenue
headquarters in Bensonhurst dishing
out turkeys, stuffi ng, potatoes, gravy
and all the other fi xings needed for a
traditional Thanksgiving meal.
“What an incredible display of giving
back for the holidays this year,”
said state Sen. Andrew Gounardes
at the annual holiday giveaway. “We
have tons of volunteers out here to
help give to our neighbors in need,
everything from a whole Thanksgiving
dinner from turkey on all the way
down.”
This year, the Verrazano Rotary
Club pitched in to provide 350 frozen
turkeys. Those turkeys were joined
with various other community donations,
including from Investors Bank,
which made it possible for Reaching
Out to supply meals for the approximately
600 families who might have
not otherwise celebrated Thanksgiving.
“Because of the generosity of all
these great sponsors, and the incredible
work of Tom and his team, and all
of the volunteers who are here,” Gounardes
said. “We are going to make
hundreds of families very happy this
Thanksgiving when they sit down to
have their holiday meal.”
“It is an honor and a privilege to be
out here to support Reaching Out Community
Services,” said Brian Chin
of Investors Bank, board member of
Reaching Out Community Services
and member of the rotary club. “Any
way to help fi ght hunger is always a
good thing…and this is all part of the
community coming together standing
strong to fi ght hunger.”
The southern Brooklyn service
organization has been partners with
Reaching Out Community Services
on Operation Gobble Giving in some
form for many years.
“Throughout the years, other
than just providing turkeys and toys
for the kids, The Verazzano Rotary
Club also support this organization
every month,” Neve said. “Thats the
reason we are able to help hundreds
and hundreds of families each month
because of their effort to help our
neighbors in need. Even during the
pandemic, they were still there for
us, and again this year, they are still
making it happen.”
Hundreds of families
provided Thanksgiving
meal in Bensonhurst
Around 600 families in need were provided food by volunteers. Photo by Arthur de Gaeta