The interior of the Grandma’s Cheesecake Sandwiches shop in
Whitestone. Photo credit: Grandma’s Cheesecake Sandwiches
Whitestone eatery
collecting gloves
for the homeless
BY JENNA BAGCAL
With the cold winter
upon us, a Whitestone dessert
business is urging the
community to help to keep
homeless individuals warm
this season.
Grandma’s Cheesecake
Sandwiches founder and
baker Lisa Cotoggio announced
the first annual
Warming the Hands of the
Homeless drive.
Cotoggio encourages
patrons to donate new and
gently used gloves and mittens
during the month of
December. On Dec. 25, the
company will distribute all
donations to the less fortunate.
Those interested in making
a donation can do so
at Grandma’s Cheesecake
Sandwiches Bake Shop at
12-40 Clintonville St. during
regular business hours
— Monday to Saturday from
11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday
from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The bakeshop promises
one plain cheesecake sandwich
to each person who
makes a donation. Each
donation is good for one
cheesecake sandwich per
person for the duration of
the drive.
This is not the first time
Cotoggio has extended a
philanthropic hand to the
community.
On Nov. 28, Grandma’s
Cheesecake Sandwiches donated
cakes to women living
in a College Point homeless
shelter in the spirit of
Thanksgiving.
“A special something
extra to make the women
living in the new homeless
shelter on 20th Avenue
and 127th Street in College
Point feel more human because
that’s what they are,
and we should understand
that there are times when
people are down on their
luck, and just need a helping
hand to get back on
their feet,” Cotoggio said.
Back in February, Cotoggio
challenged people to
be kind to the homeless for
Valentine’s Day.
The Hearts4Homeless
Valentine’s Day Challenge
involved donating over 150
heart-shaped cheesecake
sandwiches to homeless
individuals in Manhattan
and Long Island.
Cotoggio, who is currently
a Bayside resident,
opened her first brick-andmortar
shop in September
2019.
The renowned desserts
are based on her grandmother,
Raphaella’s, recipe.
Reach reporter Jenna
Bagcal by e-mail at jbagcal@
qns.com or by phone at
(718) 260-2583.
Holiday spirit in Flushing
Asian American Federation to host giveaway on Union Street
BY JENNA BAGCAL
Next month, get to know
what Flushing small businesses
have to offer at a
holiday giveaway on Union
Street.
The Asian American Federation
(AAF) partnered with
the Union Street Small Business
Association (USSBA)
and Councilman Peter Koo
to announce a day of sweepstakes,
prizes and free promotional
items. The event,
which is supported by the
NYC Economic Development
Corporation takes place on
Saturday, Dec. 7, from 11 a.m.
to 4 p.m. in the parking lot of
37-17 Union St.
To participate in the event,
patrons must pick up a stamp
card at participating stores
from Dec. 2 to Dec. 7 and get
stamps from at least 15 of the
stores. Participants do not
have to purchase anything
to get a stamp. Patrons can
drop off cards to 37-17 Union
St. to enter themselves in the
raffle.
“AAF’s Union Street’s
Holiday Giveaway plans to
leverage the fun and fervor
of the holiday season to revitalize
the small businesses in
the Union Street corridor. We
want consumers to shop local
and see for themselves all the
exciting goods and services
that are on offer from the
merchants they pass by every
day,” said JoAnn Yoo, executive
director at AAF.
Sweepstake prizes include
Korean and Japanese skincare
sets, a pearl necklace, 24-
carat gold figures, Apple Air-
Pods 2, ginseng supplements
and gift cards up to $100 in
value. All prizes are valued at
over $100,000 altogether.
Kids will also get the opportunity
to snap a holiday
photo with Santa Claus.
“Union Street’s Holiday
giveaway event looks to share
one of Flushing’s best-kept
secrets with the community.
Thank you to the Asian
American Federation for organizing
another great promotional
opportunity that
will attract new customers
and benefit our businesses,”
said Koo.
The following is a complete
list of participating Union
Photo credit: Asian American Federation
Street businesses:
• Aritaum (39-06 Union St.)
• Kimganae (39-12 Union St)
• SanSooKapSan (38-13 Union
St)
• Myungdong Hair Salon (37-
11 Union St. 2nd Fl.)
• Jongro Barber Shop (37-11
Union St. Basement)
• Venus Beauty Supply (136-91
37th Ave.)
• Dew Cosmetics (36-44 Union
St.)
• Assassin Tattoo (136-91 37th
Ave. 2nd Fl.)
• Queens Beauty Spa (36-42
Union St. 2nd Fl.)
• Verizon (36-42 Union St.)
• Canaan Bakery (36-40
Union St.)
• Fiona Beauty Spa (36-40
Union St. 2nd Fl.)
• Dejavu (36-38 Union St.)
• Emotion Hair (36-34 Union
St. 2nd Fl.)
• Union Pharmacy (36-32
Union St.)
• Union Sushi (36-30 Union
St.)
• The Magic Skincare (36-30
Union St. 2nd Fl.)
• Banila (36-28 Union St.)
• Mei Wei Si (36-26A Union
St.)
• New Mapsy Hair Studio (36-
26A Union St. 2nd Fl.)
• Rose Dream Beauty Spa (36-
24A Union St. 2nd Fl.)
• Rim’s Fine Jewelry (36-24A
Union St.)
• Fu Ren Dong (36-24 Union
St.)
• Century Travel (36-24 Union
St. 2nd Fl.)
• Sarang Beauty (36-24 Union
St. 2nd Fl.)
• Koko Alteration (36-22A
Union St. 2nd Fl.)
• Noon (36-18 Union St.)
• Ipda (36-16 Union St. 1st Fl.)
• Three Bears Esthetics (36-14
Union St. 2nd Fl.)
• Golden Key Travel (36-14
Union St. 3rd Fl.)
• Union Pawn Store (36-12
Union St. 2nd Fl.)
• Hu Tong BBQ (36-12 Union
St.
• JJ Lash & Skin Care (37-17
Union St. 3rd Fl.)
• Law Office of Choi Yun
Sung (36-26 Union St. 3rd Fl.)
• Hanmi Realty (37-17 Union
St. 2nd Fl.)
“This event will be a chance
for the local community to get
to know their neighboring
merchants better. New restaurants
and stores have opened
up recently on Union Street
and we hope the local community
will try them out in the
holiday season,” said Ikhwan
Rim, USSBA president.
The event will end once
all prizes are distributed. For
more information visit eunionst
.com/promotional -
giveaway-2019
Reach reporter Jenna Bagcal
by e-mail at jbagcal@qns.
com or by phone at (718) 260-
2583.
FLUSHING TIMES (USPS#03925) is published weekly by Queens CNG LLC, 38-15 Bell Boulevard, Bayside, NY 11361, (718) 229-0300. The entire contents of this publication are copyright 2019. All rights reserved.
The newspaper will not be liable for errors appearing in any advertising beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error. Periodicals postage paid at Flushing, N.Y. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the
FLUSHING TIMES C/O Queens CNG LLC 38-15 Bell Boulevard, Bayside, N.Y. 11361
TIMESLEDGER, D 4 EC. 6-12, 2019 QNS.COM
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