Families of fallen FDNY members enjoy early holiday celebration
BY DEAN MOSES
It’s never too early for Ol’ St. Nick to
visit the children of fallen fi refi ghters
in New York.
Santa Claus arrived in the Big Apple
early this year thanks to the help of the
FDNY. The jolly Kris Kringle arrived
in Midtown Sunday, Nov. 21, not on his
trademark sleigh, but instead, on the back
of a ceremonial fi re truck.
Partnering with the F.A.O. Schwarz toy
store, the FDNY-Uniformed Firefi ghters
Association (UFA) made the visit possible
as they looked to bring holiday cheer and
free gifts to children of fi refi ghters lost in
the line of duty.
The famous toy retailer closed for the
morning celebration on Nov. 21, as the
youngsters got a chance to enjoy some
early holiday cheer and have some of their
wishes granted.
“This is the 40th holiday party. This
party goes a long way to continue our
tradition from UFA to always take care of
our families and the widows and children.
Children are whisked into the air thanks to Santa Claus and the FDNY
on Nov. 21.
You honor us with your presence. This
does a lot for us more than it does for you.
Fulfi lling our promise to you, it means
everything, and we thank you so much
for coming and being a part of this. You
make our day more than we make yours,”
PHOTO BY DEAN MOSES
UFA President Andrew Ansbro said to the
overfl owing crowd at the toy store.
Although giving back to the families
of those who gave their lives in service of
New York City has been a near half-century
affair, it is the fi rst time the party has taken
place at F.A.O. Schwarz. Brimming with
playthings, the toy store’s staff says they
were happy to close for a few hours in order
to accommodate the kids.
“It means everything. We’re in this business
to make people happy and to know
that they can have a moment outside of the
crazy that we have in the world. It warms
our hearts,” Taylor Bodo, Director of client
relations, special events and personal
shopping at F.A.O. Schwarz told Schneps
Media.
In addition to having a toy store as their
own personal playground, the children
were also taken for a ride around Rockefeller
Center on the ceremonial fi retruck
before being whisked into the air alongside
Santa inside a ladder bucket. Parents were
overjoyed to see their kids laughing and
waving as they whizzed by and handed
Santa their Christmas list.
“It’s a real wonderful way to start the
season to see your smiling kids. Sometimes
I’ve seen you at not so happy times. This
is a very happy time,” Fire Commissioner
Daniel Nigro told attendees.
Don’t forget the shops around your corner this Small Business Saturday
BY MAC SORENSEN
As the holiday shopping season kicks
into high gear following Thanksgiving,
New Yorkers ought to remember
the great deals and service they can
fi nd just a short walk from their homes this
“Small Business Saturday.”
The national program, championed by
American Express, puts a focus on momand
pop retailers across America on a
weekend when millions of shoppers head
out to buy gifts for their loved ones.
“This Small Business Saturday, let’s celebrate
the contributions of small businesses
to our communities by supporting small in all
the ways that we can,” said U.S. Small Business
Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman.
“On Saturday and throughout the holiday
season, let’s patronize our small shops, restaurants,
theaters, entertainment centers, and
more to help support their recovery. It takes
hard work, grit, and determination to bounce
back from a once-in-a-generation pandemic,
and the SBA is proud to do its part to provide
entrepreneurs with vital resources. Now more
than ever, let’s buy local to support small business
owners who are creating opportunity
and driving job growth across the nation.”
Though New York is considered the
fi nancial capital of the United States and
often associated with big corporations
housed in skyscrapers across the landscape,
the reality is that small businesses largely
drive the city’s economy.
For every $100 you spend at a local small business, $70 of that money
is re-invested in your community, according to Small Business Services
Commissioner Jonnel Doris.
Of the more than 200,000 businesses in
New York City, according to the de Blasio
Administration, 98% of them have fewer
than 100 employees. Approximately 89% of
all businesses are classifi ed as “very small,”
meaning that they employ 20 or fewer workers.
Many of these businesses struggled to
survive throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,
and even as the vaccine made the
rounds and society began to reopen, the
challenges remain. An April report issued by
state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli found that
78% of businesses statewide with less than
500 workers reported continued various
problems related to the health crisis, such
as a steep decline in business.
PHOTO VIA GETTY IMAGES
New York City continues to provide tremendous
fi nancial aid and technical support
to struggling small businesses across the
Five Boroughs, according to Small Business
Services Commissioner Jonnel Doris. In an
NY1 interview, he noted that the city has
so far provided more than $275 million in
assistance toward small businesses impacted
by the pandemic.
“At this stage, we continue to provide the
necessary resources for small businesses
that they need to come back,” Doris said.
“As you come out of the pandemic, a lot
of our businesses are struggling fi nancially.
Others are struggling with their rent.”
As the city and nation continue to recover
from the COVID-19 pandemic, small businesses
are in desperate need of continued
support from the communities they serve, and
the Small Business Saturday campaign — fi rst
launched in 2010 — has traditionally served as
a boon for mom-and-pop stores everywhere.
According to the SBA, Americans spent
an estimated $19.8 billion last year on Small
Business Saturday, benefi ting many of the
more than 32.5 million small businesses
across the country.
For New York City, Doris noted, shopping
at a small business provides a profound
economic impact not just for the business
owners, but also the communities that they
serve.
“Every $100 that is spent, $70 stays in
that community. That’s important,” he said
in the NY1 interview. “You’re helping not
only that small business but also the entire
community survive and come back.”
The SBS will again promote the city’s
“Shop Your City” initiative, launched in
May as a way to encourage New Yorkers to
do their holiday and every-day shopping at
local businesses.
You might also want to consider throwing
some of your holiday dollars toward shops
located within any of the dozens of Business
Improvement Districts located across the
Five Boroughs. The BIDs offer various support
services for local businesses as well as
promotional campaigns to attract shoppers
and entice them to keep their business local.
View a director of BIDs at nyc.gov/sbs.
4 November 25, 2021 Schneps Media
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