6
TIMESLEDGER, MAY 5, 2019 TIMESLEDGER.COM
College Point once again takes
on city against homeless shelter
Senator John Liu stands with members of the College Point
community including Dany Chen (left) and Michael Niebauer
(right) Photo by Jenna Bagcal/QNS
ASTORIA TIMES ■ BAYSIDE TIMES
FLUSHING TIMES ■ FOREST HILLS LEDGER
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BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
Staff and volunteers
at NewYork-Presbyterian
Queens Hospital in
Flushing helped high
school students choose
garments for their prom at
its first-ever Prom Closet
event held on April 24.
NewYork-Presbyterian
Queens welcomed 112
students from local high
schools to its Prom Closet
to select dresses and suits
for upcoming prom night,
graduation ceremonies
and job interviews thanks
to generous donations by
hospital employees.
The students had 297
dresses and 140 suits to
choose from at the event,
as well as shoes, purses,
jewelry, brand-new makeup
and ties.
“We encouraged all of
the students to take home
outfits like a little black
dress or the perfect tie
and shirt combination
that will help them build
a professional and formal
wardrobe for whatever
their futures may bring,”
said Jacqueline P. Cahill,
director of Volunteer
Services at New York-
Presbyterian Queens.
The students were
from Lexington School for
the Deaf, Thomas Edison
High School, Forest Hills
High School, Flushing
International High
School and John Bowne
High School.
“Out of the 297 dresses
that we collected, we were
able to match 136 of those
gowns to young ladies,” said
Cahill. “We did the same
thing to the boys. We were
able to match 64 boys with
full suits … and give them
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extra shirts, pants and ties
to go on these interviews.
We are setting them up
for success.”
According to Cahill,
who works with the
schools in the community,
the idea for a Prom Closet
stemmed from a member
of her team at the hospital
who had participated
in a similar event at
her church.
“Throughout Queens
and Brooklyn there are
hundreds of students
living in shelters or
temporary housing,” said
Cahill. “Many families
cannot afford to send their
children to prom because
of the cost of outfits and
the tickets. In hopes of
taking part of financial
burden off the parents,
NewYork-Presbyterian
Queens hosted a
Prom Closet offering
these students.”
Cahill added, “It was an
emotional night because
there was a lot of crying
going on. One little girl
said, ‘I’ve never been able
to wear anything so pretty’
and her mom happened to
be there hugging everybody
and she said to me, ‘Jackie,
we don’t live paycheck to
paycheck. We don’t live
dollar to dollar. We live
from penny to penny. So
having the hospital do this
for us is amazing.’”
Cahill said they’re
looking forward to hosting
another successful Prom
Closet event next year
and maybe a “My First
Interview” or “Dress for
Success” event.
“We want to invite not
only the children that are
graduating but we can also
invite the parents that are
living in these shelters
or temporary housing to
come and get outfits to go
on interviews and get jobs
that can help them better
where they’re living,”
said Cahill.
BY JENNA BAGCAL
Not even a spring storm
could keep College Point
residents from slowing
their fight against the men’s
homeless shelter slated to
go up in their neighborhood
this September.
Hundreds of members
of the College Points
Residents Coalition
(CPRC) along with local
politicians gathered in
front of City Hall on April
26 seeking “solutions
not shelters.” Despite
the wet April weather,
ralliers remained
steadfast with continuous
chants urging the city
to rethink the decision
to establish a shelter at
127-03 20th Ave.
College Point Civic
and Taxpayer Association
President Michael Niebauer
said that solutions included
facilities that included
comprehensive care for
individuals that shelters
may not be able to provide.
“They could set up
support facilities. They
need mental health
facilities, addiction
services, social services and
general love and affection,”
Niebauer said.
However, the
Department of Homeless
Services detailed the
services that the 200 men
residing at the shelter
would receive through
their non-profit social
services provider Westhab.
Among these services are
health and mental services,
vocational training,
employment placement
and GED instruction.
State Senator John
Liu commended College
Point residents for braving
the elements to get to
City Hall.
“This sends a very
strong message to the
mayor and to the city
council that people care
about the community,”
Liu said.
“While we understand
that there’s a homeless
problem in the city of New
York, there are proper
places to put shelters and
there are places where
shelters do not belong. And
they certainly don’t belong
in the middle of six schools
where thousands of our
children go to school,”
the senator added.
Liu and a representative
from Councilman Paul
Vallone’s office promised
to continue advocating for
College Point residents
until the city heard the
community’s voices.
“The most important
thing is unity. If we have
unity we can get the best
result for the community,”
Liu said.
The April 26
demonstration was the
second time College
Pointers made their voices
heard at City Hall. The first
was back in January of
this year.
Reach reporter Jenna
Bagcal by email at jbagcal@
schnepsmedia.com or by
phone at (718) 224-–5863,
ext. 214.
Flushing hospital helps students out for prom
New York Presbyterian Queens
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