Dr. Josh Moskowitz (middle) volunteering at a hospital in Texas in July. Photos courtesy of Dr. Josh Moskowitz
BY JASON COHEN
As COVID-19 wreaked havoc on the Bronx,
it also caused devastation in other parts of the
country including Texas. During the summer,
the coronavirus killed 1,000 people in 10 days
in the Lone Star State.
With a passion for helping others, Josh
Moskowitz, a doctor at Jacobi Hospital, went
with New York’s Disaster Medical Assistance
Team and provided aid at Laredo Medical Center
in Laredo, Texas for 10 days in July.
Moskowitz, 40, joined the DMAT team two
years ago. There are teams in every state made
up of health care professionals that are on call
a few months a year.
“It was something I’ve wanted to do for a
long time,” Moskowitz said.
Moskowitz has always been passionate
about helping others, serving as a volunteer
EMT prior to becoming a doctor in 2007.
He understood he was exposing himself
to COVID-19 by traveling and being around
infected patients, but stressed that it was
worth the sacrifi ce of aiding patients during
these times.
While the hospital was not in a big city like
New York, everyone there still needed and
appreciated the extra set of hands. Moskowitz
recalled that his team was welcomed with
open arms.
During his time in Texas, Moskowitz supplemented
hospital staff and primarily assisted
with COVID-19 patients.
“For me it felt very good emotionally,”
he explained. “It felt very fulfi lling to go
there.”
He stressed that the experience was not a
vacation and he did not spend any nights out
sightseeing or enjoying the scenery. The trip
was worthwhile and he hopes in the future
to make a similar impact in other states.
“It was a great experience,” he said.
BRONX TIMES REPORTER,42 OCTOBER 16-22, 2020 BTR
BY JASON COHEN
The Thinkubator, a
Bronx based nonprofi t organization,
announced the
launch of its fall programs
having received more than
120 applicants for only
60 available slots in its
Think Tank.
On Oct. 6, The Thinkubator
TRAINS program kicked
off with a week-long orientation,
which placed 20 kids in
internship-like experiences.
It was piloted this past summer
in collaboration with
the Borough President’s offi
ce and RAP4BRONX.
“The goal of Thinkubator
TRAINS is to give Bronx
youth professional experiences
that will impact their
lives, decision-making, and
goals,” Assistant Director of
Internships, Sharone Wellington
deAnda said. “Our
students respond to responsibility
by exceeding expectations
while fostering
greater commitment to the
community they live in.”
It will also offer Bronx
teens two paid work-based
learning experiences where
kids will discuss civics
and be able to voice their
thoughts on a larger scale.
This summer, partner
RAP4Bronx worked with
Thinkubator and provided
work-based learning experiences
to fi ve interns.
The teens researched and
discussed food insecurity
within their neighborhoods,
engaged with nonprofi
ts and spoke about local
urban farming.
“The students were not
only interested in the work,
but dedicated and driven to
learn more,” stated Shana
McCormick of RAP4Bronx.
“They assisted with vital
day to day operations such
as recording of volunteer
time, maintaining and updating
contact information,
and communicated with the
various community based
organizations that RAP-
4Bronx services.”
The Thinkubator will
soon introduce The Thinkubator
Solves program, a
partnership with Dream-
Yard and HERE to HERE,
where kids work with industry
partners on a company
challenge. This will
pair up 24 students and
two companies.
“We’re excited for two
more opportunities for
young people to show how
their innovation and intelligence
can solve real world
problems facing businesses
and society today” stated
Max Griffi th, assistant director
of The Thinkubator.
The Thinkubator also
launched The Thinkubator
Leads, a youth council
that focuses on the voices of
Bronx kids. The Thinkubator
Youth Council is a newly
formed group that aims to
unite young people and foster
relationships between
youth and communitybased
organizations.
Fifteen students will participate
and its fi rst meeting
is on Oct. 26.
“The launch of the Youth
Council allows us to walk
our talk in terms of bringing
power to youth voices,”
stated Julian Joyner, lead
facilitator and manager
of Youth Voice. “Participants
will have the ability
to tackle real-life issues impacting
their community
and beyond with the resources
and support of The
Thinkubator organization.”
In addition to the youth
programs, The Thinkubator
will conduct research so
it can provide recommendations
on how to improve
issues its youth are facing.
Launching The Think Tank
at The Thinkubator was
based on a paper written by
intern and high school student
Naomi Okunrobo titled
“The Overcoming of Food
Deserts and Food Swamps
in The Bronx.”
Dr. Lessie Branch, associate
professor of business
at the Metropolitan College
of New York and director
of The Think Tank at The
Thinkubator, hopes more
teens have the mindset
of Okunrobo.
“I am excited to be named
Director of The Think
Tank at The Thinkubator,”
Branch said. “Now is a crucial
moment in the public
policy space. There has been
a sleight of hand that has
transferred public or collective
responsibility of care
and concern to individuals
but the accompanying resources
or assets to address
the challenges have not
transferred. Today’s youth
are not tomorrow’s, but today’s
change agents!”
Jacobi MD helps in
Texas during COVID
Nonprofi t rolls
out fall programs
Part of NY Disaster Medical Assistance team
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