Van Bramer Announces New Funding For Senior Center
City Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Astoria, Long Island City, Sunnyside, Woodside) announced yesterday that he secured $37,990 in new funding for the Hellenic American Neighborhood Action Committee, Inc. (HANAC)’s Ravenswood Senior Center in the City’s FY 2020 budget.
The allocation includes $10,500 for healthy aging initiatives and $15,000 for the SU-CASA initiative, which connects artists and organizations with senior centers across NYC to engage seniors with arts and cultural programming.
“I am proud to announce the nearly $38,000 I secured for HANAC’s Ravenswood Senior Center in this year’s budget,” said Van Bramer. “HANAC is an indispensable partner in our community and I am incredibly grateful for their dedication to our Ravenswood seniors. This funding will directly fund essential services and programs to keep our seniors active, engaged, and in good health.”
HANAC’s diverse curriculum of programs and services includes: congregate breakfast and lunch, exercise classes, tech training, nutritional workshops, recreational activities, transportation assistance, educational programs and trips.
Rozic, Parker Laud Bill Enactment Helping Domestic Violence Victims
Assembly Member Nily Rozic (D-Flushing, Queensboro Hill, Hillcrest, Fresh Meadows, Oakland Gardens, Bayside, Douglaston) and State Sen. Kevin Parker (D-Brooklyn) and yesterday lauded Gov. Andrew Cuomo for signing their legislation (A.5318/S.2356) requiring companies to allow victims of domestic violence, who are fleeing their batterers and have received an order of protection, to terminate their multi-year or bundled contract with a telephone or cable or satellite company at a location they have fled without penalty.
While multi-year contracts with telephone or cable companies offer consumers better price-saving options, the fees to cancel such contracts vary across providers and can be charged to victims of domestic violence who are fleeing their abusers.
In many cases of domestic violence, it is necessary for victims to leave behind items of intrinsic and financial value and sever all ties with their offender. By allowing victims, who submit a written claim, to terminate their contracts at a location they have fled without penalty, we are strengthening protections for victims and providing tools to potentially ease the stress and trauma often associated with domestic violence.
“One of the greater callings of public service is to rise up for the vulnerable. By providing this service to survivors of domestic violence, we make the path to freedom smoother. I am proud to stand by this legislation and am hopeful that this will ease the transition for survivors,” said Parker.
“Too often, domestic violence survivors and their families face hurdles when rebuilding their lives, so it is important that we enact policy to lift them up and help them break away from cycles of abuse. I am proud to have sponsored and passed this legislation and thank Governor Cuomo for his continued leadership on this issue,” said Rozic.
This legislation builds on progress made in the Governor’s 2019 Women’s Justice Agenda to combat domestic violence and empower victims to seek justice.
Addabbo Support’s Cuomo In Probe Of National Grid
State Sen. Joseph Addabbo Jr. (D-Howard Beach, Ozone Park, Woodhaven, Glendale, Middle Village, Maspeth, parts of South Ozone Park, Ridgewood, Woodside, The Rockaways) yesterday expressed support for Gov. Cuomo’s call for a probe into National Grid’s moratorium on supplying gas service.
The probe comes as Cuomo and National Grid remain deadlocked over the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s rejection earlier this year of a National Grid proposal to build the 37-mile Williams Cos Inc’s Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) pipeline that would tap into an existing pipeline stretching from Pennsylvania to New York City.
According to National Grid, the pipeline has become an urgent need, as the economy in New York City is booming, and their current pipeline is at capacity. Thus, they imposed the moratorium meant to prevent a gas shortage during colder days which would result due to the lack of NESE.
“I fully support Governor Cuomo in getting involved with the National Grid issue, as he asked for larger investigation into the moratorium on with supplying gas service, especially with residents and businesses on the Rockaway Peninsula,” said Addabbo.
“If National Grid is improperly refusing service to existing or new customers, including those families still recovering from Superstorm Sandy, penalties need to be handed out and alternative service needs to be explored. Nat Grid cannot withhold their service to these communities and leave them without the resources needed to heat their homes, especially with winter right around the corner. I hope this issue can be resolved soon and the people are able to receive their gas services without any problems caused by National Grid’s reluctance to supply gas,” he added.
