Curbed, New York City’s top real estate blog is holding its 11th Annual Neighborhood of the Year Award — And City Island in The Bronx has entered the finals quite easily.
In the first round, City Island toppled the ever popular West Chelsea in Manhattan in a big and unexpected upset. During the second round of voting, City Island trounced upon Tribeca and once again emerged victorious.
Now our beautiful nautical City Island is battling against Crown Heights to enter the final round of competition.
We all know City Island easily beats landlocked Crown Heights, hands down so let’s get to the voting polls and show NYC what we’re made of!
Watch this Bronxite, Mark Weitzman, getting down and funky with his harmonica as he plays ‘Bronx Christmas Country Blues’ in Van Cortlandt Park in Riverdale.
According to his Facebook page, Mark The Harper’s influences range from Muddy Waters, Waylon Jennings, Little Walter,Lowell George, Leo Kottke,Mississippi John Hurt, Hot Tuna, Pigpen, King David, B’nai Korach and many more.
Thanks to Bronxite Mark Weitzman for sharing this!
One of many Tag Public Arts Project Murals throughout The Bronx – one of the different tours Bronx Historical Tours gives on a weekly basis. / Image Credit: TAG
Maruri has single-handedly worked hard to build her company and show to the world what a wonderful place The Bronx truly is. I have had the pleasure of taking one of her tours and it was simply a pleasure to be on it. Simply put, there is no other better tour operator out there to give folks a true taste of our borough’s varied cultures, scenery, attractions and history.
Here’s what Fodor’s had to say about Bronx Historical Tours:
“Impassioned proprietor and lead guide for Bronx Historical Tours, Bronx native Alexandra Maruri has made it her mission to dispel outdated “the Bronx is Burning,” ’70s-era perceptions about her hometown. On her 4.5-hour Bronx Little Italy, History & Pizza Bus Tour($65/person), guests are conveniently chauffeured by private minibus from Midtown Manhattan to take in some half-dozen Bronx neighborhoods, with stops for photo ops at Yankee Stadium and the wonderfully transporting Edgar Allan Poe Cottage (circa 1812). The tour rounds out with a lively walk through Bronx’s Little Italy, along Arthur Avenue (A Bronx Tale territory). Maruri maintains strong neighborhood ties here, and she introduces visitors to an array of personable neighborhood shopkeepers, with samplings of coffee, cheese, cannoli, and wine en route, before a sit-down pizza lunch.”
Not only is Maruri passionate about our borough’s history and image, she’s also an avid supporter of the arts. Earlier this year she coordinated an exhibition called ‘The Bronx Meets Vienna’, a photography exhibit held at Poe Cottage Reception Center by Austrian photographer Thomas Stubbings who through his photographs showed scenes of life both in Austria and in The Bronx. The show gave visitors to the exhibition a glimpse at how similar both geographic places are even though they are worlds apart. Stubbings met Maruri when he took a private tour of The Bronx with her which is when the idea was born.
More recently, Alexandra has been working with Bronx artist SinXero, founder of the Tag Public Arts Project — who’s vision is to, “enhance the visual landscape of urban communities with art.” On Sundays and Mondays, Alexandra take people on tours of some of the collective’s murals around The borough.
Congratulations on a job well done and keep up the great work representing the best of our borough.
