COVID-19 update: Powering through budget cuts: Domino Park launches food scrap drop-off in place of curbside programs

On the front lines of the war on COVID-19, there are many civilian heroes going out of their way, as volunteers and contributors. Also, many who are elected to serve are going the extra mile. In this column the Eagle hopes to give our readers an ongoing update on those fighting in the front lines.

In response to the city cutting its curbside compost and food waste collection program due to COVID-19 budget cuts, Domino Park is expanding its composting program to offer the North Brooklyn community the option to partake in a public food scrap drop-off program. On June 1, Domino Park will welcome its first community food scrap drop-offs. The Domino Park in-vessel composter, called The Rocket, can convert thousands of pounds of food scraps into compost. The high-quality soil amendment will be reused on-site and available for free to the general public and other parks and public spaces.

Mitchell Partnow, chairperson of TJ Cares, has donated food in memory of his grandmother to the dedicated health workers at New York Community Hospital.  Partnow reached out to President and CEO Barry Stern, who coordinated the effort along with RN Alah Votto.  Partnow felt that his grandmother, affectionately known as Grandma E, would want him to show appreciation to the men and women who put their lives on the line every day. Mitchell went on to say that, “compared to what the health care workers do for the community, this is the least we can do for them.” He continued, “Let’s continue to show our appreciation to our brave health care workers by staying in when we can, wearing masks and practicing social distancing when we have to go out.”

Mayor Bill de Blasio on Wednesday announced the Test & Trace Corps’ Take Care Initiative, the city’s program to help all COVID-19 positive New Yorkers safely separate to prevent the spread of the virus. The city will provide free hotel rooms with wraparound services for New Yorkers who are unable to safely separate in their own homes and will support those who are separating at home with designated resource navigators. “Helping New Yorkers safely separate is, along with testing and tracing, the key to safely reopening our city,” said de Blasio.

In a historic victory for childhood sex abuse survivors in New York, both the State Senate and the State Assembly have passed a one-year extension of the Child Victims Act — a move made necessary by months of delays due to COVID-19 related court closures. In 2019, New York passed the historic Child Victims Act, which gave all child sexual abuse survivors, regardless of their current age, a one-year “look-back” window to file a lawsuit for the abuse they suffered. The current bill, which passed unanimously, extends the window for another year and is now headed to Gov. Cuomo’s desk for his signature.

New York State Assemblymember Mathylde Frontus will read Full Full Full of Love written by Trish Cooke and illustrated by Paul Howard on the Brighton Beach Library Facebook Page on Thursday, May 26. “BPL has played such a significant role in my life over the years and helped cultivate my love of books and reading, said Frontus. “The book I chose, Full, Full, Full of Love, shows little Jay Jay’s exuberant family’s love for each other and reminds me of my own childhood home.”

On May 21, Good Shepherd Services’ Community Partnership Program distributed 250 free meals to East New York youth and families at the Prince Joshua Avitto Community Center. Catered by Just Soul, a company that employs formerly incarcerated people, the event maintained all required social distancing guidelines while bringing the community together. While receiving their meals, community members were also able to enjoy music and receive free masks, both provided by the NYPD, and children received free art supplies.