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October 2017 . Volume 13 . Issue 10
LEGAL
LEADERS
CHAMBER HONORS MEMBERS OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION AT ANNUAL GOLF OUTING HONOREE SEAN CROWLEY WITH QCC PRESIDENT MAYRA DIRICO
October 2017 • Volume 13 • Issue 10
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
RICH DIVERSITY OF QUEENS POSES HEALTHCARE CHALLENGES Health and wellness has a direct economic impact on Queens Chamber members and the Queens business community at large. As the saying goes, “You can have all the riches and success in the world, but if you don’t have your health, you have nothing.” This is why the Queens Chamber has started a Healthcare & Wellness Committee. The goal is to keep our MAYRA DIRICO members connected to the best access to and QCC PRESIDENT information regarding affordable healthcare, insurance, ambulatory and nursing care, etc. When researching New York City community health profiles, I came across some staggering statistics. We all know that economic status and legal status as an American are immensely important when it comes to the healthcare a person receives. Unfortunately, these factors also play a direct role with how a person makes healthcare decisions.
Out of the five boroughs, Queens has four of the top five highest neighborhood percentages of individuals born outside the U.S. Neighborhoods like Elmhurst and Corona, Jackson Heights, Flushing and Whitestone, and Woodside and Sunnyside lead the way. In each of these neighborhoods, the percentage of people born outside the United States ranges from 57 to 66 percent. That is astounding. This is why the Queens Chamber of Commerce must and will continue to be proactive and engage with all of our diverse communities. The average household income in Queens is $74,962 and the per capita income is $26,580. The poverty rate in Queens is high at 15.4 percent, and the highest poverty rates are concentrated in Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, and Corona. Residents in these neighborhoods are on average 20 to 29 percent below the federal poverty level.
Queens’ socioeconomics are further explained by its high unemployment rate. The unemployment rate in Queens is 12.7 percent. This is nearly double the New York State unemployment rate of 6.3 percent, and in some neighborhoods such as Jamaica and Hollis, unemployment may be as high as 20 percent. CONTINUED ON PAGE 31
A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
GET ENGAGED, STAY ENGAGED WITH THE CHAMBER Fall is back and the Queens Chamber is ready dar of Events on the Queens Chamber website at to rock and roll! Over the next two months, we queenschamber.org. This calendar will help you have a number of major events on tap. These find industry-specific events that will cater to the are excellent opportunities for you subject matter of your organization. to engage with our membership and spread the word of your organizaActivate Your New Member tion. We exist to educate, advocate Profile via Eventbank and network for your business and The Queens Chamber recently will do everything we can to connect launched a new website and memberthe dots for you. ship platform. If you are a member of As the leaves turn and fall, I want the Chamber, you have received an to impress upon everyone that your invitation to activate your Member success with the Queens Chamber is Profile and update any information. directly related to your involvement The invitation will be in your email THOMAS J. in our member committee meetings, inbox (also check spam folder) and GRECH events and seminars. The more you will include instructions for activaEXECUTIVE network and meet like-minded indition. Please check for this to make DIRECTOR viduals, the greater chance you have sure your company’s information is to make meaningful business conup to date. nections. As such, I want to make sure you are If you have not received this invitation, please apprised of all information to make this happen. contact Brett Swanson at bswanson@queenschamber.org or call us at (718) 898-8500.
Queens Chamber Calendar of Upcoming Events
If you are interested in our upcoming Queens Chamber events, be sure to check out our Calen-
Member Committees
Member committees are a great way to get involved with the Queens Chamber and meet
other business owners who are in your field. The committees are industry-specific with substantive information about relevant topics in your field. Current committees include Communications, Energy & Environmental, Healthcare & Wellness, Manufacturing, Nonprofit, Real Estate, Restaurant & Hospitality, Technology, and Transportation. Meetings are typically held once every other month. These events are on the Queens Chamber website calendar.
Post Your Events to the Queens Chamber Community Events Page
If you wish to post an event to our website, you may now do so on our Community Events Calendar. This service is complimentary for Chamber members, easy to do, and will help your business’ internet search hits. Contact us if you have specific questions about this. I look forward to seeing you and greeting you personally at our events and meetings!
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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH
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QUEENS QUIPS
Money ranks Queens College as a top value for your money
Queens College was ranked in the top 5 percent of colleges nationwide in Money magazine’s 2017–18 “711 Best Colleges for Your Money.” Queens College stood out for its affordability: through a combination of low tuition and generous financial aid packages, over 90 percent of the undergraduates who graduate in four years emerge from the college debt free. The 711 schools Money included were ranked on the basis of 27 measures, such as educational quality, affordability and alumni success.
Pol pushing back against employee microchipping State Senator Tony Avella has authored legislation that would prevent the forced microchipping of employees as a condition of employment. Employers in several states are beginning to utilize microchipping technology by offering optional implants of radio frequency identification devices (“RFID”) into employees, enabling them to connect to workplace systems via these devices. “As New York remains an at-will employment state, employers could make these implants mandatory as a condition of employment,” said Avella. “No employee should be forced to sacrifice their bodily autonomy as a prerequisite to obtaining or keeping their employment.” A report by the American Medical Association’s Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs underscores the ethical issues connected with human RFID microchip implants. The report noted that such implants could present physical risks to patients including causing interference with electromagnetic devices and defibrillators. Further, the report found that
the implants raise privacy and security issues.
Cornell Tech opens its new Roosevelt Island campus Cornell Tech last month officially opened the first phase of its campus on Roosevelt Island. Cornell Tech is the first campus ever built for the digital age, bringing together academia and industry to create pioneering leaders and transformational new research, products, companies and social ventures. In 2011, Cornell Tech was named the winner of the Bloomberg administration’s Applied Sciences Competition, designed with the goal of diversifying the economy and creating a national hub for tech. The city estimated back then that the new campus would generate up to 8,000 permanent jobs, hundreds of spin-off companies and more than $23 billion in economic activity over a period of 35 years. The campus is built on 12 acres of city land. “Cornell Tech is defining a new model for graduate education, a model that melds cutting-
edge research and education with entrepreneurship and real world application,” said Cornell University president Martha Pollack. Cornell Tech started up in a temporary space provided by Google and has already graduated more than 300 masters and doctoral students, with most entering the New York City tech sector after graduation.
Developer chosen for Jamaica project on 168th Street The Greater Jamaica Development Corporation (GJDC) has announced a joint venture between BRP Companies and Wharton Properties to purchase and develop a site located at 90-02 168th Street. The open-air parking lot just north of Jamaica Avenue will become a 500,000-square-foot development with more than 300 mixed-income residential units with 70,000 square feet of retail space. The project is slated to break ground in the second half of 2018. This is BRP’s second project in Jamaica. Across from the AirTrain Station at 93-01 Sutphin Boulevard, the firm is currently building The Crossing at Jamaica Station, a $407 million, 773,000-square-foot mixed-use project with 669 unit of mixed-income housing.
CORNELL TECH
TABLE OF CONTENTS Promotions, Announcements & Appointments ........................................6
Upcoming Queens Chamber Events .........................................................................23
SBS Looks to NYCHA for City’s Next Entrepreneurs ...........................7
Terrace on the Park Gets $9 Million Makeover ....................................................24
Susan Browning of LIJ Forest Hills Talks Healthcare ...........................8
Partners & Affiliates News and Happenings .........................................................26
Jamaica Health Facility Honors Former First Lady of NY ...................9 The Rockaways Five Years After Sandy ...................................................14 Queens Chamber Honors Three at Golf Outing .....................................16 Inside the Business Center for New Americans .....................................20 4
PUBLISHER Walter H. Sanchez
MANAGING EDITOR Shane Miller
CHAMBER EDITOR MARKETING DIRECTOR Brett Swanson John Sanchez BQE Media, 45-23 47th St., 2nd Floor, Woodside, NY 11377 Phone: (718) 426-7200 Fax: (347) 507-5827
August 2017 • Volume 13 • Issue 8
THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH
queenschamber.org Email your announcement or promotion to info@thisisqueensborough.com
PROMOTIONS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & APPOINTMENTS level. Toussaint resides in Queens and Throne to focus (NSUH). Dr. Lima, who built a reputation Pheffer Amato was chosen as recently marked his 24th year of as a renowned one of about three dozen legisla- service at NYC Health+Hospitals. on Queens transplant surtors considered issue experts or up-and-coming leaders from across Eric Throne has joined Cush- geon at Baylor the country in a competitive appli- LIC lawyer a man & Wakefield’s New York U n i v e r s i t y cation process. City Industrial Brokerage Services Medical Center rising star “The main takeaway is that, Group as a director in the Brook- in Dallas, has lyn and Queens market. Throne previously served as an associate at Cushman & Wakefield in Virginia Beach. “Eric’s tenacious nature, ability to win new business, and commitment to going THRONE above and beyond for his clients has made him an incredible asset to the firm,” said managing principal Betty Castro. “Eric will be a stellar addition to our industrial brokerage team here in the Brooklyn and Queens market.” Throne has a wealth of real estate experience, specializing in the leasing and marketing of industrial properties. He has completed over $45 million in transactional volume, and has worked with largescale local, national, and global clients such as Carrier, ZPMC and Bimbo USA. In 2015, he was one of Inside Business’ 40 under 40, and is a designated Certified Commercial Investment Member. He is a graduate of Santa Fe College with a degree in business administration.
Northwell adds two heart docs Dr. Brian Lima and Dr. Syed Hussain, two cardiac surgeons with expertise in heart transplant and all types of adult cardiac surgery, have joined the heart transplant center at the LIMA Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital at North Shore University Hospital
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been named director of heart transplantaHUSSAIN tion surgery at NSUH, while Dr. Hussain was recruited from the Cleveland Clinic to serve a key role as the lead procurement surgeon, the individual who surgically retrieves donor hearts. NSUH received state approval in June to establish a heart transplant center, the only one on Long Island and the first time in 20 years that the state approved a heart transplant program. The center’s first surgery is expected to be performed later this year. “Drs. Lima and Hussain have extensive experience in heart transplant surgery and will be integral in launching Northwell’s program, working with our outstanding advanced heart failure team and cardiac experts,” said Dr. Alan Hartman, senior vice president and executive director of cardiovascular and thoracic surgery at Northwell Health.
Pol completes fellowship Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-Rockaway Beach) completed a 2017 National Early Learning Fellowship with the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), a national nonprofit that PHEFFER AMATO helps legislators across all 50 states share best policies and practices, and advocates for state legislative issues on the national
the earlier you start investing in our children, the better the outcomes, and that applies to workforce development, social services and even a substantial reduction in incarceration,” said Pheffer Amato. ““When you give kids the best shot to learn, they take it. School really is the best investment we can make in our future.”
HHC’s Toussaint recognized The Association of Energy Engineers honored Cyril Toussaint, director of energy management and sustainability at NYC Health+Hospitals, as Energy Manager of the Year for region 1, an area that includes 10 northeastern states. Under Mr. Toussaint’s leadership, NYC Health+Hospitals reported more than a 10 percent sys- TOUSSAINT temwide decrease in energy use in fiscal year 2016. Price reductions in the cost of fuel and decreased usage combined to produce $21 million in savings for the health care system. “This recognition will serve as a source of motivation to all the facilities under our purview,” said Toussaint. “Our journey might be challenging, but the resulting energy and cost savings will have a long-term positive impact on the sustainability of our health care system and the environment.” An important benefit to the reduction in energy consumption is an accompanying decrease in greenhouse gases. Between 2007 and 2017 Mr. Toussaint’s team helped NYC Health + Hospitals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 26.4 percent.