One of many Tag Public Arts Project Murals throughout The Bronx – one of the different tours Bronx Historical Tours gives on a weekly basis. / Image Credit: TAGOne of many Tag Public Arts Project Murals throughout The Bronx – one of the different tours Bronx Historical Tours gives on a weekly basis. / Image Credit: TAGOne of many Tag Public Arts Project Murals throughout The Bronx – one of the different tours Bronx Historical Tours gives on a weekly basis. / Image Credit: TAGOne of many Tag Public Arts Project Murals throughout The Bronx – one of the different tours Bronx Historical Tours gives on a weekly basis. / Image Credit: TAGOne of many Tag Public Arts Project Murals throughout The Bronx – one of the different tours Bronx Historical Tours gives on a weekly basis. / Image Credit: TAG
One of the buildings in the Bronx’s Morrisania neighborhood purchased by Arker Cos. Sylvester Zawadzki
The Wall Street Journal reports that developer, Arker Cos, just purchased 18 buildings, mostly in Morrisania section of The Bronx, and plans on $70.5 million in upgrading the units with new kitchens, bathrooms and other undisclosed improvements — all while keeping them affordable. All the units are currently subsidized by section-8. Such a move is virtually unheard of in The Bronx and probably throughout the city where a developer comes in and will make major improvements after purchasing such a portfolio and let alone keeping the rents the same.
WSJ reports:
An affordable housing developer founded by a holocaust survivor is investing $156 million in an 18-building portfolio in the South Bronx that will help New York Mayor Bill de Blasio meet his affordable housing goal.
Arker Cos., which owns about 5,500 housing units in the New York region, has purchased the buildings with about 676 units in the Morrisania neighborhood for $85.5 million. Arker plans to spend another $70.5 million to upgrade them with new bathrooms, kitchens and other improvements.
“There will be a real sprucing up of the properties,” said Daniel Moritz, one of the principals of the company.
Floral Park, NY-based Arker is relying on a number of city and state programs to buy the property and upgrade the units. Equity is coming in large part from the sale of tax credits through Wells Fargo & Co. Arker is getting debt financing from the sale of city Housing Development Corp. bonds with mortgage insurance being provided by Freddie Mac.
Rents in all the units are subsidized through the Section 8 program run by the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department. Arker is raising rents as part of the deal, but the increases will be paid by HUD. Under the Section 8 program, rents for the people living in the apartments is capped at 30% of their incomes, Mr. Moritz said.
“They get a vastly improved project and their rents don’t go up,” he said.
The shootings took place near Myrtle and Tompkins Avenues in Bedford-Stuyvesant.
KEVIN HAGEN FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES
It is with heavy hearts that we learned today about two NYPD officers executed in cold blood in Brooklyn earlier today.
Recently I spoke of the good apples which I do feel are the majority and the bad apples. Not even the bad ones deserve this. No one deserves to be murdered cop, civilian, or otherwise.
This nation is at a crisis where police officers don’t trust the population they’re charged with protecting and citizens don’t trust our police officers.
The following quotes from Martin Luther King Jr are fitting for today’s senseless act of violence.:
Hate begets hate; violence begets violence; toughness begets a greater toughness. We must meet the forces of hate with the power of love. (1958)
A fifth point concerning nonviolent resistance is that it avoids not only external physical violence but also internal violence of spirit. The nonviolent resister not only refuses to shoot his opponent but he also refuses to hate him. (1958)
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction … The chain reaction of evil – hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars – must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation. (1963)
The time for unity and a solution to this crisis is now. The bloodshed must stop.
Clearly marked DIESEL fuel. FreshDirect continues to break its promises.
Media Advisory
South Bronx Residents and South Bronx Unite Rally Against FreshDirect Groundbreaking at the Harlem River Yard
Proposed relocation of Fresh Direct to South Bronx would add over a thousand diesel truck trips each day to a community with sky-high asthma rates.
Monday, December 22nd at 9:45am
What: FreshDirect has planned a little-publicized “groundbreaking ceremony” at the Harlem River Yard, the site where it seeks to build a 500,000 sf diesel trucking operation. Dozens of local residents and community-based organizations will rally outside the Yard to make clear that the local community is opposed to this development.
Just last month, hundreds of local residents testified at a hearing in opposition to state subsidies for the project. Not a single local resident provided testimony in favor of the project. The ceremony takes place as city-wide actions call attention to decades of mistreatment of low-income communities and communities of color, including environmental injustices.
