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16 The Courier sun • november 12, 2015 for breaking news visit www.qns.com CM Eric Ulrich’s plan for city Veterans Services agency to become a reality BY ROBERT POZARYCKI rpozarycki@queenscourier.com @robbpoz New York City will establish a government agency dedicated entirely to veterans issues through an agreement arranged between the mayor and City Council. Councilman Eric Ulrich and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark- Viverito jointly announced on Nov. 4 that the City Council would soon vote on and pass a bill creating the city Department of Veterans Services, which will focus specifically on the needs of New Yorkers who served in the armed forces. Ulrich, who chairs the Council Committee on Veterans, sponsored the legislation. Mayor Bill de Blasio and Loree Sutton, the city’s Veterans Affairs commissioner, threw their support to the legislation. The mayor oversees an Office of Veterans Affairs (MOVA), but the new department will be able to expand the city’s ability to serve local veterans, according to Ulrich and Mark-Viverito. “This agency will be a one-stop shop for the city’s large and diverse veterans community,” Ulrich and Mark-Viverito said in their joint statement released Wednesday night. “We believe that by elevating MOVA to the department level, the city will be in a better position to deliver more resources and services to veterans throughout the five boroughs.” “We share the Council’s goal of helping our veterans and their families access the services and support they need and deserve in their return to civilian life,” de Blasio and Sutton added in their own joint statement. “This is why we pledged to end veteran homelessness by the end of this year, committed to expanding job opportunities for our veteran community and increased funding for veteran services this year.” More than 225,000 veterans who served the nation from World War II to the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan reside in New York City. Many of them, Ulrich and Mark- Viverito noted, face a variety of social and economic challenges, from rising homelessness to securing well-paying jobs or even simply transitioning back to civilian life after serving in combat. “Far too many of them feel helpless or ignored,” they said. “We fundamentally believe we have a moral obligation to help those New Yorkers. This agency is going to listen to the veterans community and be more responsive to their needs, and we’re proud to have their backs.” The bill creating the Department of Veterans Services, Intro. No. 314- 2014, is currently in the Council’s Committee on Veterans, which Ulrich chairs. The Council passed the bill on Tuesday, Nov. 10 — the day before Veterans Day. Forty-five of the Council’s 51 members have co-sponsored the legislation, including Queens Council members Costa Constantinides, Elizabeth Crowley, Julissa Ferreras-Copeland, Peter Koo, Karen Koslowitz, Rory Lancman, I. Daneek Miller, Antonio Reynoso, Donovan Richards, Paul Vallone, Jimmy Van Bramer and Ruben Wills. Photo via Twitter/@eric_ulrich City Councilman Eric Ulrich with Mayor Bill de Blasio and Veterans Affairs Commissioner Loree Sutton looking on. ST . FRANCIS PREP STUDENTS CELEBRATE THANKSGIVINGBY GIVING TO THOSE IN NEED On Thursday, November 12th and Friday, November 13th, Saint Francis Preparatory School students will be hearing presentations from local community leaders regarding the invaluable work being done by their respective agencies. Mr. Jeffrey Smith, Development Director of Hour Children’s House in Long Island City will speak to half of Prep’s 2,500 students on Thursday regarding the services provided to and for families with parents of the incarcerated. Anthony Butler, Executive Director of Saint John’s Bread and Life in Brooklyn will address the remaining students on Friday. The students will be encouraged to remember Pope Francis’ challenge to be people of mercy and generosity. The theme of the Prep Thanksgiving Donation Drive comes from the Franciscan peace prayer, “It is in giving that we receive.” Students, faculty, staff and parents will contribute donations from November 16th Prep students begin to gather donation for those less fortunate for Prep’s Annual through 24th to assist eight local agencies: St. Aloyius and Incarnation Catholic Church Food Pantries, Hour Children’s House, St. John’s Bread and Life, St. Francis Table at St. Matthias Catholic Church, Queen of Peace Residence, CHIPS, and Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish Soup Kitchen. Auxiliary Bishop Octavio Cisneros will celebrate the school’s Thanksgiving Liturgy on Wednesday, November 25th at 8:30 a.m. in the Brother Ralph Clifford Memorial Auditorium. Representatives of each agency will attend the Mass to receive their donations. Later that afternoon, members of the school community will prepare and serve a Thanksgiving meal for approximately 200 guests at Presentation Soup Kitchen. For more information, please contact Prep’s Director of Campus Ministry, Dr. Christian Sullivan, (718) 423-8810, x255, csullivan@sfponline.org Thanksgiving Drive Auxiliary Bishop Octavio Cisneros with Pope Francis


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