Long Island City resident Sean McAloon, who specializes in insurance coverage for Rivkin Radler, LLP, was named to the 2017 New York Metro Super Lawyer list as a rising star. Only the top 5 percent of attorney in a give region make the annual list, while the “Rising Star” designation is reserved for the MCALOON top 2.5 percent. Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a researchdriven, peer influenced rating service of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Queens Chamber of Commerce 75-20 Astoria Boulevard, Suite 140 Jackson Heights, N.Y. 11370-1131 Entire Contents Copyright 2017 by Queensborough. All letters sent to the QUEENSBOROUGH should be brief and are subject to condensation. Writers should include a full address and home and office telephone numbers, where available, as well as affiliation, indicating special interest. Anonymous letters are not printed. Name withheld on request. No such ad or any part thereof may be reproduced without prior permission of the QUEENSBOROUGH. The publishers will not be responsible for any error in advertising beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error. Errors must be reported to the QUEENSBOROUGH within five days of publication. Ad position cannot be guaranteed unless paid prior to publication. Schneps Communications assumes no liability for the content or reply to any ads. The advertiser assumes all liability for the content of and all replies. The advertiser agrees to hold the QUEENSBOROUGH and its employees harmless from all cost, expenses, liabilities, and damages resulting from or caused by the publication or recording placed by the advertiser or any reply to any such advertisement.
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September 2017 • Volume 13 • Issue 9
GOVERNMENT NEWS
A BETTER FUTURE THROUGH ENTREPRENEURSHIP Growing up with my grand- fairer economy across the five mother in Grenada, I saw first- boroughs. hand how entrepreneurship can Through this program, we are uplift families and change lives. helping budding entrepreneurs My grandmother supported our start their own businesses and family by selling milk and pro- generate supplemental income. duce, always looking for a new Why is this so important? Many and better way to sell her prod- New Yorkers are unaware of just ucts and supplement our family how integral NYCHA residents income. are to our city. Her example and hard If NYCHA’s populawork gave me my tion were its own city, first exposure to the it would be larger “ impact of running than Milwaukee. This is an example a small business. Unlike Milwauof what the City of Without her, it is kee, however, New York and partunlikely that I, which has an ners in the private as an immigrant average famsector can do to New Yorker, ily income of invest in New York’s would be where I $53,000, the most important am today and servaverage income asset: its people. ing as Mayor Bill de for NYCHA resiBlasio’s commissioner dents is only $24,336 of the Department of Small a year. Business Services (SBS). The New Yorkers who live in While my grandmother’s story NYCHA housing come from all is just one of countless examples walks of life and backgrounds, but of entrepreneurship paving the many face economic and social way to a better future, it illus- stigmas associated with living in trates the importance of empow- public housing. Residents also ering more of face barriers to our friends and obtaining employneighbors to purment because of a sue their entreprelack of affordable neurial dreams. childcare options. An innovative By helping City program called Childcare residents start their own childBusiness Pathways is helping care businesses, we are benefitNew York City Housing Authority ing those who start a business (NYCHA) residents do just that. while also providing their friends The Department of Small and neighbors with a convenient Business Services (SBS), along childcare option. with its partners at NYCHA and Through this free, 15-week proCiti Community Development, gram on how to start, operate, launched the Childcare Business and grow a childcare business, Pathways program to help unlock NYCHA residents receive supeconomic potential and create a port and guidance on licensing, Gregg Bishop is commissioner of the NYC Department of Small Business Services, which also offers a number of other services to help small businesses throughout the five boroughs start, operate, and grow. Information on these services can be found by calling 311 or visiting nyc.gov/ sbs. To more easily access our services, check out Chamber On-the-Go, our mobile business support program that deploys trained business specialists right to your storefront. This initiative is a proud partnership with area chambers of commerce and the City Council.
marketing, and financing their business. Resident entrepreneurs also gain training and certifications necessary to run their own childcare businesses, including CPR and First Aid Certifications, Health and Safety Certifications and Medication Administration Certification We recently graduated our second group of Childcare Business Pathways participants, and the results have been excellent. To date, 34 NYCHA residents have graduated since the program launched last year, and 23 of them have already opened a childcare business or are developing one. This is an example of what the City of New York and partners in the private sector can do to invest in New York’s most important asset: its people. If you or someone you know is
GREGG BISHOP SBS COMMISSIONER interested in learning more about the Childcare Business Pathways program, please visit opportunitynycha.org.
THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH
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OCTOBER FOCUS: HEALTH & WELLNESS
EVOLVING HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY IN QUEENS BY BENJAMIN FANG From the repeated efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare to the rising support for a singlepayer system, health care is the talk of the town. With more than 2.3 million residents in Queens, and thousands of businesses that rely on healthy employees, it’s essential that everyone knows about the latest changes in the industry. In July, the Queens Chamber of Commerce’s Health and Wellness Committee met for the first time. Led by Susan Browning, executive director of Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Forest Hills, and Evangeline Rosado-Tripp, executive director of the Medical Society of Queens County, the committee seeks to provide a forum where business leaders can learn about the various aspects of the health care industry. “Health care is integral to a community,” Browning said. “If you have a strong business sector, it helps to support a strong health care sector, and vice versa.” Browning, who previously served in senior administrative roles in hospitals in Brooklyn and Staten Island, said there are many health challenges in Queens. The diversity of the borough, one of its major assets, presents complexities. Different diseases and afflictions affect different socioeconomic and ethnic groups in myriad ways. LIJ Forest Hills conducts community health needs assessments, then prioritizes service developments and growth based on the data. “As a health care provider, one that treats the entire community, we need to be looking at how we can really serve the broadest group of the population,” Browning said. “We are open to the entire community, regardless of ability to pay.” For patients who don’t have insurance, the hospital tries to be flexible with fee schedules, deep discounts and other methods. In some situations, patients don’t end
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“If you have a strong business sector, it helps to support a strong health care sector, and vice versa.”
SUSAN BROWNING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LIJ FOREST HILLS
up paying at all, but they are still treated and stabilized. With the number of uninsured patients still high in Queens, health care leaders are watching closely the future of the Affordable Care Act in Washington. After several failed attempts by Republicans to repeal and replace Obamacare, the health care law is still under fire. Under the latest failed effort, called the “Graham-Cassidy” bill, funding would have been converted to “block grants,” which would allow individual states to decide how to spend on health care, Browning said. That change would have primarily affected the Medicaid system here. New York state has a “generous” Medicaid program, funded by contributions from the federal government, the state and localities. Under legislation like the Graham-
Cassidy bill, federal funding for Medicaid would “certainly go down over time,” Browning said. That would leave New York with one of two options: curtail benefits or put more money into Medicaid to maintain benefits. According to Browning, Governor Andrew Cuomo has publicly stated he will not cut benefits, leaving him with the difficult task of coming up with a solution on funding. “If there is a budget at a state level and a bigger piece of that budget needs to go toward health care, there has to be a cut somewhere else,” she said. “These are the difficult decisions that will be made at a state level.” While the fight over Obamacare continues, another health care proposal is on the horizon. As proposed during his 2016 presidential campaign, Senator
Bernie Sanders rolled out his “Medicare For All” legislation, which is gaining traction among Senate Democrats. In Albany, the State Senate is also considering a single-payer health care bill. It has passed the Democratically controlled Assembly for the third time, but still lacks sufficient support in the State Senate, led by Republicans and a faction of independent Democrats. But if it ever musters enough votes to pass the state legislature, Cuomo said on the radio last month that he would sign it into law. Browning noted that it has also gained the support of roughly 60 percent of physicians in the American Medical Association, which she said was fascinating. CONTINUED ON PAGE 12
October 2017 • Volume 13 • Issue 10
OCTOBER FOCUS: HEALTH & WELLNESS
JACKSON HEIGHTS HEALTH CENTER EXPANDS
BY BENJAMIN FANG
A longtime community clinic in Jackson Heights has transformed into a health center providing care for children and adults alike. Elected and health officials officially cut the ribbon to the expanded Health+Hospital’s Gotham Health facility on Junction Boulevard last Thursday morning. The $1.8 million upgrade was funded by Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Caring Neighborhoods initiative, a program to increase primary care in underserved neighborhoods. According to Dr. Walid Michelen, CEO of Gotham Health, which runs 39 clinics in four boroughs, the facility used to only provide pediatrics care. With the expansion, the health center will offer ambulatory care, women’s health services, behavioral health care, adult primary care, family medicine and pediatrics. The clinic, now with the addition of 13 upgraded exam rooms, new medical equipment and furniture and a full-time nutritionist and social worker, is expected to serve 10,000 patients annually. “As a former Jackson Heights resident, I can tell you there’s a great need in this community for better care,” Michelen said. Dr. William Foley, senior vice president for inpatient and ambulatory care, said the hospital system wanted to create a location that serves the entire family, which this new facility will accomplish. “That’s the true purpose of this space,” he said. Councilwoman Julissa FerrerasCopeland said she used to come to the clinic in her youth for immunizations and other medical care. While her mother worked in Manhattan, her aunt would take her to the center because she lived just two blocks away. The councilwoman noted she worked with local elected officials like Assemblyman Francisco Moya to keep the clinic open in previous years, even when it just provided tuberculosis services at one point.
Elected and health officials cut the ribbon on the expanded facility.
“Here, we’re giving service to those who need it most, with care and professionalism in a beautiful space,” she said. Dr. Sonia Angell, deputy commissioner for prevention and primary care at the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, stressed the importance of having access to care where people live. She said that two-thirds of Jackson Heights residents are foreign-born, and hospitals need to provide care for them “in meaningful ways.” “Health care is complex, and being able to navigate it is hard for anyone, whether or not you’re born here,” Angell said. “But if you come newly into this city and you need to access this resource, it needs to be where you can get it easily.” Dr. Daniela Atanassova-Lineva, a pediatrician at the clinic for 15 years, said it was a “dream come true” to provide care for the most diverse neighborhood in the world. She said she had dreamed of becoming a doctor since she was
three years old, growing up in a small village in Bulgaria. Fluent in five languages, Atanassova-Lineva said she’s better able to break the language barrier and connect with her patients. She commended the facility expansion because it will help provide more services and education to all patients. Though physicians have helped control asthma, decrease teen pregnancy and achieved other medical goals, Atanassova-Lineva said they still have to find a way to combat obesity and addictions. The additional resources will go a long way to address those issues, she said. “Having a nutritionist and a social worker, adding a family practitioner and women’s health, is such an invaluable addition to this new facility,” she said. “The whole idea of making this clinic easily accessible is an impressive new template.” Sasha Williams, the mother of two children who are patients at the Gotham Health site, said she’s
been coming to the clinic for years. When her son was 11 months old, he was diagnosed with bronchiolitis, a common lung infection in young infants, due to his prematurity. The infection turned into asthma, triggered by allergies and colds. Williams said her son was treated by Atanassova-Lineva, and eight years later his asthma is “almost nonexistent.” She praised the doctor’s team for providing the proper medication and treatment plan. “Dr. Daniela was not only knowledgeable about his condition, but she took the time to make sure I understood the triggers and his treatment plans,” Williams said. When Williams was pregnant with her now-infant daughter, she had “no doubt” in her mind who her pediatrician would be. “There is not a place in this world where I’d rather go,” Williams said. “Now with the new renovations and the reopening of this facility, I am eager to have my entire family come here to get treated.”
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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH
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OCTOBER FOCUS: HEALTH & WELLNESS
QUICK GLANCE AT THE BOROUGH’S HOSPITALS NEW YORK PRESBYTERIAN QUEENS
JAMAICA HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER
56-45 MAIN STREET FLUSHING, NY 11355 (718) 670-2000/WWW.NYHQ.ORG
89-00 VAN WYCK EXPRESSWAY JAMAICA, NY 11418 (718) 206-6000/WWW.JAMAICAHOSPITAL.ORG
FAST FACTS: New York-Presbyterian Queens is a community teaching
FAST FACTS: Jamaica Hospital is a 408-bed, not-for-profit teaching
hospital affiliated with Weill Cornell Medicine, serving Queens and metro New York residents. The 535-bed tertiary care facility provides services in 14 clinical departments and numerous subspecialties. Annually, 15,000 surgeries and 4,000 infant deliveries are performed at the hospital. With its network of affiliated primary and multispecialty care physician practices and community-based health centers, the hospital provides approximately 162,000 ambulatory care visits and 124,000 emergency service visits annually.