Who: South Bronx Unite
Community residents and organizations from the South Bronx
Allied organizations and individuals
When: Monday, December 22nd, 9:45 am
Where: Harlem River Yard entrance – St. Ann’s Avenue and East 132nd Street, Bronx NY
Contact: Stephanie Ramirez
(212) 784-5704 or (917) 725-1468
sramirez@groupgordon.com
Gigi Kwon
(212) 784-5706 or (646) 660-4952
gkwon@groupgordon.com
Clearly marked DIESEL fuel. FreshDirect continues to break its promises. (CLICK TO ENLARGE)
Your $140 Million Taxes and subsidies at work
FreshDirect once again had an opportunity to purchase new electric trucks as they promised to do but instead they chose to purchase fifteen brand new diesel trucks, Welcome2TheBronx has learned.
We went over to Milea Trucks Sales & Leasing on 149th Street and Austin Place to investigate after a local concerned citizen took some photographs and sent them over. What we saw really shocked us at how FreshDirect continues to lie to our community about their intentions. Sitting on their lot were 10 brand spanking new diesel trucks. I checked each and every truck and all of them were diesel with “certified clean idling” stickers. I asked one of the workers at the office what that meant and they said, “All that means is that when they stop, they don’t pollute but as long as they’re driving around, they still are spewing diesel fumes.”
I couldn’t believe my ears. What about all the promises to convert to electric?
This is a clear indication that FreshDirect has no intention to be a good neighbor as they so claim. Already they planned a “secret” groundbreaking ceremony long before they even have been approved to receive all the funds to move.
Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr has touted that they would convert to electric but that is not happening.
Meanwhile, we have politicians and organizations accepting money from FreshDirect as the company continues to try and buy politicians and organizations to buy their support. The Bronx Chronicle recently accepted money to provide ads for FreshDirect.
The Bronx Chronicle now ‘bought’ to you by FreshDirect
The Van Cortlandt Park Conservancy took money to have FreshDirect sponsor an event a few months ago — unbeknownst to BronxNet, and Friends of Van Cortlandt Park who were part of the event. These organizations told Welcome2TheBronx that they were unaware that the Conservancy had done so and once the fliers were out the damage was done linking all these organizations to FreshDirect.
Unware to BronxNet, Friends of Van Cortlandt Park, & VCTrack Club, The Van Cortlandt Park Conservancy took money for this event from FreshDirect without the organizations knowing. In conversations with members and representatives from these organizations, they never authorized their organizations to be connected with FreshDirect.
Tomorrow night, State Senator Ruben Diaz, and State Assemblymen Marcos A. Crespo, and Luis Sepulveda are hosting a Christmas party at Maestro’s Caterers which will be co-sponsored none other than, you guessed it, FreshDirect.
State Senator Ruben Diaz, and Assemblymen Marcos A. Crespo, and Luis Sepulveda will be hosting a Christmas Party tomorrow night co-sponsored by FreshDirect.
To all who are accepting monies from FreshDirect and pushing this as a good thing for the Bronx when the majority of the people have spoken at public hearings saying that this is not; when physicians have called this a bad deal for the health of the residents due to all the health ailments where 1 in 4 children have asthma and other issues I say this to you: You all have potential blood money on your hands.
Will you be there to comfort the mother who lost her child to asthma or other ailments? Will you pay the health bills that will ultimately result from allowing a truck intensive company to plow into our overburdened community?
Every politician and organization which I have called out here, I ask you: Does the money let you sleep easier at night as a child is in the emergency room clinging to life because they can’t breathe?
You all have a moral responsibility to do right by those you serve and all will be held accountable by the community if FreshDirect is allowed to bring their life-threatening operations to our community.
The company began moving their trucks into a less visible location when they realized we were on site and taking pictures and asking questions.10 brand new DIESEL FreshDirect trucks awaiting delivery to the company.
