www.BXTimes.com BRONX WEEKLY March 29, 2020 2
Support Little Italy and shop (and social distance) with a purpose
BY JASON COHEN
As COVID-19 has forced restaurants,
malls, barbershops,
nail salons and schools to shutter
throughout the city; some
businesses on Arthur Ave. remain
open.
For New Yorkers who practice
responsible social distancing
and need to do their grocery
shopping, Little Italy is welcoming
customers and is home to
many merchants who already
provide takeaway, including
bakeries, butchers, delis, pizzerias
and specialty stores – in
a neighborhood with plenty of
open air and inventory.
Peter Madonia, chairman of
the BID and owner of Madonia
Bakery, 2348 Arthur Ave.,
spoke with the Bronx Times
about how the area is a food resource
for shopping and getting
essentials.
“Our sidewalks are like our
aisles,” he said. “People have
to eat, so they’re going to shop
somewhere. It’s not like we
have lines out the door.”
Madonia explained that
restaurants on Arthur Ave.
survived the recession in 2008,
9/11, the swine fl u and many
other bad times, but never an
epidemic like this.
Many of these eateries have
been here for 80, 90 or 100 years
and no one could have ever
prepared for this or imagined
a long term closure could happen.
The worst part is people
don’t know how long the doors
will stay shuttered, he said.
“It doesn’t feel very good
to have all those restaurants
closed,” Madonia commented.
“I think it’s going to be harder
on the employees.”
With about 20 or so restaurants
closed, he noted these are
tough times for the whole community.
Right now many people are
wondering how they are going
to pay rent and the people that
work at the restaurants rely on
their paychecks to live.
He recalled that on 9/11 only
Manhattan was affected, while
this pandemic has sent shockwaves
and fear throughout the
country.
“The sense of realism and
discomfort is similar,” he
stated. “On 9/11 we knew the
enemy. We think we know the
enemy, but we can’t see it. No
one knows the end game.”
While he urges people to
come support the stores that
are open and maintain social
distancing, he acknowledged
that many places on Arthur
Ave. and throughout the borough
may not reopen. “When
the dust settles, who knows
what will be left standing,” he
said.
He noted that this may
change how businesses operate
long term.
“How am I going to keep my
people working and what are
the rules of the road?” Madonia
questioned.
The Belmont Business Improvement
District is also providing
some simple recipes to
create at home from the families
and local businesses on Arthur
Avenue, including bread,
pasta, meat, fi sh, cookies and
more.
Artuso Pastry – Pignoli
Cookies https://www.bronxlittleitaly.
com/recipes/pignolicookies/
Mike’s Deli – Farfalle con
funghi https://www.bronxlittleitaly.
com/recipes/farfallecon
funghi/
Mike’s Deli – Rigatoni
Melanzana https://www.bronxlittleitaly.
com/recipes/rigatoni
Peter Madonia, chairman of the BID and owner of Madonia Bakery, 2348
Arthur Ave. Photo Courtesy Belmont Business Improvement District
melanzana/
Borgatti’s – Manicotti
https://www.bronxlittleitaly.
com/recipes/manicottifrom
borgattis/
Vincent’s Meat Market
– Italian sausage and
bean casserole https://www.
bronxlittleitaly.com/recipes/
italian-sausage-and-beancasserole
from-vincents-meatmarket/
Madonia Bakery – Pane di
Casa https://www.bronxlittleitaly.
com/recipes/pane-di-casa/
Mario’s Restaurant – Zucchini
fritti https://www.
bronxlittleitaly.com/recipes/
zucchini-fritti-from-mariosrestaurant/
Randazzo’s Seafood – Red
snapper with lemon https://
www.bronxlittleitaly.com/recipes/
red-snapper-with-lemon/
Essen Health Care, VillageCareMAX and other community
partners come together to serve underserved and aged
BY JASON COHEN
With 25,000 confi rmed coronavirus
cases in New York to
date, health plans, community
organizations and provider
networks are collaborating to
keep people safe.
This pandemic, which has
seen infections and deaths
increasing rapidly every day,
has disrupted everyone’s
lives. People are out of work,
home from school, strapped
for cash, having diffi culty
fi nding food and fi nding themselves
with limited access to
healthcare.
In order to ensure that people
stay healthy and receive
proper medical treatment,
two organizations are working
together.
Essen Health Care, a
Bronx-based medical practice
providing primary, specialty
and urgent care, house calls
for home-bound elderly and
care coordination to more
than 80,000 patients in the
Virtual testing sites offered by VillageCareMax and Essen Health Care. Photo Courtesy Essen Health Care
borough, has mobilized their
staff to offer clinical services
via “virtual visits” and established
a COVID-19 screening
program.
“Essen is working to deliver
virtual access to healthcare
professionals who can assess
their patient needs, order
medications and diagnostic
tests, monitor conditions, triage
for emergency services,
and consult with specialists,”
said Essen Health Care Chief
Medical Offi cer Sumir Sahgal.
“We will also support the
Bronx community — patients,
family members, healthcare
and homecare staff — who
need screening, testing and
monitoring for corona virus
infection.”
Essen is working with community
partners, including
health plans who serve individuals
and families covered
by Medicare and Medicaid,
and community service organizations.
VillageCareMAX, a
New York City based managed
care plan has provided its
community outreach vehicles
to allow Essen to continue to
extend their COVID-19 screening
efforts to the Bronx.
“Our VillageCareMAX
community outreach vehicles
will play a critical role in these
amazing services that Essen is
providing to the Bronx community,”
said Emma DeVito,
President and Chief Executive
Offi cer at VillageCare. “We are
proud to partner with Essen in
battling this unprecedented virus
and ensuring that all New
Yorkers in the Bronx have access
to a trusted resource in
these critical times of uncertainty
and anxiety.”
Anyone seeking healthcare
services or COVID-19 screening
in the Bronx can call their
health plan, any of the list community
organizations or go to
www.essenhealthcare.com
Essen Health Care is one
of the largest, independent
comprehensive physician networks,
incorporating care
management and related services
in New York City.
VillageCareMAX is a managed
care plan sponsored by
VillageCare, a non-profi t organization
with more than 40
years experience in delivering
health care in New York City.
VillageCare offers managed
care as well as post-acute and
community-based programs.
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