LONG ISLAND JEWISH FOREST HILLS 102-01 66TH ROAD FOREST HILLS, NY 11375 (718) 830-4000/WWW.NORTHWELL.EDU
FAST FACTS: A division of Long Island Jewish Medical Center, THIS
312-bed community hospital provides inpatient medical and surgical care, intensive care, and obstetrics and gynecology services. The hospital is designated as a Level II Perinatal Center. The Emergency Department is a 911 receiving site, a certified heart station, as well as a New York State designated Stroke Center. In 2014, there were approximately 18,000 inpatient discharges, including 2,000 women who delivered at the Hospital, more than 50,000 visits were experienced in the Emergency Department, and almost 4,000 people underwent ambulatory surgery at the Hospital.
ELMHURST HOSPITAL
79-01 BROADWAY ELMHURST, NY 11373 (718) 334-4000/WWW.NYCHEALTHANDHOSPITALS.ORG
FAST FACTS: Elmhurst Hospital serves an area of nearly one million
people in one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse communities in the United States. Culturally-sensitive care is a hallmark of our highly-regarded Mental Health Services. Elmhurst Hospital excels in the areas of maternal and child health care, establishing the country’s first children’s health center in 1918. Last year, more than 4,000 babies were delivered at Elmhurst. The hospital is a completely modernized facility that has a highly regarded Level I Trauma Center and Stroke Center and an Emergency Heart Care Station. Elmhurst was the first hospital in Queens to be approved to perform Elective Angioplasty procedures, giving patients the choice to stay within the borough of Queens when having the procedure done.
MOUNT SINAI QUEENS
25-10 30TH AVENUE ASTORIA, NY 11102 (718) 932-1000/WWW.MOUNTSINAI.ORG
FAST FACTS: With the opening of A $175 million, 140,000-square-foot
building, Mount Sinai Queens is introducing a new era of health care in Queens, starting with the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Emergency Department. The hospital now offers medical and surgical capabilities previously only available at Mount Sinai locations in Manhattan, while still maintaining the comfort and familiarity of a community hospital dedicated to the health of its neighbors. New state-of-the-art operating rooms allow surgeons to perform elective, emergency and complex procedures using the latest advances in medical technology. The operating suites include private pre-surgical rooms, a dedicated recovery room, and a large waiting area with expansive views of Queens and Manhattan.
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hospital that serves a population greater than 1.2 million in Queens and eastern Brooklyn. The hospital’s Emergency Department— a Level I Trauma Center and Stroke Center – is one of the busiest in New York and the only one in South Queens. It is designated as a NYC Hypothermia/Cardiac Destination Facility and also includes a dedicated pediatric emergency room, chest pain center, and fast track area for minor injuries. Nearly 120,000 patients were treated in the Emergency Department last year. Approximately 300,000 patients were seen in its Ambulatory Care Centers at the main campus and offsite centers in area like pediatrics, internal medicine, family medicine, obstetrics, gynecology, podiatry, surgery, gastroenterology, dermatology, neurology, orthopedics, dental, radiology, social services, nutrition, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, pulmonary rehabilitation, cardiology, and urology. Over 2,200 deliveries were performed at Jamaica Hospital’s modern Labor and Delivery Suites.
QUEENS HOSPITAL
82-68 164TH STREET JAMAICA, NY 11432 (718) 334-4000/WWW.NYCHEALTHANDHOSPITALS.ORG
FAST FACTS: The 271-bed Queens Hospital opened the doors on a
modern state-of-the-art facility in January of 2002 and continues to grow and expand. The year 2007 saw the opening of a new ultramodern Ambulatory Care Pavilion that connects to the hospital via two enclosed bridges. The opening of the Pavilion fully complements our commitment to a philosophy of patient-centered care by unifying and consolidating services previously offered throughout our sprawling campus. More recently, we have added ICU beds, Neonatal ICU beds, Medical-Surgical beds and expanded capacity in our Recovery Room (PACU) and Labor and Delivery Suites. Since its opening in early 2002, the Queens Cancer Center has consistently delivered unsurpassed, comprehensive care to oncology patients. Last year, there were over 314,000 clinic visits, 91,000 ER visits, and 1,743 births at Queens Hospital.
FLUSHING HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER 45-00 PARSONS BOULEVARD FLUSHING, NY 11355 (718) 670-5000/WWW.FLUSHINGHOSPITAL.ORG
FAST FACTS: Flushing Hospital is a 293-bed, not-for-profit teaching
hospital. Approximately 39,000 patients were seen in the hospital’s Ambulatory Care Center, while there were 3,126 baby deliveries performed at Flushing Hospital. Over 43,000 patients were treated in the Emergency Department last year. Flushing Hospital offers a comprehensive bariatric program. This includes a range of procedures such as Sleeve Gastrectomy, Gastric Bypass, Adjustable Lap Band, Duodenal Switch and Gastric Revisions. The hospital’s Department of Psychiatry offers a wide array of mental health and addiction services. The department consists of an 18-bed acute care voluntary inpatient unit, a 30-bed medically managed chemical dependency detoxification unit, an outpatient mental health clinic, the Reflections Chemical Dependency clinic, and a consultation-liaison service. The Wound Care Center at FHMC is a six-bed outpatient center designed to treat and heal patients in need of wound care. The center provides the most advanced treatment for chronic or non-healing wounds and helps patients heal quicker, avoid amputation, and improve their overall quality of life.
October 2017 • Volume 13 • Issue 10
OCTOBER FOCUS: HEALTH & WELLNESS
BRIGHTPOINT HONORS FORMER FIRST LADY OF NYS Brightpoint Health is renovating its successful clinic in Jamaica to better serve the community, and as part of the transformation it is being renamed the Matilda Raffa Cuomo Health Center. The new will honor New York’s former first lady’s long history of charitable and humanitarian efforts. “My mother has dedicated her life to helping the less fortunate and uplifting New Yorkers in need,” said Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. “The new Matilda Raffa Cuomo Health Center will provide much-needed services to the Queens community and support our efforts to make a stronger, healthier New York for all.” The renovated Matilda Raffa Cuomo Health Center will offer integrated behavioral health and primary care services to better address the disproportionate rates of mental health and substance use problems and high rates of avoidable hospitalization in the area.
The shortage of primary care providers in Jamaica contributes to residents’ poor health outcomes, high rates of preventable hospital admissions due to chronic illnesses and behavioral health conditions, and limited access to care. Brightpoint Health currently serves over 60,000 patients and clients with primary health care and behavioral health and support services. With almost 800 employees and locations throughout the five boroughs, Brightpoint is a leader in the provision of integrated health care in New York City. “Matilda Raffa Cuomo and the entire Cuomo family have done so much to help the people of New York State, including their founding of this organization,” said Paul D. Vitale, CEO of Brightpoint Health. “We are so thankful to the entire Cuomo family, and proud and honored to name this clinic the Matilda Raffa Cuomo Health Center.”
Matilda Raffa Cuomo with Assemblywoman Vivian Cook at the ceremony
MATILDA RAFFA CUOMO HEALTH CENTER BY THE NUMBERS
2,122
13,000
PATIENTS SEEN IN 2016
72
PERCENT OF PATIENTS WHO WERE HOMELESS
Matilda Raffa Cuomo with NYC kids during her stint as First Lady of NYS.
Matilda Raffa Cuomo has led state, national and international initiatives that heightened visibility to such causes as children’s rights, volunteerism, and mentoring. As first lady of New York State from 1983 to 1995, she co-chaired the Governor’s Commission on Child Care and chaired the NY Citizens’ Task Force on the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect. Mrs. Cuomo also led New York’s role in the UN’s World Summit for
Children and the USA’s ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. She established in 1984 the nation’s first school-based one-to-one mentoring program, connecting over 10,000 students to trained mentors, and helping them to succeed in school, graduate, advance in the workplace and become productive citizens. Under Mrs. Cuomo’s leadership, the program has continued as Mentoring-USA and its reach expanded internationally.
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TOTAL VISITS
ONE-THIRD NUMBER OF VISITS THAT WERE FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE
PERCENT OF PATIENTS WHO WERE PEOPLE OF COLOR
PERCENT OF PRIMARY CARE PATIENTS WHO ALSO RECEIVED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
34
UNIQUE CLIENTS WHO USED THE AIDS ADULT DAY HEALTHCARE CENTER
211
16,000 VISITS TO THE AIDS ADULT DAY HEALTHCARE CENTER
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OCTOBER FOCUS: HEALTH & WELLNESS HEALTHVIEW TO BREAK GROUND THIS FALL EMU HEALTH
EMU Health, founded in March 2016 after the acquisition of Queens Surgical Center, is making a resurgence in Glendale. A multispecialty ambulatory center, or “hospital without beds,” the center offers surgery in fields like orthopedagogy and ophthalmology. Now, the company is developing a women’s health center and on-site diagnostic testing and treatment center as well. An initiative of the Lowy family and backed by CEO Daniel Lowy, the state-ofthe-art facility will serve the Queens community. One EMU official said it’s important because “women are the gatekeepers for families.” “We feel we can fill a huge void,” the official said. EMU is only the second facility in the borough that has 3D mammography, which allows for more accurate cancer detection. The company, which recently topped 100 employees, is creating a new 22,000-square-foot facility for multispeciality care. EMU Health has already committed $5 million for the infrastructure of the facility. It’s part of EMU’s goal of providing access to high-quality, cost-efficient care, the official said. (BENJMAIN FANG) EMU Health is located at 83-40 Woodhaven Boulevard. For more information, visit emuhealth.com.
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Already home to New York Presbyterian Queens and Flushing Hospital Medical Center, Flushing will be getting a new $65 million health facility. The city recently announced plans for Healthview, a 77,000 square-foot medical facility that will be part of the Mayor’s Caring Neighborhoods Initiative. Operated by the Charles B. Wang Community Health Center, the new center at College Point Boulevard and 40th Road will provide care to over 25,000 underserved New Yorkers and create over 140 new jobs in the first three years of operation. “All New Yorker deserves equal access to healthcare, and this stateof-the art facility means the tens of thousands of people in booming Flushing will get the primary care they need,” said Mayor Bill de
Blasio. Healthview will be located amid Flushing’s bustling retail, transportation, and residential hub. The project will be designed to ensure primary care is available to all, regardless of ability to pay or immigration status. Healthview will serve as a primary care access point with clinicians spanning the fields of internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics, gynecology, psychiatry, behavioral health and family dentistry. As part of the Mayor’s Caring Neighborhoods initiative, the city is providing $1 million for the $65 million Healthview project through the Economic Development Corporation’s Community Health Center Expansion Program. Other public funding comes from Borough President Melinda Katz,
whose office contributed $3 million, and the City Council, who helped secure $2 million for the project. A groundbreaking for the center is expected this fall. “There are many residents of Flushing who still lack access to affordable primary care services, particularly mental health and dental services,” said Jane T. Eng, CEO of Charles B. Wang Community Health Center. “The new site will meet some of this increasing demand. Caring Neighborhoods is a commitment to reduce health disparities by building primary care capacity in neighborhoods where New Yorkers have faced limited options for health care services. The City has committed $20 million to cover pre-development and start-up operating costs.
BROWNING ON HEALTHCARE IN QUEENS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 “It absolutely is feasible,” she said. “Certainly, there would be more federal funding that would be required, but there would be savings elsewhere. So it would be really how the savings get distributed in order to support the program.” Right now, Browning said, corporations spend a lot of money on purchasing private insurance. Though the framework hasn’t been worked out, she said it’s conceivable that money could be redirected toward the federal government to provide insurance for employees. “A big part of the argument is that the most efficient sector of the insurance industry is actually Medicare,” she said. “Medicare is a highly efficient program.” According to Browning, data show that Medicare spends less on administrative back office functions than private insurance companies. It spends more on clinical care. “It doesn’t mean everybody likes it,” Browning added. “I think there
are some pockets of the population that still feels they don’t want the government to provide us with insurance.” It’s not, by any means, a new idea. Other countries like Canada have socialized medicine, and in many places, it’s been highly successful, she said. “But it does require some hard choices,” Browning said. “Many people in those countries still choose to have private insurance because they don’t want to be subject to those hard choices.” Whether or not Obamacare is repealed, or single payer is enacted, is still up in the air. What Browning does know is that the health care industry in Queens is changing. In the last year-and-ahalf, four hospitals have closed in the borough. What has transpired in its place is an expansion of ambulatory care, and a larger focus on how to manage patient health before they ever enter a hospital and provide the proper screenings. As a health system executive, Browning said the goal is to bring together all forms of care, from primary care and specialty care
to diagnostic and screening and hospice care. “You really want to look at whether you were able to avoid that hospitalization, from a public health perspective,” she said. “The more that we can do that, the stronger the community is.” Looking ahead, the Queens Chambers’ Health and Wellness Committee will meet in November at the Medical Society of Queens County in Forest Hills. The next step, Browning said, is forming well-structured subcommittees to gather more participation in their activities. She added that facilitating these discussions is part of the process to better understand community health needs. “We are health care providers, certainly, but at a more global level, we also want to really change the public health of the community and move further upstream in terms of how people are making decisions in health care,” she said. “By providing this level of education and really gathering the input on a grassroots level, we feel we can much more effectively plan for services and be responsive to the needs of the community.”