Many people often ask why we fight against the proposed move of FreshDirect move to the South Bronx — an area that is already plagued by asthma where 1 in 4 children have the life-threatening ailment. The truck intensive and polluting industry that is FreshDirect will only exacerbate such ailments in our community, something which many studies have clearly shown is a health problem.
“Pregnant women may nearly double their risk of giving birth to a child with autism by inhaling smog spewed by vehicles or smoke stacks, according to a new Harvard study that could help unlock the deepest autism mysteries.
The research, released Thursday, fortifies previous scientific findings that linked air pollution to autism. And it offers fresh insights by showing women in their third trimesters seem most vulnerable if they breathe in elevated levels of tiny airborne particles emitted by power plants, fires and automobiles.
“We found an association that was specific to pregnancy and especially to the third trimester, identifying a window, which might shed a light on processes that are happening that can lead to autism,” said Marc Weisskopf, the report’s senior author and associate professor of environmental and occupational epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health.
The higher the exposure rate, the greater the risk, he found.”
They also go one to highlight a Bronx family:
“The Harvard team focused on pregnant women who took part in the Nurses’ Health Study II, a group of more than 116,000 female U.S. nurses who agreed to be tracked starting in 1989. Researchers amassed data on where participants lived while pregnant and crosschecked air-pollution readings for those areas as recorded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Among those mothers, Weisskopf and his colleagues identified 245 children who were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during the time period examined.
For Bronx mom Carmen Sanchez, 33, the study only reinforced her suspicion that air pollution played a role in the “mild” autism diagnosis of her son, Jacob, when he was 5.
Now 10, Jacob attends a New York City public school and, according to his mother, struggles to transition from one activity to another and finds it difficult to understand facial cues. He cares about how people view him and wants to be liked.
During her pregnancy with Jacob, Sanchez lived in the South Bronx. A building next door to her home emitted large amounts of soot and smoke before it was ultimately demolished.
“We also lived a block away from the Cross Bronx (Expressway), which is one of the largest freeways in the Bronx. We could look right out our window and see the cars. And one of the biggest things that happened in my third trimester was a fire in the apartment adjacent to ours. A lot of that soot was coming into our apartment while they fixed that apartment.
“I always felt like there was something environmental (tied to the diagnosis), whether it be the food or the actual air quality. I’ve always felt like that,” Sanchez. “In some ways, this study gives me peace of mind that we’re closer to solving the problem that is autism.
“But in other ways, it gets even more scary. You can avoid eating certain things. But air pollution is such a large problem. How do you avoid living in a certain area?”
While the Harvard findings are not the first to couple air pollution with autism, the paper is “among the strongest studies to date,” said Michael Rosanoff, director for public health research for the advocacy group Autism Speaks.
Dozens participate in die-in on the 5th month anniversary of Eric Garner’s death at the hands of the NYPD in front of the Bronx General Post Office on the Grand Concourse and 149th Street.
Since the December 3rd failure of a Grand Jury on Staten Island to indict the cops in the killing of Eric Garner, many peaceful protests have been held across the city by thousands of New Yorkers uniting for peace and justice against Police Brutality and the fact that so many cops never get indicted due to grand juries.
Tonight The Bronx saw hundreds come out to not only honor Eric Garner on the 5th month anniversary of his death but to demand justice and an end to the killing of so many black men and people of color at the hands of the NYPD — and across the nation.
The march began in front of Hostos Community College at 6PM Wednesday evening and the group marched across the street to the front of the Bronx General Post Office where they held a die-in for 7 minutes (signifying the 7 minutes Garner was left unattended by the NYPD).
Soon after the die-in the crowd began to sing, “I can still hear my brother crying, ‘I can’t breathe’, so now I’m in the struggle singing, ‘I can’t leave’, We calling out the violence of these racists police, and we ain’t gonna stop until our people are free”, a song written by Luke Nephew, Peace Poets.
