April 12, 2020 Your Neighborhood — Your News®
LOCAL
CL ASSIFIEDS
PA GE 7
Queens Centers for Progress works to keep
group homes running with acts of kindness
BY BILL PARRY
It was just over a month ago
when hundreds attended the
Queens Centers for Progress
24th annual “Evening of Fine
Food” fundraiser at Terrace on
the Park to benefit the agency
that provides support to children
and adults who have developmental
disabilities.
“All hell broke loose just a
week later with the arrival of
the coronavirus emergency,”
QCP Director of Development
Wendy Phaff said.
Every day since has brought
new challenges as the human
services agency continues to operate
nine group homes across
the borough that house 78 individuals.
“Five of these homes are currently
under quarantine due to
staff or residents testing positive,”
Phaff said.”Let me tell you
about one special heroine, Jessica
Dubinsky, who volunteered to
leave her husband and two teenage
kids, to care for our individuals
in a quarantined home. Jessica’s
birthday was on March 24
and the residential director at
the home asked for someone to
pick up a small cake for our staff
in quarantine. An hour later, a
cake and a balloon appeared at
the doorstep to Jessica’s home
and with tears, she greatly
accepted this kind gesture.”
A member of the QCP staff,
Corey Thompson, who had been
working tirelessly for weeks
made the delivery himself. It
isn’t just the QCP staff that is
going the extra mile during
trying times.
“Every day brings a beautiful
kindness that people are
showing us. The community
and businesses are taking care
of us,” Phaff said. “MumsKitchenNYC
and P’s Bakery and
Catering who took part in our
Evening of Fine Food have been
preparing meals for our homes.
The Queens Borough President’s
Office and Fresh Direct
have provided groceries. A florist
in Manhattan, Empire Cut
Flowers, had a huge delivery
just when the emergency made
them shut down their business
and instead of letting all of those
flowers wither and die they sent
them to our homes to cheer everyone
up.”
The 600 staff members of
QCP have also volunteered their
time to make sure that hundreds
of homebound individuals who
live all over Queens are provided
meals and groceries.
“Of course it’s not all rainbows
and unicorns,” Phaff said.
“We’re also running around
trying to gather Personal Protection
Equipment because we
are required to wear them in all
of the homes so we’re competing
against hospitals, nursing
homes, and other group homes.
We spent $70,000 on PPE in the
last two weeks. The cards are
always stacked against us. It’s
been an interesting month that
seems like a year.”
QCP is hoping for more acts
of kindness such as meal donations
for 15 people at a time, to
source more PPE going forward
or to offer cash donations to keep
these group homes functioning.
The agency is also hoping for
registered nurses to volunteer
their time.
Anyone interested in donating
can email wphaff@queenscp.
org or call her at 646-801-8786.
Reach reporter Bill Parry by
e-mail at bparry@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at (718) 260–
4538.
QCP staff at one of the quarantined homes were happy to receive donated flowers.
Photo courtesy of Queens Centers for Progress
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