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FIVE YEARS LATER October marks five years since Hurricane Sandy, the deadliest and most destructive storm of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season, devastated the Rockaways. On October 29, the storm surge flooded streets and homes, knocked out power and crippled mass transit. Rebuilding still continues five years later, but Rockaway is showing real signs of recovery. One of the most tangible is the reopening of the entire 5.5-mile boardwalk from Beach 9th to Beach 126th streets, which occurred over Memorial Day weekend. That same month, the city launched ferry service to the peninsula, which has not only added another way for commuters to reach Manhattan, but also brought beachgoers to the restaurants and businesses every weekend all summer long. And just last month, the City Council approved a $288 million rezoning proposal for Far Rockaway aimed at revitalizing the downtown area as a commercial hub. The Breezy Point section of the Rockaways was not only hit by Hurricane Sandy, but a “This roadmap to action ensures that the people who have fire also broke out that completely destroyed the neighborhood. (Photos: Michael O’Kane) remained in the community during the toughest times will share in the prosperity of this plan,” said Councilman Donovan Richards. THE NEW BOARDWALK
Exactly one year later, the rebuilding was already in full swing. (Photos: Michael O’Kane)
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October 2017 • Volume 13 • Issue 10
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CHAMBER GOLF OUTING A HUGE SUCCESS
Hundreds of business leaders attended the Queens Chamber of Commerce’s Golf Outing and Dinner at the North Hills Country Club. The annual event raised money for the Queens Chamber of Commerce Foundation, which supports causes such as hurricane relief efforts in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico. The golf outing also honored three leaders in the legal and public service fields: Queens District Attorney Richard Brown, former Queens Chamber president Albert Pennisi and attorney Sean Crowley. Brown, who grew up in Cambria Heights, was first elected as a Justice of the Queens Supreme Court in 1977. He has served as the borough’s district attorney since 1991, winning re-election seven times. Crowley, brother of Congressman Joseph Crowley and a Woodside native, is currently a partner in the office of Davidoff Hutcher & Citron. He has been deeply involved in numerous legal and community organizations in Queens. “Without business being strong in our county, what do we have?” Crowley said when accepting his award. “We wouldn’t have the jobs for our children, the economic base we need to grow. “We have a tremendous amount of exciting things happening in Queens,” he added. “For myself, working in the development world, there’s so much going on.”
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Honoree Al Pennisi with Queens Chamber staff and board members.
Pennisi has been an active member of the Queens Chamber since 1985, most recently serving as its president from 2009 to 2015. He is currently special counsel at Daniels Norelli Cecere & Tavel, practicing real estate law and working with developers, builders and contractors. He spoke about the importance of the Queens Chamber foundation, which gives scholarships to students studying business. “These students are the people who are going to be the future entrepreneurs, business executives and owners,” he said. “We’ve given out
a number of these over the years. That will be done again this year.” While accepting the honor, Pennisi said it’s “not a personal award,” but rather a reflection of the work of the chamber. “I believe I’m standing in for the entire board and members of the Queens Chamber of Commerce,” he said. “Without the membership and the board, we couldn’t be successful at what we do. “You’re just a keeper of the award,” he added. “It’s really an award for the entire chamber.” (BENJAMIN FANG
October 2017 • Volume 13 • Issue 10
Pictured (from top right, clockwise) are Karen Ng, Mimi Lin, Joanne Chen, Dr. Sing Chan & Kim Lin; Joseph Edden, Diego Pinzon, John Hoelzle & Eduard Arabov; Nicholas Strachovsky & Monsignor Alfred LoPinto; Jim Rojas, Cem Alptekin, Mimn Augh & Scott Dexter; Tommy Kenny, Nick Scibelli, Chris Donovan & Brendan Leavy; David Capo, Josephine Bottitta & Thomas Bogue; Michael Wilson, Tricia Genova, Jacob Goldman & Michael DiMarino; Khalil Jaffer, Preet Singh & Fred Morante; Michael Bomengo & Dan Kesner; Ray Mingone & Eric Greco; Mayra DiRico, Albert Cappellino, Marie Greco & Pat Roberts.
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CHAMBER HONORS LEADERS IN LEGAL PROFESSION BROWN, PENNISI & CROWLEY RECOGNIZED AT GOLF OUTING The Queens Chamber of Commerce will honor three leaders in the legal industry at its annual golf outing on Thursday. They are Queens District Attorney Richard Brown, Albert Pennisi, special counsel to Daniels Norelli Cecere & Travel PC and former chamber president, and John “Sean” Crowley, a partner in the office of Davidoff Hutcher & Citron LLP.
D.A. Richard Brown
Richard A. Brown was born in Brooklyn and grew up in Cambria Heights. He graduated from Hobart College in 1953 and the New York University School of Law in 1956. Judge Brown spent nine years serving in many different legal positions on behalf of the State Senate and Assembly. In September of 1973, he became a member of the judiciary. After serving in Criminal Court and as supervising judge of Brooklyn Criminal Court, Judge Brown was elected a Justice of the Supreme Court of Queens County in 1977. After again returning to Albany to serve as counsel to Governor Hugh Carey, he served ten year with the Appellate Division after being appointed by Carey and twice by Governor Mario Cuomo. On June 1, 1991, Judge Brown accepted Cuomo’s appointment as district attorney of Queens County. Since then, he has won re-election seven times. Under his leadership, the Queens County District Attorney’s Office has gained a reputation as one of the finest prosecuting offices in the country. Judge Brown is a past president of the New York State District Attorneys Association and a member of the New York State Bar Association, New York City Bar Association and Queens County Bar Association. He also serves as chair of the Albany-based New York Prosecutors Training Institute. Judge Brown and wife Rhoda have three children and two grandchildren. (NATALIE RIOS)
Albert Pennisi
Albert F. Pennisi is a man whose life is a picture of longevity and staying the course. He re-
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calls how his long career in law began, sitting in his pre-law course as an undergraduate at St. John’s University. “I really like this, is challenging, and I can help people,” he remembers thinking. Forty years later, he can still say the same thing. “Working 10-plus hours a day, you have to like what you do,” he said. His legal career began in 1967 when he passed the New York State Bar exam. He practices real estate law, working with developers, builders, and property owners, who have grown with him as his practice has expanded. “Clients become part of your family, staying with you for decades,” he said. “Attorneys are like detectives, especially with litigation. We have to be very deliberate so that clients feel they are protected.” Pennisi now works with several corporations, helping business owners with contracts, mergers, and acquisitions, as well as provides trusts and estates services. “Knowing you have made a difference, satisfaction in setting a matter with results, and seeing genuine gratitude,” is what keeps Pennisi motivated. “It’s not just about working for a fee, but getting results”. Recently, Pennisi was able to reunite a newlywed couple. The couple went oversees for their honeymoon, but upon their return to the U.S. the bride was unable to get past customs due to her citizenship status. Through a two-week process, Pennisi was able to get her paroled. “Knowing I can make a difference in the lives of individuals, not just businesses, is something to be proud of,” he said. Pennisi, believes in the importance of being a part of a community, which is what led to his involvement in the Queens Chamber of Commerce. He has been an active member since 1985, serving as president from 2009 through 2015. “You have to give of yourself,” he explained. “It takes many years to build a reputation and build people around you.” Pennisi has been married to his wife Annette for 47 years. They have two grown children, one who followed their mother’s footsteps into education and another who followed their father into law. (CHRISTA LOPEZ)
John “Sean” Crowley
Sean Crowley was born and raised in Wood-
side and lives in Forest Hills with his family. He is currently a partner in the New York City office of Davidoff Hutcher & Citron LLP. “I’m really very privileged to be in the company of someone like Judge Brown,” Crowley said of being one of three honorees at the annual golf outing. “He epitomizes what public service is all about to our nation.” In addition to his legal career, Crowley is active with a number of organizations in Queens. A member of the Queens County Bar Association, he is also past president of the Brehon (Irish) Law Society of New York City. “Sean Crowley was and still is an instrumental and distinguished member of the Brehon Law Society of New York, a law society dedicated to human rights around the world and peace in a united Ireland,” said current president Jennifer Frankola Crawford. “He was deeply committed to ensuring a connection remained between Irish-America and Ireland.” Crowley has also served on the board of directors of the Maz Fund, which is no longer in operation but while in existence helped put a number of kids through college whose parents died as a result of a violent crime. Crowley also coached CYO baseball and basketball at St. Mary Winfield. “Queens is home, and anytime you have home you appreciate where you’re from,” he said. “You give back, you want to be helpful to the business community and to charitable communities.” His relatives came to Queens as immigrants and have taught him the value of being present and active in his community. “My father always said, ‘don’t wait for others, get out there and perpetuate change,’ so it’s always been expected of me to get off the bench and get into the game of life to try to make a difference in people’s lives,” Crowley said. “Sean Crowley demonstrates giving back to the community in all he does,” said chamber executive director Thomas Grech. “He has supported the Queens Chamber by not only referring us new and prospective members, but also utilizing our services as well for his trusted clients. “His roots are deep in Queens County and his dedication to philanthropic, business and social causes is second to none,” he added. (MEGHAN SACKMAN)
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BCNA OFFERS NUMBER OF BIZ SERVICES FOR NEW AMERICANS The Business Center for New Americans (BCNA) creates pathways to self-sufficiency for immigrant and refugee entrepreneurs in New York City by empowering them with access to affordable credit, financial education, and training in best business practices and technology. BCNA is an approved Small Business Administration Intermediary Lender and a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). BCNA has a diverse staff that speaks 15-plus languages and dialects including English, Spanish, Hindi, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Tibetan, Nepali, Bangla, Kannada, Russian, French, Creole and several West African dialects. Since 1997, BCNA has provided immigrant and refugee entrepreneurs and small business owners the tools they need to start or expand their businesses. Services include: • Small Business Loans - BCNA
provides small business loans and microloans to business owners who are unable to obtain capital from mainstream lenders. Loans range from $500 to $50,000 with terms up to three years. To learn more contact
Tshering Gurung at 347-730-6468 or tgurung@nybcna.org • Quick-Action Short-Term Working Capital Loans - ShortTerm Working Capital Loans range from $10,000 - $50,000 with terms between 6 and 18 months. Guarantors are not required. Apply in minutes with just 3 months of bank statements and merchant processing statements (if applicable). To learn more contact Leonid Ostrovsky
at 212-898-4126 or lostrovsky@ nybcna.org • Credit Building Loans BCNA’s Credit Building Loans are a safe and affordable option to establish or rebuild damaged credit. Credit building loans are accompanied by individualized assistance and workshops. To learn more contact Tshering Gurung at 347-730-6468 or tgurung@nybcna.org • Savings Accounts for Refugees (IDA program) - The IDA program rewards qualifying refugees and asylum seekers by matching every dollar saved (up to $2,000/individual or $4,000/ family) for microenterprise, home ownership, or education. IDA clients also attend financial literacy workshops. To learn more contact Francess Smith at 212-898-7850 or fsmith@nybcna.org • Home Ownership - BCNA helps qualified low to moderateincome New Yorkers become firsttime homebuyers through savings
programs and a workshop series that helps clients assess their readiness to purchase a home and explains how the mortgage process works. To learn more contact Francess Smith at 212-898-7850 or fsmith@nybcna.org • One-On-One Consultation BCNA Loan Officers provide individualized credit counseling and help clients prepare detailed business plans and financial statements as well as credit counseling. To learn more please contact one of our loan officers at www.nybcna.org • Workshops - BCNA offers 30 workshops per year on small business management, credit building, and home ownership. To learn more please visit www.nybcna.org BCNA’s Manhattan office (646-7231378) is located at 120 Broadway, Suite 230, New York, NY, 10271. The Queens office (347-730-6468) is located at 78-27 37th Avenue, Suite 1, Jackson Heights, NY, 11372.
