UJA-FEDERATION Of NY: THE NEED HAS NEVER BEEN GREATER!
BY SUSAN BARTELSTONE
Alice’s husband of 31 years died
alone in a hospital during the
coronavirus lockdown. Still
unburied, his family hasn’t even been
able sit “shiva” for him. Thankfully,
Alice got desperately-needed bereave-ment
counseling through a program
funded by UJA-Federation to help her
deal with her overwhelming grief and
make future burial arrangements.
As the shocking events of the past
few months unfolded, and most of us
were on stunned pause as we shel-tered
in place, UJA sprang into action
on a global level. Martialing the vast
scale and scope of their resources,
they gave approximately $46 million
from their emergency reserves to part-ner
agencies caring for society’s poor,
isolated and vulnerable in the New
York/Long Island area alone.
Money went to overwhelmed food
pantries facing closure and new food
pantries were opened. Loan programs
helping shuttered small businesses
stay afloat got funds. Thousands of
masks and gloves were sent to shel-ters,
group homes, nursing homes
and agencies providing essential ser-vices.
Twenty-two Jewish Community
Centers payrolls were sustained so
they could continue addressing the
massive mental health crisis caused
by the pandemic. A full list of UJA’s
crisis response efforts is at www.
ujafedny.org.
The UJA-Federation has been a
national (and international) lifeline
for vulnerable people with diverse
backgrounds for more than 100 years
and it partners with more than 100
organizations in metropolitan NY/LI,
providing extensive humane and legal
services, Jewish educational services
and fun activities for people of all ages
and needs.
One of the UJA partner agencies,
right down the street from NST, is
Commonpoint Queens @ the Sam
Field Center. Their large brown
donation baskets in our lobbies
collect various food, clothing and
toiletry items every month for those
in need. When the pandemic hit,
Commonpoint quickly turned their
shuttered poolside snack bar into a
food pantry that has delivered close
to 200,000 cooked meals or food
packages to families and mobili-ty-
challenged seniors since March
15 (including 37 NST residents).
They also opened their facility to
provide daycare to first responders
seeking a virus-safe place for their
children so they could continue to
go to work!
With Our Support. For the past
40 years, North Shore Towers has
had a special relationship with
UJA–Federation, raising hundreds
of thousands of dollars to support it
through an annual Fundraising Gala.
Sadly, we had to cancel the 41st Gala
this year. Eneas Arkawy, Chairperson
of the North Shore Towers-UJA
Fundraising Committee, made this
heartfelt appeal: “Since its incep-tion,
UJA has adapted to meet the
ever-evolving needs of the Jewish and
non-Jewish community alike, helping
millions live better lives and build the
kind of future we want for ourselves
and our children. In these uncertain
times, UJA’s purpose has never been
clearer or more urgently needed. We
must continue to do whatever we can
to further their mission.”
Volunteers at work in the
Commonpoint Pantry
The Need Has Never
Been Greater!
UJA-Federation desperately
needs your support so that pro-grams
like Commonpoint Queens
can continue to exist. Any size
donation will be welcomed and
appreciated. Donations can be
made via the UJA-Federation
of NY website (www.ujafedny.
org), or contact Sherri Candel
(516-762-5896, candels@ujafed-ny.
org) or leave a check with
the Concierge in care of Eneas
Arkawy (Building 1), Fran
Feigenbaum (Building 2) or Reva
Mandelbaum (Building 3).
#1IN SALES & LISTINGS AT
NORTH SHORE TOWERS
THE SOURCE FOR THE LARGEST
SELECTION OF LISTINGS AT NST!
Annette Kroll
718.631.8867
ON-SITE RESIDENT
MAGIC
OF GREAT NECK REALTY
516.487.6300
www.AnnetteKroll.com
NST CAR SPA
718-279-1314
Auto Detailing - Hand Car Wash
Auto Body - Mechanical Repairs
270-10 Grand Central Parkway
Floral Park, NY 11005
TOWERS Restaurant
at North Shore Towers
27248 Grand Central Pkwy, Floral Park, NY 11005
718-819-8228
July 2020 ¢ NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER 33
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/www.AnnetteKroll.com
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