Once done, the marchers headed east along 149th Street, past Lincoln Hospital continuing with the various chants of peace and justice. Hundreds of pedestrians and commuters on buses that were passing by just stopped to take pictures and and chant in solidarity. Even vehicles passing by honked in solidarity with the marchers.
Eventually the marchers arrived at Courtlandt Avenue and headed deeper into Melrose until 153rd Street where they turned and headed straight for the commercial heart of Melrose, The Hub. Once on 3rd Avenue, dozens of more merchants and pedestrians continued to document the event and join in the chanting while others just continued on their way as if nothing was going on.
The marchers arrived at Roberto Clemente Plaza at 149th Street where Melrose, Willis and 3rd Avenues all intersect and more calls to action for justice continued.
It was there that I met with Eva Rosa who lives in Melrose at Michelangelo Apartments on 149th and Park Avenue. When asked why she was here she said, “I live on the 19th floor and heard the chanting and singing and got dressed and came down to see what was going on. The security guard in my building explained about the marchers so I decided to join in.”
“I’m against police brutality, I’m against racism. This has to stop”, Rosa added.
Her friend Lisa Baez came down with her to support as well. “I’m against all violence. I lost my child, my daughter, back in 2010. She was murdered.”
#ThisStopsToday organized this event in Brooklyn and Manhattan as well. The organization is:
“…is a collaboration of Communities United for Police Reform (CPR), Million Hoodies and Freedom Side. CPR organizations that are leading this effort include: Justice Committee, Make the Road New York, VOCAL-NY, ColorofChange, Jews for Racial & Economic Justice, New York Civil Liberties Union and Center for Popular Democracy.
#ThisStopsToday convened to respond to the Staten Island grand jury’s expected failure to indict officers in the killing of Eric Garner, and to call for the end of discriminatory “broken windows” policing, characterized by aggressive enforcement of minor quality of life offenses, that led to the killing of Eric and brutality against too many othet New Yorkers. Together we organized the action of Thursday, December 4th, where over 10,000 New Yorkers joined us to protest in Foley Square. Many in our group were arrested in civil disobedience actions at the Manhattan Bridge and on the Upper West Side.”
The organization has 11 demands (which is the number of times Eric Garner said he can’t breathe before he died at the hands of the NYPD) and they are as follows:
ACCOUNTABILITY FOR NYPD USE OF EXCESSIVE & DEADLY FORCE, AS WELL AS ABUSE
1) Full accountability through NYPD disciplinary procedures and the criminal justice system for all NYPD officers responsible for killing Eric Garner, Akai Gurley and all officers who brutalize New Yorkers.
2) Department of Justice should convene grand juries to federally indict officers responsible for the killing of Eric Garner, as well as in other NYC cases such as Ramarley Graham. (We are in solidarity with calls for federal charges in the killings of Michael Brown, John Crawford and others).
3) Governor Cuomo should issue an executive order directing the Office of the Attorney General to serve as special prosecutor in cases involving civilians killed by police officers.
4) Governor Cuomo should veto legislation (S7801/A9853) that would allow police unions to make police disciplinary policies subject to contract negotiations. The legislation would undermine the ability of local government officials across New York State to discipline officers engaged in misconduct and brutality.
5) End the NYPD Commissioner’s exclusive authority over disciplinary decisions for officers in cases of abuse, misconduct towards civilians, and excessive or deadly force.
END DISCRIMINATORY AND ABUSIVE NYPD POLICIES & PRACTICES
6) Mayor de Blasio should end broken windows, and other discriminatory and abusive policing practices. This includes hyper-aggressive selective enforcement of low-level offenses, NYPD’s discriminatory arrests for violations (non-criminal offenses), enforcement of possession of small amounts of marijuana; blanket surveillance of Muslim communities and political activists.
7) Mayor de Blasio should work with the City Council to pass the Right to Know Actto protect New Yorkers’ rights and improve daily interactions between NYPD officers and New Yorkers.