September 2017 • Volume 13 • Issue 9
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OCTOBER IS A BUSY MONTH IN QUEENS October is always a busy month in the United Oct. 6-28, Queens International Night MarStates. It has the United Nations General Assem- ket. It closed during the U.S. Open and Maker bly, apple-picking, leaf-peeping, Halloween and Faire, but it’s back for all Saturdays in October. the coincidence of the professional football, This market averages 9,000 people each Saturbaseball, basketball, and hockey seasons. day with a rotating cast of 130 local vendors. Well, it’s even busier in Queens, where food, New York Hall of Science parking lot, vicinity dance, art, of 47-01 111th St., Flushing Meadows Corona music, his- Park, www.queensnightmarket.com. tory, and a Oct. 8, The Sport of Kings in Queens Openm o t o r c a d e ing, 2:30 pm. Queens has been a major center honoring the of horse racing since 1667, when King Charles Hindu goddess of light coincide. II of England established the first race course in Oct. 1-7, Sunnyside Restaurant Week. his North American Possessions. This exhibit Almost 30 establishments participate in this details this history and its cultural, social, and fifth annual promotion. The deal is a three- economic dimensions and impact. Queens Hiscourse dinner for $25 with many places offering torical Society, 143-35 37th Ave., Flushing, lunch specials and a few offering the $25 dinner www.queenshistoricalsociety.org. for two people. More info at www.sunnysideOct. 14, Diwali Motorcade, 3 pm. Mark this shines.org. Hindu celebration of Lakshmi, the Goddess of Oct. 1-Mar. 11, Socrates Annual. This out- Light, with a parade and cultural show. First, door show displays 15 artists who work in mosaic, cast concrete, glass, INTI-ILLIMANI and painting. Socrates Sculpture Park, 32-01 Vernon Blvd., LIC, www. socratessculpturepark.org. Oct. 4, Canta Libre Chamber Ensemble, 12:30 pm. Music for flute, strings, and harp, including Faure’s Pavane, Concert for Five by Joseph Jongen, Suite Breve by Ladislas Rohozinski, and Algues by Bernard Andres. Queensborough Performing Arts Center, 222-05 56th Ave., Bayside, www.cantalibre.org. Oct. 5-8, Queensboro Dance Festival. Performances by 27 Queensbased cultural and contemporary dance companies representing 12 different neighborhoods, from Astoria to Howard Beach. Each show has a different line- there’s a Hawan religious ceremony at The up. Secret Theatre, 44-02 23rd St., LIC, www. Arva Spiritual Center Grounds, 104-20 133rd queensborodancefestival.com. St., Richmond Hill, at 3 pm. Vehicles assemble Oct. 6, The National, 6:30 pm. This celebrat- near Liberty Avenue and 133rd Street at 4:30 ed Indie band will give $1 from every ticket to pm. Night ends with music, dance, chanting, The Melting Pot Foundation USA, an organiza- and plenty of incense at Arya Spiritual Center tion serving residents of Brooklyn’s Browns- Grounds, www.diwalimotorcade.com. ville via job training, community organizing Oct. 14, Lost Dog New Music Ensemble, resources, and access to delicious, healthy, 7:30 pm. Renowned violinist Esther Noh and affordable food. One Tennis Place, Forest Hills pianist Jacob Rhodebeck perform new and conGardens, www.foresthillsstadium.com. temporary works by James Macmillan, Jonathan Oct. 6, The Garifuna Collective featuring Harvey, and Michael Finnissy. The program Umalali, 7 pm. With roots in Belize, Guatema- features two US premieres, a violin sonata by la, and Honduras, the Garifuna Collective and Robert Simpson and a composition by Mark Umalali pay tribute to the rich heritage carried Bowden. The Church-in-the-Gardens, 50 Ascan forward by Garifuna women. Expect drums, Ave., Forest Hills, www.musicareginae.org. maracas, turtle shells, acoustic and electric guiOct. 15, Harvest Fest and Pumpkin Patch, tars, and bass. The group tells its stories through 11 am. Live music, bouncy houses, petting music, dance, and traditional dress. Flushing zoo, face painting, tours, composting demonTown Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd., www.flush- strations, craft and food vendors, beer-andingtownhall.org. wine tent, and the ever-popular Pumpkin Patch.
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Queens Botanical Garden, 43-50 Main St., Flushing, www.queensbotanical.org. Oct. 15, 123 Andrés, 1 pm and 2:15 pm. Join Latin Grammy-winning Andrés on a cultural journey through Latin America via language, music, and dance. Families sing and dance to rhythms while gaining knowledge of vocabulary in English and Spanish. Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd., www.flushingtownhall. org. Oct. 20, If It Ain’t Baroque, Don’t Fix It, 6:30 pm. Queens Consort performs baroque music with baroque instruments at baroque pitch, and in period style. King Manor Museum, Rufus King Park, vicinity of 153rd Street and Jamaica Avenue, Jamaica, www.kingmanor.org. Oct. 21, Betsayda Machado y La Parranda El Clavo, 7 pm. Betsayda Machado is an icon of African-Venezuelan music and culture. La Parranda El Clavo is her village’s own multigenerational percussion band. Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd., www.flushingtownhall.org. Oct. 21, Walking Tour of CoronaEast Elmhurst, 11 am. The Corona East Elmhurst Historic Preservation Society leads a leisurely, two-hour stroll focusing on historic houses of worship and the former homes of jazz artists. $19, includes lunch at a popular Corona restaurant. More info at coronaeastelmhursthistory@gmail. com and 803-851-5631. Oct. 28, An Evening with Peter Yarrow, 8 pm. As Peter of Peter, Paul, and Mary, he earned great fame with “Puff the Magic Dragon” and versions of “If I Had a Hammer” and “Blowin’ in the Wind.” A social activist, Yarrow created a nonprofit, Operation Respect, to combat school bullying and offering his audiences inspiring performances that stress our shared humanity. LeFrak Concert Hall, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing, www.kupferbergcenter.org. Oct. 29, Dia de los Muertos, 4 pm. The Queens-based Calpulli Mexican Dance Company takes the audience on a voyage from a festive town in Mexico to Mictlán, the beautiful underworld of Aztec mythology, where La Catrina is the mesmerizing Queen. Queens Theatre, 4 United Nations Ave. S., Flushing Meadows Corona Park, www.queenstheatre.org. Oct. 29, Inti-Illimani: Celebrating 50 Years of Music, Education and Activism, 3 pm. IntiIllimani has transcended our idea of the musical ensemble and has become a cultural location, a liturgy expressing the essence of the Latin American ethno-musical experience. LeFrak Concert Hall, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing, www.inti-illimani.cl.
October 2017 • Volume 13 • Issue 10
QUEENSBOROUGH CALENDAR OF EVENTS OCTOBER 10/3, 8:30 a.m.
New York State Paid Family Leave Program
Starting January 1, the New York State Paid Family Leave Program will provide New Yorkers jobprotected, paid leave to bond with a new child, care for a loved one with a serious health condition or to help relieve family pressures when someone is called to active military service. Vanguard Insurance agent Edward Probst discusses the new regulations. To register, visit queenschamber. org Free & open to the public Complimentary breakfast and parking Queens Chamber of Commerce 75-20 Astoria Boulevard Jackson Heights, NY 11370 10/11, 6 to 8 PM
Manufacturing Meeting
Committee
A discussion on the state of the Manufacturing Industry in New York City. We will also be exploring city, state and federal incentives that manufacturing businesses can access. Featured agencies to include Empire State Development, NYC Economic Development Corporate, NYC Small Business Services Boyce Technologies 47-22 Pearson Place, LIC 10/13, 8:30 AM
Breakfast Workshop Series: Workplace Skills Development Program on Risk Management and Critical Thinking Workshop 1 More and more employers are looking for employees who have not only specialized academic skills, but also are creative, problem solvers, and have outstanding analytical skills. Critical thinking is a self-directed process by which one takes deliberate steps
to think at the highest level of quality. Joshua Bienstock of the Dispute Resolution Institute of New York discusses the benefits of critical thinking. Presented in conjunction with NYIT Center for Human Resource Studies To register, visit queenschamber. org Free & open to the public Complimentary breakfast and parking Queens Chamber of Commerce 75-20 Astoria Boulevard Jackson Heights, NY 11370 10/18, 6 p.m.
Business Person of the Year Awards
The Queens Chamber of Commerce hosts this year’s Business Person of the Year Awards and Dinner celebrating the accomplishments of local women and men who have gone above-and-beyond the call of duty to take their respective organizations to the next level. Sponsorship opportunities are available. Terrace on the Park 52-11 111th Street Flushing, NY 11368 10/24, 8:30 a.m.
Fraud Detection and Prevention for the Non-Profit Sector
commitment to cleaner energy. The day will include a tour of the Georgetown Mews Solar Project. Queens College 65-30 Kissena Boulevard Q-Side Lounge Main Dining Hall
NOVEMBER 11/6, 8:30 a.m.
Health and Wellness Committee Meeting Event Join speakers from the U.S. Small Business Administration, NY State of Health, U.S. Department of Labor, IRS and Worker’ Compensation Board. Queens Medical Society 112-25 Queens Boulevard Forest Hills
DECEMBER 12/1, 8:30 AM
Breakfast Workshop Series: Workplace Skills Development Program on Risk Management and Critical Thinking Workshop 2 Risk Management is the identification, analysis, assessment, control, and avoidance, minimization, or elimination of unaccept-
able risks. Risk management goes hand in hand with critical thinking. The effective risk manager is able to anticipate a potential problem before it explodes into a crisis. An effective risk management program can be the difference between a thriving business and a devastated business. To register, visit queenschamber. org Free & open to the public Complimentary breakfast and parking Queens Chamber of Commerce 75-20 Astoria Boulevard Jackson Heights, NY 11370 12/6
Annual Building Awards Gala
The Queens Chamber of Commerce’s annual real estate industry event recognizing recently completed projects that have a positive impact on the borough economy. Nominations were accepted for newly built and renovated projects, and will be judged on specific criteria including how they enrich neighborhoods and the local economy. Sponsorship opportunities are available. Visit queenschamber.org for more information. Terrace on the Park 52-11 111th Street Flushing, NY 11368
A training seminar presented by the Office of the State Comptroller. To register, visit queenschamber. org Free & open to the public Complimentary breakfast and parking Queens Chamber of Commerce 75-20 Astoria Boulevard Jackson Heights, NY 11370 10/26, 9 AM
Energy Committee Meeting
Solar: Why It Matters for NYC Business and Property Owners. A panel discussion on new technology and New York State’s
OCTOBER 19, 10 A.M. TO 3 P.M. BOROUGH HALL, 120-55 QUEENS BOULEVARD
For any registration or more information on these events or any other events please call us at 718.898.8500 or visit us on the web queenschamber.org
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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH
queenschamber.org
TERRACE ON THE PARK UNVEILS $9M FACELIFT BY BENJAMIN FANG An iconic venue and catering hall in Queens has completed a top-tobottom renovation that gives it a fresh look and feel. Terrace on the Park, overlooking Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, went through a $9 million facility renovation project over five years. The owners and staff of the venue unveiled the changes last month. “It was a huge renovation, it’s well needed,” said general manager Bruno Marques. “We’re in 2017, when you always need to refresh and keep up with the times.” The T-shaped tower, 120 feet above the ground, was originally constructed as a heliport and restaurant for the 1964 World’s Fair. In 1965, when the Beatles made their U.S. debut at Shea Stadium, they famously landed there. After the fair, the building was converted to a 1,100-seat, five-star restaurant called “Top of the Fair.” In the 1980s, Madonna worked as an elevator operator at Terrace on the Park. It eventually became a catering hall, leased from the Parks Department, and used for weddings, parties, proms and corporate events. “Whether it be a social event or a corporate event, any event that comes in here is a special moment for somebody’s life,” Marques said. The renovations included restoration or redesigns of every floor. On the rooftop, new stonework, landscaping with LED plants and a new wedding pergola were added to enhance the views for on-site ceremonies. On the penthouse level, the building team added new coffered ceilings, redesigned plaster panels, custom-built bars, LED lighting and designer carpeting. On the floor below, the Grand Ballroom was remade with wooden panels, LED lighting, custom carpets, drapes and polished granite stonework. The staff retained some of the inlaid wooden dance floors. They also added new Wi-Fi and an integrated video and PA system. Terrace on the Park also created a new level of suites on the 14th floor, called the Promenade Level.
