On Monday, Jan. 3, veterans came
together on East 161st and Grand
Concourse to demand better treatment.
The National Organization of
Black Vets, Help Is On The Way For
Veterans, Post 1871, Dominican Veterans
of America, The Bronx Clergy
Task Force and Military Women in
Power joined forces to rally for respect
and a clearer path to government
services for any veterans in
need. Organizer Andy King dedicated
the day of action to his father
Andy King Jr., who served in Korea.
This would have been his 85th birthday.
Veterans groups rally on Monday, Jan. 3. Photo courtesy Andy King
Wavecrest holds holiday toy drive
At the end of December, Wavecrest
Management hosted their annual
toy distribution event at Betances
Houses, where low-income children
up to 18-years-old could select a gift
of their choice. In addition to the toy
giveaway, the event also included hot
chocolate and cookies, a DJ with holiday
music and fresh fruits and vegetables
for local residents. There was
also a raffl e with fi ve bicycles for ages
5-8, four tricycles for ages 1-5 and two
ride-on cars for babies. Wavecrest
manages numerous properties and
also held toy drives at Ocean Bay
Bayside in Far Rockaway, Queens
and Williamsburg Houses in Brooklyn.
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, J 26 JAN. 14-20, 2022 BTR
Cohort Kids from SOBRO (High School and College Students) standing with cups of lentil
soup behind the Neighborhood Benches banner keeping warm. Photo Jewel Webber
Neighborhood Benches distributes food
On Jan. 1, Neighborhood Benches
continued their food distribution in
spite of the freezing weather and shut
downs of so many spaces due to the
COVID-19 epidemic.
This event was held in front of the
M.A.R.(Morrisania Air Rights) Tenant
Association building at 3071 Park
Ave., in the Bronx. La Morada Restaurant
made the hot soup and was
responsible for assisting Neighborhood
Benches in distributing over 300
meals per week to families in the areas
of Andrew Jackson Houses, Melrose
Houses, Morrisania Air Rights
Houses and Concourse Village.
La Morada is a family-owned and
operated Mexican (Oaxacan) Restaurant
in the South Bronx. After the
food distribution,Daniel Osorio, interim
executive director at Neighborhood
Benches took some Cohort Kids
from SOBRO (High School and College
Students) to go throughout the
community in research for an upcoming
community garden, healthy food
choices and building community relationships.
On Jan. 6, Throggs Neck Bid, NYC
Health + Hospitals and Test & Trace
Corps came together for #GetTestedThursday.
The event was held at the Throggs
Neck Bid’s offi ce at 3800 Tremont Ave., in
the Bronx. Bobby Jaen, the BID executive
director, said that this is something
that he thought was essential to helping
the community. Bronx Borough President
Vanessa Gibson and CIty Councilwoman
Marjorie Velázquez attended
the event and provided support. In total,
more than 4,000 K95 masks were distributed.
“Depending on who you are and
where you’re from, that’s where you get
it,” Jaen said. “And I’m going to fi ght for
my community as often and as hard as I
can.”
Bobby Jaen, Throggs Neck BID executive director, poses with David M. Coulibaly, Bronx Borough
Test and Trace Outreach Director at NYC Health + Hospitals and volunteers.
Photo Jewel Webber
Children look at a bundle of balloons with amazement at the December event. Photo Courtesy
Wavecrest Management Photo courtesy Wavecrest Management
Throggs Neck BID, NYC Health + Hospitals
and Test & Trace Corps #GetTested
Veterans rally for respect