8) The Floyd federal stop-and-frisk trial court-appointed monitor Peter Zimroth, the facilitator Judge Ariel Belen, and Mayor Bill de Blasio should ensure that organizations led by and for communities impacted by discriminatory and abusive policing have a formal and structured role in NYPD reform. The Court-appointed Monitor, Facilitator and Mayor’s office should work with Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) to ensure that community organizations help determine what reforms are to be implemented, how they should be implemented, and how they are evaluated.
TRANSPARENCY OF NYPD DISCRIMINATORY ENFORCEMENT AND USE OF EXCESSIVE & DEADLY FORCE
9) The Department of Justice should launch an investigation into broken windows policing and the use-of-force policies and practices of the NYPD.
10) NYPD Inspector General Philip Eure should issue a report on the use of deadly force and other excessive force, to include accounting of the disciplinary outcomes in these incidents over the past two decades.
11) The NYPD should publish quarterly and annual reports of summons and misdemeanor arrests, as well as use of force, to include demographic datasuch as race, gender, age, precinct, etc. (We are also in solidarity with national calls for a federal database on use of force and police killings).
It was a powerful moment in Bronx history to see so many people from all walks of life gathered to have their voices heard against the injustices levied against them and their peers across the country.
Protesters head down 3rd Avenue towards Roberto Clemente Plaza
Many merchants and employees stood outside their stores watching the march pass by. Some, in solidarity, would raise their hands.Dozens of protesters laid down for 7 minutes during the die-in, representing the 7 minutes Eric Garner was left without being attended to after the fatal choke hold by the NYPD which left him gasping for air and saying, “I can’t breathe” 11 times before dying.
Protesters begin their march at Hostos Community College
It’s been almost a 3 year battle since FreshDirect sweetheart deal was announced as a done deal to dump a trucking and pollution intensive industry in the growing residential neighborhood of Port Morris directly impacting those living in the immediate area including Mott Haven. The deal would bring over 1,000 trucks and trips a day adding to an area with 8x the national rate of asthma and now FreshDirect has hit a new low.
Word has been received that the company is planning a “secret” groundbreaking at the Harlem River Yards on Monday, December 22nd at 10AM so we are calling all those who have been fighting against environmental injustice and racism to join us on this date to rally against this move.
This is a slap in the face to the Department of Environmental Conservation, which has made the very site which FreshDirect intends to pollute with its trucks, 500,000 square foot warehouse and fueling station on the waterfront, a priority in the Mott Haven – Port Morris Waterfront Plan. The DEC is still receiving comments until today to determine to proceed with the community-designed project and help project our waterfront from dangerous industry as well as make it resilient in light of Superstorm Sandy and climate change.
This is NOT a done deal and still has several processes to go through for approval of monies so FreshDirect’s presumptuous move to hold a groundbreaking ceremony before shows how much disrespect they have for Bronx residents.
FreshDirect is thumbing its nose at nearly three years of community opposition to the project. Just last month, hundreds of residents and local businesses and organizations testified in opposition to the project in the very first Bronx-based public hearing on the proposed $140 million subsidy package. Among those who submitted testimony were Bronx Council for Environmental Quality, South Bronx Community Congress, Community Connections for Youth, South Bronx Farmers Market, The POINT Community Development Corporation, Bronx Climate Justice North, Bronx Clergy Round Table, Latino Pastoral Action Center and the National Latino Evangelical Coalition, as well as others from among the more than 50 organizations that support South Bronx Unite. Tellingly, not a single local resident testified in favor of the project.
FreshDirect’s planned ceremony takes place as historic city-wide actions challenge decades of unequal public policies in communities of color. Unprecedented acknowledgement of the racial divide in air quality is taking place across the nation right now, with The Washington Post writing that “blacks and whites actually breathe different air.”
Mayor de Blasio, who campaigned on promises to stop the FreshDirect deal and end the tale of two cities, has remained silent since taking office despite more than 400 phone calls and emails to his office by the community to stop the project.