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During the World’s Fair, this floor was home to the “Drinks Around the World” lounge, with floor-toceiling windows. However, it had fallen into disuse over the years. It has been reintroduced as the “Lotus and Marquis Suites,” reception and meeting space that can accommodate up to 200 people. On the lower level, Terrace on the Park’s indoor Wedding Chapel was also redesigned with polished wood and stone runway to the altar. Throughout the building, more than 3,000 square yards of carpet imported from England were laid out, according to Marques. Outside of the building, the team enhanced the private gardens, typically used for receptions, weddings and brunch events. The landscaping maintenance budget tops $100,000. They also used 3,000 gallons of paint to paint over the exterior of the facility. Despite the largest improvement project that the venue has undertaken in its history, Marques said the renovations are never complete. “Nothing’s ever over, there are always going to be little touches that we enhance here or add there,”
he said. “There’s always more work to do. “You always want to refresh and modernize and give something different than what most people already have,” he added. “You always want to give somebody that extra value when they come in for an event.” Marques said the improvements will help the venue keep up with the competition. However, most competitors don’t have what Terrace on the Park has: its views. The Unisphere, Arthur Ashe Stadium, Citi Field, the Hall of Science and the New York State Pavilion are all in sight of the building.
“It’s just unparalleled,” he said. “You come here at night, that skyline is breathtaking.” Janice Melnick, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park Administrator, said Terrace on the Park brings many visitors to the park who might not otherwise come. She agreed that “there is no better view anywhere in the borough or in the city.” “We hope very soon you’ll have one more icon lit up to join all the others,” Melnick said. “The New York State Pavilion will be lit up in LED lights in the next year or so. You’ll have one more feature to point out to everybody.”
October 2017 • Volume 13 • Issue 10
NONPROFIT NEWS
Walk to End Alzheimer’s
The Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide and four locations in New York City, this inspiring event calls on participants of all ages and abilities to reclaim the future for millions. The New York City Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association invites Queens residents to join the fight to end Alzheimer’s by participating in this year’s walk. Information about how to participate as an individual, or to start a team of family, friends or co-workers, see the Walk to End Alzheimer’s page at alz.org/nyc. The Queens Walk will take place on Saturday, October 7, at Little Bay Park. Registration opens at 9 a.m., program starts at 9:45 a.m., and the walk starts at 10:15 a.m. It will be emceed by Dennis M. Walcott, the former chancellor of the Department of Education and Deputy Mayor, who currently serves as CEO of Queens Library. Before the walk, there will be opportunities to visit information tents about Alzheimer’s Association support programs and services, advocacy opportunities, and a clinical studies matching service called Trial Match, all provided free of charge by the Alzheimer’s Association. Participants of all ages can take
WHERE YOU
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part in a photo booth station, a kid zone, and other family-friendly activities. All Walk to End Alzheimer’s events also feature the Promise Garden ceremony, a personal activity that allows participants to raise flowers representing their promise to remember, honor, care and fight for those living with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers. “The Walk to End Alzheimer’s is an extremely meaningful day for New Yorkers to come together to raise awareness and funds to help fight this terrible disease,” said AA NYC Chapter executive director Chris Smith. “I look forward to walking with my fellow New Yorkers in solidarity with the more than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease.”
1,000 WALKERS RAISE $70,000 About 1,000 walkers helped raise $70,000 at Jones Beach State Park last month during the ninth annual Brain Aneurysm Awareness Walk, hosted by Northwell Health’s Brain Aneurysm Center and the Brain Aneurysm Foundation (BAF). Proceeds from the walk will be divided between the two organizations to support essential research. Brain aneurysm survivors, their families and friends attended the event. Doctors David Chalif and Avi Setton, co-directors of Northwell’s Brain Aneurysm Center, were
love
among many Northwell doctors, nurses and staff members in attendance to show their support of the many patients they have treated over the years. Two brain aneurysm survivors at the walk, Terry Bongiorno, 53, and Kathleen Smith, 63, who each lost family members to aneurysms, shared their stories. “One of the goals of this event is to increase awareness about the warning signs of a brain aneurysm,” said Dr. Chalif. “Approximately five percent of brain aneurysms are linked to a family history.”
live LETS BEAUTIFY JAMAICA TOGETHER ZARA'S PHILANTHROPY Involvement on community boards richmond hill hs computer lab Voices of Jamaica features community events Fundraising
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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH
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QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES 82ND STREET PARTNERSHIP
37-06 82nd Street, Jackson Heights, NY 11372 Executive Director: Leslie Ramos 718.335.9421 82ndstreet.org QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $224,000 with more than 200 businesses under its umbrella. The district is on 82nd Street from 37th Avenue to Baxter Avenue. The board meets quarterly with the annual meeting in June. Through October, the 82nd Street Partnership is on a mission seeking help for earthquake victims in Mexico. They ask you to donate to Oxfam, Project Paz or Global Giving. Shop Small Business Saturday is in October, and the Partnership is running a program with Elmhurst Hospital for the day.
BAYSIDE VILLAGE BID
213-33 39th Avenue, Bayside, NY 11361 Interim Executive Director: James Ellis 718.423.2434 info@baysidevillagebid.com QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $218,000 and over 350 members. Founded in 2007, the BID includes commercial property owners and residents on Bell Boulevard between 35th Avenue and Northern Boulevard, as well as a block east and west on 41st Avenue.
FOREST HILLS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
PO Box 751123, Forest Hills, NY 11375 President: Leslie Brown 718.268.6565 FHChamber11375@gmail.com FHChamber@aol.com QUICK GLANCE: Re-formed in 1995, the group has over 225 members. Chamber meetings are held on the last Wednesday of the month at 9 a.m. at the West Side Tennis Club, 1 Tennis Place, in Forest Hills. This month the meeting is on October 15. The Chamber’s signature event, “Shop Forest Hills Street Festival” on Sunday, September 24, on Austin Street was a huge success. Thousands of people attended the great community celebration. The chamber is currently planning a new event, the “Forest Hills American Music Festival,” an all-day event highlighting American music from jazz to country. Forest Hills has a rich history in music tied to the concerts at the Forest Hills Stadium going back to the 1960’s. The Chamber’s next event is on November 27 on 71st Road between Austin Street and Queens Boulevard from 5:30 until 8:30 p.m. There will be music, food, face painting and more.
GREATER FLUSHING CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
39-01 Main Street, 5th Floor, Flushing NY 11354 Executive Director: John Choe
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john@flushingchamber.nyc 646.783.8985 flushingchamber.nyc QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 2014 and representing over 200 businesses. The poster child for hyper-local chambers around the city, GFCC created the Night Market, a lending circle for businesses, and is paving a new path forward for Flushing’s growing population of new immigrants.
GREATER JAMAICA DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
90-04 161st Street, Jamaica, NY 11432 President: Hope Knight 718.291.0282 www.gjdc.org QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1967, the group has 75 members. GJDC’s work expands economic opportunity and improves quality of life for the ethnically and economically diverse residents of Jamaica and for the region at large, which benefits from rational, wellplanned, and sustainable metropolitan growth. They are still seeking vendors for the Harvest Festival on Saturday, October 21, between 160th Street between Jamaica and 90th avenues. Sponsors for the event include Zucker Hillside Hospital, Transitional Services for New York and Down Earth Farmers Market. • October 12, 6:30-8:30 pm, Mobile Library Day Book Exhibition Join The J. Expressions Reading (W)riting Remedy Series for their Mobile Library Event! Featuring books from J. Expressions’ along with authors and publishers in the area, including Lockett Down Productions, 108 Press and Three Legged Elephant Publishing. Attendees are also free to dropoff and donate their own books or books they would like to give away. • October 14, 10 am - 3:30 pm, Stewed Cabbage Cooking Demonstration Join the Jamaica Farmers Market Culinary Demonstrators as they walk participants though how to make Stewed Cabbage. All participants who stay for the full demonstration will receive a $2 Health Bucks Coupon to spend in the Farmers Market. • October 19, 6:30-8:30 pm, Revelations and Restoration Poetry Reading Join J. Expressions for their third event of a four part series, The Revelations and Restoration Poetry Reading. Poets will read from their work inspired by the themes of revelation and restoration. • October 21 11 am-4 pm, 17th Annual Harvest Festival A day filled with family fun. Watch a captivating magic show performed by Madeleine the Magician, decorate a pumpkin of your own to take home, or watch a live cooking demonstration, all while enjoying live music from a local band Prest 4 Time. • October 21, 11:30 am-1 pm, Sweet Potato Baked
Pie Contest Create your own special version of a Sweet Potato pie and enter for a chance to win up to $200. • October 26, 6:30-8:30 pm, Eat a Scroll Salon Panel Art and Health A discussion on writing, art and health featuring visual artist and poet Wanda Best, multimedia artist and writer Damali Abrams, and poets Trace DePass and Mariahadessa Ekere Talie.
GREATER WOODHAVEN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WOODHAVEN BID
84-01 Jamaica Avenue, Woodhaven NY 11421 Executive Director: Maria Thomson 718.805.0202 gwdcbid@hotmail.com woodhavenbid.com QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $257,000 with more than 350 businesses under its umbrella. On Jamaica Avenue from Dexter Court to 100th Street, the BID features six supermarkets. They are providing free benches for store owners along Jamaica Avenue. They also provide 2.5 and 5 percent home improvement loans. They are meeting Tuesday, September 19, at Woodhaven Manor.
JAMAICA CENTER BID
90-50 Parsons Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11432 Executive Director: Rhonda Binda 718.526.2422 QUICK GLANCE: Budget of over $1 million. Founded in 1979, the district is on Jamaica Ave. between 170th St. and Sutphin Blvd. for the purposes of having the local business get together and make a thriving business hub and enjoyable destination. They offer a “value card” for discounts at stores and have employment services, as well as sanitation services.
JFK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
616 Duke Street, Westbury, NY 11590 Executive Director: Mercedes Altman 516.492.0513 www.jfkairportchamberofcommerce.org QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1978, the group has over 200 members. The chamber’s Board of Director’s General Monthly Meeting is at 8:30 a.m. on October 11 in Building 14, Conference Room A. Guests are welcome and encouraged to RSVP in advance by emailing mercedes@jfkcoc.org. Light breakfast will be served. • October 5, Noon-5 pm, Italian Heritage Day Luncheon Celebration, Russo’s on the Bay, Howard Beach 21st Annual event honoring Colleen Piccone, Judge Vincent M. DelGiudice, Fred Rizzo, and Ibtsam Amer. All are welcome to attend. Cost is $40 per person. Contact philmaddalena@hotmail. com for tickets/info.
September 2017 • Volume 13 • Issue 9
QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES • October 6, Le Diner en Blanc on Long Island An elegant Pop-Up Dinner for the first time on Long Island featuring French dining in a Parisianthemed secret location, all in White! If interested, email your full name to leaders@longisland. dinerenblanc.com. • October 26, Our Lady of the Skies Annual Luncheon, Cradle of Aviation Museum, Garden City Event honoring Ana Lemos of Brussels Airlines and James Groark of Cathay Pacific Airways. More info at www.jfkchapel.org or (718) 656-5348. • October 26, Yolan J. DePhillips Memorial Scholarship, Cradle of Aviation Museum, Garden City
LONG ISLAND CITY PARTNERSHIP
President: Elizabeth Lusskin 718.786.5300 www.longislandcityqueens.ccom Founded in 1979, the Long Island City Partnership advocates for economic development that benefits LIC’s industrial, commercial, cultural and residential sectors. The goal is to attract new businesses to the neighborhood, retain those already here, welcome new residents and visitors, and promote a vibrant and authentic mixeduse community. The LIC Partnership operates the LIC Business Improvement District and the LIC Industrial Business Zone.
MASPETH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
P.O. Box 780265, Maspeth, NY 11378 President: David Dario 718.335.1300 maspethchamberofcommerce.org QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1953, they have 120 members and a budget of $115,000. The Chamber meets the second Tuesday of each month at noon at Connolly’s Corner on Grand Avenue. The majority of their budget is spent on holiday lights, banners, beautification and festivals, including replacing the street banners on Grand Avenue. There has recently been a push to form a BID on Grand Avenue. • October 7, 7 pm, Maspeth Lions Club Pasta Night, F. Kowalinski Post • October 8, Maspeth Street Festival, Grand Avenue • October 10, Noon, Chamber Meeting, Connolly’s Corner • October 14, Harvest Fest & Open House, Martin Luther School • October 31, 7 pm, Maspeth Lions Halloween Ragamuffin Parade, Grand Avenue
MIDDLE VILLAGE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 79-47 Metropolitan Ave., Middle Village, NY 11379 President: Salvatore Crifasi
718.894.8700 Sal@Crifasi.com QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $8,000 with 35 businesses under its umbrella. Formed in 1929. MVCC meets annually and focuses on the Metropolitan Avenue shopping district between 69 and 80th streets. Annual membership fee is $150, and they are looking to gain momentum through attracting new members. The mission is to improve the area and assist local businesses if they have any concerns or needs. Their new initiative is cleaning Metropolitan Avenue and organizing the holiday lights in December to create a festive atmosphere for the community. The MVCC has received grants for street cleaning and are looking for grants for the holiday lights, since some businesses do not support them. The Chamber will host meetings in connection with the Middle Village Property Owners & Residents Association at 7:30 p.m. on October 16, November 13, and December 18. The meetings take place at St. Margaret’s Parish at 66-10 80th Street.
QUEENS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
12-55 Queens Boulevard, Room 309 Kew Gardens, NY 11424 Executive Director: Seth Bornstein 718.263.0546 queensny.org QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $1.5 million and a
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queenschamber.org
QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES resource of over 2,000 businesses. Funded by Department of Small Business Services, they strive to create and retain jobs via programs that grow neighborhoods and assist small businesses. QEDC assists by providing one-on-one consultations, hosting workshops, operating training courses and networking events. • October 7, 10:30 am-12:30 pm, Queens StartUP! All About Business Planning and Research, Flushing Library IRC, 41-17 Main Street, Flushing Free training course is to provide the initial steps and foundation to starting your business plan. Please bring a pen and pad in order to take notes, and be ready to ask questions only pertaining to the content presented. • October 12, 8:30-10:30 am, Women’s Power Networking Breakfast: Meet The Lenders, Borough Hall, 120-55 Queens Blvd, Room G110, Kew Gardens At this free event you will be able to meet with a panel of lenders from different organizations to go over what you need to get money for your business. You will get an introduction from each of the organizations along with a description of the different amounts of money and terms that each lender can offer your business. There will also be an opportunity to network and a free breakfast. • October 16, 6:30-8:30 pm, Queens StartUP! Developing Financial Statements, Flushing Library IRC, 41-17 Main Street, Flushing This session will focus on reviewing Financial Statements necessary to be included in your business. Some of the topics that will be covered are income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow. • October 21, 10:30 am-12:30 pm, Queens StartUP! - Business Operations and Management, Flushing Library IRC, 41-17 Main Street, Flushing This training session will speak about how your business plans to operate as well as what you’re long-term goals will include. Some of the topics will include defining business systems, appropriate management, and technology use for business efficiency. • October 25, 5:30-8:30 pm, Legal Pit Stop, The Entrepreneur Space, 36-46 37th Street, Long Island City If you have a simple legal need, there will be a free legal clinic hosted by Start Small, Think Big. Clients will meet one-on-one with a volunteer attorney for to discuss the legal needs of their business. For additional information reach out to Kyla at 646-723-4054 or Kyla@StartSmallThinkBig.org. • October 26, 10- Noon, Doing Business With The Government: Getting M/WBE Certified with NYC & NYS, The Entrepreneur Space, 36-46 37th Street, Long Island City Learn about getting certified as a Minority/Woman Business Enterprise with NYC & NYS, what you will need to do to obtain government contracts, and how you can leverage your certification to get more business. Free. • October 30, 6:30-8:30 pm, Queens StartUP! Creative Sales & Marketing Strategies, Flushing
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Library IRC, 41-17 Main Street, Flushing This training session will go over what you will need to grow sales and creating your marketing plan. This session will go over developing sales and marketing strategies, developing a marketing schedule and gathering metrics.
MYRTLE AVENUE BID
62-14 Myrtle Avenue, Ridgewood, NY 11385 Executive Director: Ted Renz 718.366.3806 QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $500,000 with over 300 retail and service businesses under its purview. Board meetings are held four times a year with the annual meeting in June. The district includes Myrtle Avenue in Ridgewood between Fresh Pond Road and Wyckoff Avenue. Program support is provided by the Ridgewood LDC. The Youthmarket operates to November 18 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Myrtle Avenue, weather permitting. The Columbus Day Sale Days event will take place from October 6-9.
ROCKAWAY BUSINESS ALLIANCE
info@rockawaybusinessalliance.org QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $40,000 and a resource for over 200 businesses. The Rockaway Business Alliance was founded in 2012 after Hurricane Sandy. RBA’s vision is to create business corridors that are clean, safe, and welcoming, with shopping, dining, attractions, and engagement for the local community and the visitors drawn to Rockaway’s beaches and open spaces. RBA seeks to create and curate an inviting atmosphere for all to enjoy year round.
ROCKAWAY DEVELOPMENT & REVITALIZATION CORPORATION
1920 Mott Avenue, Far Rockaway, NY 11691 President: Kevin Alexander 718.327.5300 www.rdrc.org QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1978, the group has 30 members. The RDRC offers employment assistance and improves public spaces with commercial development projects such as the Downtown Far Rockaway Storefront Improvement Act. Its newest project is the Downtown Rockaway Wireless Network.
STEINWAY STREET BID
25-69 38th Street, Suite 1C, Astoria 11103 Executive Director: Tony Barsamian 718.728.7820 info@steinwaystreet.nyc steinwaystreet.org QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1991, the BID has over 300 members. Board meetings are held seven times a year.
The BID’s vision is to make Steinway Street user friendly, while highlighting the local businesses on the street and bringing together the Astoria community in a positive way. The BID works to improve sanitation, marketing, security, holiday lighting, beautification and Internet access along this famous street in Queens.
SUNNYSIDE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
PO Box 4399, Sunnyside, NY 11104 President: Rigoberto Cardoso 516.492.0513 www.sunnyside-chamber.org QUICK GLANCE: Annual budget of $55,000. The chamber is an organization built around assisting and helping local business and professionals by providing resources to increase business, safety and historical preservation. Some accomplishments include the Sunnyside Post Office, formation of the Sunnyside Shines Business Development District, parking under the elevated train, sidewalk cafe rezoning on Skillman Avenue, and holiday lights on Queens Boulevard and Greenpoint and Skillman avenues.
SUNNYSIDE SHINES
45-56 43rd Street, Sunnyside, NY 11104 Executive Director: Jaime-Faye Beam 718.606.1800 director@sunnysideshines.org sunnysideshines.org QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $480,000 with more than 250 businesses under its umbrella. • October 1-7, Sunnyside Restaurant Week 2017 Nearly 30 restaurants throughout the neighborhood are expected to participate in the event, offering a three-course dinner menu for $25 with many establishments offering additional lunch specials, and a few offering the $25 dinner menu for two people. • October 11, 4-6 pm, Choosing Entrepreneurship Workshop Presented by Sunnyside Community Library, Sunnyside Community Library Free. For more information, please call (718) 784-3033. • October 14, 8-Noon, Sunnyside Shines at the Sunnyside Post Mile, Skillman Avenue This event brings together people of all ages for adult runners, walkers, and even kids to raise money for Sunnyside Community Services. • October 18, 4-6 pm, Business Planning Workshop Presented by Sunnyside Community Library Free. For more information, please call (718) 784-3033. • October 21, Noon-7 pm, Sunnyside Shines at the Smiling Hogshead Ranch Harvest Festival, 25-30 Skillman Avenue, LIC Come celebrate the Fall season with familyfriendly games, crafts, food, and entertainment.
October 2017 • Volume 13 • Issue 10
QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES
NEW WEBSITE TO PROMOTE FLUSHING BUSINESSES BY BENJAMIN FANG Flushing is officially putting its small businesses on the digital map. The Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce and Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE) joined local elected officials on Thursday to unveil a new website for Flushing. The digital portal is part of a $1.55 million marketing campaign called Flushing Fantastic to promote the neighborhood’s small businesses. “Whatever you can think of, we have it here,” said Councilman Peter Koo. “People can come here to enjoy their day of eating, shopping and cultural events.” Flushing, which boasts New York City’s fourth largest commercial district, is home to a variety of small businesses, cultural venues and historical landmarks. The website, officials said, will help showcase all the neighborhood has to offer. The site will include a “Flushing A-Z” list of businesses, an online documentary series, local promotions, and an events calendar. Visitors can plan out an itinerary with an interactive map and see recommendations for tours and activities. The campaigning is funded by a grant from the city’s Department of Small Business Services (SBS).
“Flushing is fantastic,” said Assemblyman Ron Kim. “This is a wide broadcast of what we offer in this great city of ours.” John Choe, executive director of the Flushing chamber, said the campaign is about putting their “best foot forward online.” “We have a lot of mom-and-pop stores that put their blood, sweat and tears in this community,” he said. “How do we support that community and make sure that going forward, we’re putting our best intellect, our best creative ideas and our resources behind them?” The team of local organizations and elected officials launched the campaign in June. The theme of “Flushing Fantastic” is “bold, authentic, international.” Choe said the chamber previously conducted a commercial district needs assessment to understand how to best advocate for small businesses. They found that the neighborhood lacked an online presence. Working together with SBS and AAFE, the chamber hired people to help design and build the website and strategize for the campaign. In addition to providing a website, the campaign will organize workshops for business owners on social media techniques. “Maybe you don’t know how to use Facebook or Instagram,” Choe said. “We can
teach you how to do that so you’re actually benefiting from the people who are coming into the community.” He acknowledged that there’s a “generational gap” among business owners. Some longtime restaurants, for example, don’t even have a website, let alone any social media presence. “I think part of that is they’re used to doing things a certain way,” he said. “But also, I think there’s a language issue as well.” The next phase of the campaign will be to integrate language access into their technology so business owners can use the resources in Chinese, Korean and other languages. “They don’t necessarily know how to market to a wider audience,” he added. “We want to help them take that next step, not just rely on their traditional client base.” Choe said they will also look to reach out beyond the city to market Flushing’s shops and venues, getting in touch with foreign consulates and trade delegations to attract more tourism. “If you want to see the touristy part of New York, go to Manhattan and visit the Empire State Building,” he said. “If you want to see the real New York, come to Flushing, Queens.”
The Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce and Asian Americans for Equality partnered to launch the new promotional tool.