It is nearly seven years to the day of when FreshDirect fired 85 immigrant workers and over a hundred fled just days before Christmas in 2007 following an immigration raid on the eve of a Teamster union vote of the employees. The company was alleged to have tipped off immigration authorities.
While FreshDirect is courting support from Bronx representatives (and will be sponsoring the Christmas parties of several State representatives from outside the district later in the week), City, State and federal elected representatives from within the district remain opposed to the project. U.S. Congressman José E. Serrano, State Senator José M. Serrano, City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and City Council Member Maria del Carmen Arroyo have all called for a moratorium on all new development on the state-owned stretch of waterfront land, including with respect to FreshDirect, until a thorough analysis of the current uses and the disproportionate impact on the health of the community could be thoroughly studied and mitigated.
Mayor de Blasio, who campaigned on promises to stop the FreshDirect deal and end the tale of two cities, has remained silent since taking office despite more than 400 phone calls and emails to his office by the community to stop the project. Please call Mayor de Blasio again and ask him to make good on his campaign promises and to shut this deal down. His office can be reached at 212-788-2162 or via email at bdeblasio@cityhall.nyc.gov.
The Bronx was once again the host of an extravagant ball and fundraiser at the New York Botanical Garden — an event that has been a favorite of many celebrities and who’s who in NYC. The Wall Street Journal writes of the event:
“The New York Botanical Garden’s Winter Wonderland Ball is one of the last major events on the charity circuit before the social crowd settles into holiday parties and then skips town for warmer, or colder, climes.
The garden’s idyllic setting, complete with toy-train installation, brought out 450 guests, including Georgina Bloomberg, Byrdie Bell, Nell Diamond and Hannah Selleck, Tom Selleck ’s equestrian daughter. This year’s event raised about $250,000 for the institution’s educational programs.
“I look forward to it every December,” said Gillian Miniter, who has been involved with the garden for the last 15 years. “People who have gone year after year continue to go, and then there’s a lot of new energy.”
The trek up to the Bronx on a wintry Friday can be a challenge. “It’s a hike, but it’s a beautiful party,” said Alina Cho, one of the evening’s chairwomen. “But just to see the train show is worth the one-hour drive.”
Other guests who made that hike included Cristina Cuomo, Sasha Lazard, Adelina Wong Ettelson, Julie Henderson, Alexandra Lebenthal, and Eric and Caroline Villency.”
The Gutiérrez is like many low-income families struggling to make ends meet in our borough which is home to many working-class immigrant families. The New York Times explores this particular family’s struggles as the economy shows growing signs of recovering yet seemingly is not trickling over to such families.
The New York Times reports:
It is the season of twinkling lights and glittering evergreens, festive parties and holiday bonuses. But not for José Gutiérrez.
He works as a busboy in Manhattan, clearing plates and wiping tables at an Italian restaurant for about $450 a week when the tips are good. It is not enough to keep groceries in the refrigerator, he said, barely enough to cover the rent.
So his heart sank when his 6-year-old daughter handed him her Christmas list. He knew he wouldn’t be joining the throngs of shoppers crowding into toy stores, filling shopping bags with their children’s dreams.
Mr. Gutiérrez has not had a raise in five years and has never received a holiday bonus. On Saturday morning, he was lining up for rice, eggs and other groceries at a food pantry in the South Bronx. The growing economy has yet to buoy his family.
Perhaps you’ve heard the good news from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, which recently reported strong gains in hiring and a sharp jump in hourly wages. Or maybe you’ve read that associates at big law firms in New York are taking home hefty bonuses of $15,000 to $100,000 this year. All of it has overshadowed the continuing struggles of hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers during this holiday season.
The newest federal statistics on hunger show that one in six people in this city, or about 1.4 million people, could not afford a consistent, adequate supply of food throughout the year during the three-year period from 2011 through 2013, a time of economic recovery.