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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH
queenschamber.org
EXECUTIVE COMMMITEE Mayra DiRico
Fran Biderman-Gross
Thomas J. Grech
Brendan Leavy
Howard Graf
Richard Dzwlewicz
Sophia Ganosis
Cathy Berger
President
Associate Treasurer
Vice President
Associate Secretary
Treasurer
Immediate Past President
Henry Wan Nash Roe Secretary
Albert F. Pennisi
SENIOR COUNCIL
EXECUTIVE STAFF Executive Director
Business Development Manager Development Director
Chief of Operations
Jacqueline Donado
Dorothy Owermohle Bookkeeper
Strategic Program Coordinator
Financial Controller
Membership Outreach Coordinator & Member Engagement
Dominick Ciampa Louis D. Laurino Franklin F. Regan,Jr. John E. Roe,Sr John H. Weaver
QUEENSBOROUGH (ISSN0033-6068 is published 12 times a year for $12.50 annually by the Queens Chamber of Commerce of the borough of Queens. 75-20 Astoria Blvd, Suite 140, East Elmhurst NY 11370-1131. Periodicals postage paid at Flushing NY and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Queens Chamber of Commerce 75-20 Astoria Blvd., Suite 140, East Elmhurst NY 11370-1131.
Brett Swanson
Alejandra Espejo
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Andrew Barnes Fran Biderman-Gross Joshua E. Bienstock Michael Billia Willa Brody Kenneth J. Buettner Charles J. Callahan
KY Chow Carol Conslato Sal Crifasi Mayra DiRico Richard Dzwlewicz Thomas Eagar Joseph R. Ficalora
Tamara Gavrielof Howard Graf Raymond Irrera Kenneth Koenig Kelly Koukou Henry Kuykendall Neil Levin
Jeffery E. Levine Carl Mattone Patricia Mezeul Michael Moran Jeffrey Owens Albert F. Pennisi Vincent L. Petraro Esq
Adam Reece-Cohen Nash Roe Jeffrey Rosenstock Thomas Santucci Mark Scheinberg Caryn Schwab Sher Sparano
Michelle Stoddart Terri Thomson Gerard Thornton Henry Wan Swain Weiner Patrick Yu Daniel Zausner
CORPORATE MEMBERS AARP Acousticon of Flushing Inc Advanced Cardiovascular Diagnostics Age Well New York AKI Development Allied Barton Security Services Alma Bank Alma Realty Corp. Aloft Long Island City Manhattan View Hotel Aloft Hotel New York LaGuardia Airport Alphapointe Altria Client Services Inc. American Food Basket Amna Construction Corp. Anchin, Block & Anchin ATCO Properties & Management Baker Tilly Virchow Krause LLP Bank of America Berkeley College Berkman, Henoch, Peterson, Peddy & Fenchel, PC Bethpage Federal Credit Union Better Home Health Care Blue Ocean Wealth Solutions Borchert & LaSpina, PC Boro Hotel Boyce Technologies Inc. Bridge Career Centers LLC Bridgehampton National Bank Building Maintenance Corp. Capital One Bank Cathay Bank Care Connect Insurance Co. Inc.
Carmel Car & Limo Service CDS Mestel Construction Center for Automotive Education & Training Cerini & Associates Certilman Balin Champion Elevators Charles Schwab Ciampa Organization City MD City Scrap Metal CoAdvantage Cleaning Systems Co. Clickable Constant Contact Construction Safety Network Inc. Cord Meyer Development LLC Cornell NYC Tech Corporate Development Systems, Inc. Costco Wholesale Courtyard Long Island City CPEX Real Estate Crown Container Cumming Corporation Cyracom International, Inc. D&B Engineers & Architects, PC Daniels Norelli Cecere & Tavel PC DY Reality Services, LLC Dera Restaurants, Inc. Dignity Memorial Funeral Provides of Queens Douglas Elliman E. Gluck Corporations
East Coast Energy Group Edible Arrangements Elite Palace Elmhurst Hospital Center Emigrant Mortgage Co. Empire Merchants Exit Realty Lewis & Murphy Fairfield Inn Fairway Market Farrell Fritz, PC Fedcap Fidelis Care New York Financial Resources Brup Investment Services LLC Firecom, Inc. First American International Bank First Central Savings Bank First in Service Staffing Flushing Bank Forest Hills Financial Galaxy Music Productions Inc. Gerard T Dolan Agency Farmers Grand Rehabilitation & Nursing at Queens Greater New York Auto Dealers Association Inc. Greencrown Energy Greenwald Doherty LLP Greiner-Maltz of NY H&R Block HF Management Services Haks Healthplex, Inc. Health Republic Insurance Healthy Corner Pharmacy, Inc. Highstreet IT Solution
Hilton Garden Inn/ LIC Manhattan View Holiday Inn LaGuardia Airport Home2Suite LIC Hyatt Place Flushing Ibis Styles New York LaGuardia Airport Hotel INDA Association of Nonwoven Fabric Industry International Asbestos Removal Inc. J.F.A. Insurance Brokerage JRT Realty Group, Inc. James F. Capalino & Associates Jaros Baum & Bolles Jetro Resataurant Depot Kasirer Consulting Inc Kaufman Astoria Studios Inc. Knockout Pest Control LaGuardia Plaza Hotel La Technology Group Lee & Associates Levine Builders Lessing’s Inc. Long Island City Volkswagon Luna Park in Coney Island Lyons Mortgage Services, Inc. M&T Bank M&V Provisions Co, Inc. MCR Development LLC MTA-Long Island Rail Road Madeline Chocolate Novelties Marriott NYC Airport Hotels Mazars USA LLP Merritt Engineering Consulting PC Metroplus Health Plan
Metropolitan Taxi Cab Board of Trade Micro Center Melrose Credit Union Metro Franchising Commissary Mortgage Depot Moses & Singer LLP Motiva Networks Mount Sinai Hospital of Queens Muss Development Company National Supermarket Association Newtown Creek Trusted PRI USD New York Building Congress New York Business Corp. New York Life New York Oil Heaing Association Inc. New York Racing Association Northfield Bank Northwell Health Norhstar Mitsubishi NRG Energy Inc. NY Building Congress NY Families for Autistic Children, Inc. NYG/DE Green Partners, LLC Office Depot, Inc. OnForce Solar Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care & Rehab Paper Factory Hotel Patrick B. Jenkins & Associates People’s United Bank Petro Energy Solutions
Portnoy, Messinger, Pearl & Associations, Inc. Prager Metis CPAs, LLC PMBA, Inc. Progressive Waste Solutions Qside Federal Credit Union Quadlogic Controls Corp. Queens Center Queens Ledger Queensborough Community College Quontic Bank Radisson Hotel JFK Airport Radson Development LLC Register Abstract Co. Inc. Related Retail LP Rent A Throne Rochdale Village Inc. Royal Waste Services Inc. Russo’s On The Bay SL Green Realty Corp. Sahn Ward Coshchignano PLLC Sandrine Capital LLC Sears Maid Service Sholom & Zuckerbrot Realty LLC Signature Bank Silvercup Studios Simon Baron Development Sleep Numbers Solomon Agency Staples, Inc. St. John’s University Steiner Sports Sterling Risk Strat X IT Solutions Structural Engineering Tech-
nologies PC Suffolk County National Bank Suation Solar Systems Super-Tek, Products, Inc. Terrace on the Park The New York Times The Parc Hotel The Parking Spot Trinity Solar TSC Training Academy LLC Tully Construction Co. Inc. United Airlines United Health Care United Nations Federal Credit Union United Public, Adjusters & Appraisers, Inc. US Security Care USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Valley National Bank Van Guard Insurance Agency Verizon VHB Engineering Surveying & Landscape Architecture Victory Pharmacy Villa Russo Venture House Vornado Realty Trust Waste Management of NY LLC Wells Fargo Home Mortgage Welllife Network WeWork York College Zwanger Pesiri Radiology LLP
MAJOR CORPORATE MEMBERS
We hope you are enjoying the newly designed, expanded Queensborough, the monthly publication of the Queens Chamber of Commerce. We, the Chamber, direct and approve all content deciding what stories are covered in each issue, editing all copy and forwarding information that is contained in the publication. BQE Media produces it for the Chamber. We look forward to continuing to highlight the outstanding business persons, services and activities that make our borough unique. We welcome all your letters, manuscripts, etc. Please send all materials to the Queens Chamber of Commerce at 75-20 Astoria Boulevard, Suite 140, Jackson Heights, NY 11370 or call 718.898.8500 for more information. We reserve the right to edit for space limitations. Your support of the magazine is critical to its success. We encourage you to include Queensborough in your advertising plans. To place your ad, please call BQE Media at 718.426.7200.
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October 2017 • Volume 13 • Issue 10
NEW MEMBERS
CORPORATE
Airbnb Inc. City Scrap Metal Metrol Franchising Commissary Airbnb Inc.
Founded in August of 2008 and now targeting NYC, Airbnb is a trusted community marketplace for people to list, discover, and book unique accommodations around the world — online or from a mobile phone or tablet. Whether an apartment for a night, a castle for a week, or a villa for a month, Airbnb connects people to unique travel experiences, at any price point, in more than 65,000 cities and 191 countries. And with world-class customer service and a growing community of users, Airbnb is the easiest way for people to monetize their extra space and showcase it to an audience of millions.
City Scrap Metal
34-12 Borden Avenue Long Island City, NY 11101 (212) 777-4100
Great Neck, NY 11021 (516) 439-5649
Metro Franchising Commissary, LLC. primarily operates in the Business Management business/industry within the Engineering, Accounting, Research, and Management Services sector. This organization has been operating for approximately 10 years. Metro Franchising Commissary, Llc. is estimated to generate $1.3 million in annual revenues, and employs approximately 15 people at this single location.
Jetro Holdings/Restaurant Depot 133-11 20th Avenue College Point, NY 11356 (718) 939-6400
Restaurant Depot, a division of Jetro Holdings, LLC, headquartered in College Point, NY, has been supplying independent food businesses with quality products from large cash and carry warehouse stores since 1990. By eliminating the overhead of a traditional distributor, focusing on the needs of independent food service operators and offering free membership, Restaurant Depot has become the leading low-cost alternative to other food service suppliers throughout the United States.
City Scrap Metal is the premier scrap metal dealer in the five boroughs of New York City since 1999; “The Original Weigh and Pay on Your Job-Site.” Our truck fleet also services Patrick B. Jenkins & Associates Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester counties in NY 5 Penn Plaza, Suite 1913 and Northern NJ. CSM’s main warehouse is New York, NY 10001 centrally located overlooking the Long Island (877) 458-3926 Expressway at Van Dam Street, just outside Patrick B. Jenkins & Associates is a fullManhattan’s Midtown Tunnel. service consulting firm founded in January 2009. With years of experience in community Metro Franchising Commissary, LLC and government relations, we have an expertise 98 Cutter Mill Road #342 in eliminating any barriers to your success in
bringing your project to fruition. We work from the grassroots up to the height of government to make sure your project runs smoothly.
Elite Palace
69-02 Garfield Avenue Woodside, NY 11377 (718) 565-2001
The facility hosts weddings, engagements, corporate events, bar mitzvahs and bat mitzvahs, bridal and baby showers, anniversaries, milestones, award ceremonies, birthdays and other special occasions. No matter what you are celebrating, Elite Palace will help you plan a memorable event. Regardless of the time of day you wish to hold your event, Elite Palace will accommodate. The catering hall offers breakfasts, brunches, lunches and dinners. Since each occasion is unique in size, Elite Palace has a variety of ballrooms to accommodate a range of party sizes, from small and intimate up to very large.
Villa Russo Catering
101-02 Lefferts Boulevard South Richmond Hill (718) 849-0990
For more than half a century the Russo Family has built an enduring legacy of excellence in the catering industry in New York City. With humble beginnings more than 58 years ago, two sons of Italian immigrants opened Russo’s Pizzeria on 101 Avenue in Richmond Hill, Queens. Through dedication, hard work and attention to detail they expanded their small pizzeria to a full-service restaurant, gaining a reputation for the highest quality Italian Cuisine in Queens.
WORKING FOR ALL OF QUEENS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3
Education may have the strongest correlation to health outcomes. Sixty-eight percent of Queens students graduate from high school, and 62.1 percent of residents have attended at least some college. In addition, nearly 20 percent of Queens residents have less than a high school diploma. However, if we look more closely at Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, and Corona, we see that between 29 and 45 percent of residents did not complete high school. The Queens Chamber is doing everything it can to make the lives of our members and our borough constituents easier. Please reach out to us if we can be of assistance in any way.
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