Around Brooklyn: ‘Meals on Us’ initiative gives food to families

July 17, 2020 Editorial Staff

The house on the corner is 941 Albemarle Road. Photo: Lore Croghan/Brooklyn Eagle

This house stands at 941 Albemarle Road. Photo: Lore Croghan/Brooklyn Eagle

Share this:

‘Meals on Us’ initiative gives food to families

A Brooklyn production and catering company and two Brooklyn restaurants are starting an initiative to help needy families. A total of 500 meals have been prepared and delivered weekly. The restaurants are Gage and Tollner in Downtown Brooklyn and Alta Caridad in Prospect Heights, and the production company is Brooklyn Braised. They have combined to create Meals on Us, in which meals are prepared to serve at a Kensington shelter under the sponsorship of CAMBA. The initiative started in June, and since then it’s raised more than $6,000, which goes toward the cost of food and delivery, according to News 12 Brooklyn.

L.I. man runs from Montauk to Brooklyn

A Seaford, Nassau County, man ran from Montauk to Brooklyn in 24 hours to raise money for sick and underprivileged children. Ryan Clifford, 23, loves to run, so he decided to take it to the extreme. “I thought why not Montauk Point, one of the most historic points on Long Island, and of course the Brooklyn Bridge,” he said. The money will be going to the John Theissen Children’s Foundation based in Wantagh, according to News 12 Brooklyn.

Rose seeks more money for opioid prevention, treatment

U.S. Rep. Max Rose (D-Southern Brooklyn, Staten Island) led a bipartisan effort last week for an increase in funding for opioid prevention, treatment and recovery efforts. The House Committee on Appropriations passed legislation increasing funding for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) by $96 million above current funding levels and $238 million above the president’s budget request. The legislation now goes to the House of Representatives for a vote. “We continue to see the opioid epidemic take too many lives in our communities,” said Rose.

Floyd Bennett Field is hot spot for drag racing

A recent incident at Floyd Bennett Field in which two teens were killed has shone the spotlight on Floyd Bennett Field, a former airport that is now a federal recreational area and is said to be a popular drag racing spot. “I did a lot of crazy things with my car. You know, it’s adrenaline,” said former drag racer Gilhan Yuger, who often would head to the spot. Police from the National Parks Service sometimes show up to stop the dangerous behavior, but they often don’t come until a half hour after they’re called, two local fishermen told CBS2.

Shooting surge continues

At least six people were shot throughout the city early Thursday, including a 16-year-old boy who was leaving a Brooklyn party. The youth was shot in the lower back as he walked out of the party at Avenue K and East 43rd Street in Flatlands around 3 a.m., according to police. He was taken to Kings County Hospital, where he was reported in stable condition. Twelve victims were wounded in seven separate incidents on Wednesday, according to the New York Post.

Man shot while getting into Uber in East New York

A man who was getting into an Uber in East New York on Tuesday was shot five times when a group of people opened fire. The shooting happened around 8 p.m. near 620 Vermont Ave. The victim, a 28-year-old man, was entering the car when two vehicles pulled up and several unknown offenders ran out and opened fire. The man was shot in the back and struck five times, according to police. He was taken to a nearby hospital, and his condition was reported to be stable, according to PIX11.

Diocese holds Mass in place of Giglio festival

The Brooklyn Diocese announced on Thursday that it would honor the beloved Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, which was canceled due to the coronavirus, with a Mass and procession at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in North Williamsburg. The Mass will begin at the church, and a procession through the streets will follow the ceremony. “This is the first time in 75 years the Giglio will not rise, the first in the lifetime of many people that the feast will not take place and the Giglio is not lifted,” said Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello, according to the Brooklyn Paper.

Brooklyn woman, dog reunited

Brooklyn resident Susan Curatello was reunited with her dog, Sadie, at the Animal Care Center in East New York. The canine disappeared from Curatello’s backyard in April 2017. Staff at the Animal Care Center used Sadie’s microchip to track down the dog’s owner and to reunite the two. “I never thought I would get her back after three years,” Curatello told NY1 News.

Adams joins Participatory Budgeting Project

Borough President Eric Adams joined the Participatory Budgeting Project, the Brooklyn Community Art and Media High School and the Tilden Educational Campus in Bedford-Stuyvesant and East Flatbush to unveil the results of a participatory budgeting election in two Brooklyn schools. The results come on the heels of the Mayor’s recent announcement that schools in New York City would resume in-person instruction this fall under a “blended learning” model, with most students coming to school two to three days a week. “The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the need for grassroots, democratic involvement in our city more than ever before,” said Adams.

Carriage house offers $16,500/month

A 19th century carriage house at 32 College Place in Brooklyn Heights is now renting for $16,500 per month. While the street is considered charming and quirky today, in the 19th century College Place was filled with private stables. It’s not clear when 32 College Place was constructed, but by the early 20th century the stables of that street were being converted into auto garages. The first floor of the house contains utility rooms, such as a laundry, as well as the master suite, while the living, dining and kitchen spaces as well as two other bedrooms are on the second floor, according to Brownstoner.

Protester tased by cops still in hospital

An activist who was tased by an NYPD officer and arrested on Sunday evening in Bay Ridge was still in the hospital as of Wednesday, according to his attorney. Robert Bolden is being treated at NYU Langone Hospital for multiple fractures and is being monitored for long-term heart damage. Bolden and another protester were arrested as pro-police demonstrators confronted Black Lives Matter counter-protesters. Video shot at the scene shows an NYPD officer pointing a stun gun at Bolden, who later stands up and is surrounded by police officers to pin him up against a car while bending his arms back to handcuff him, according to Gothamist.

Police question person in killing of 1-year-old

NYPD investigators last week were reportedly questioning a person of interest in the killing of 1-year-old Darvell Gardner Jr. earlier this week. Police found the man in the morning at Ralph Avenue and East 76th Street. The shooting itself happened at around 11:30 p.m. outside Raymond Bush Playground on Madison Street. Sources told CBS2 that police believe two men ambushed the victims and fired more than 20 rounds.

Protesters said to hand out bats

Surveillance video from outside City Hall appears to show protesters receiving baseball bats before anti-police activists clashed with cops on the Brooklyn Bridge on Wednesday. The delivery was made by a car parked near City Hall, and one man was seen retrieving six bats from the trunk. The protesters later confronted a “unity” rally that included clergy, law enforcement and community activists, according to the New York Post.

Parks commissioner helps fix sprinkler

After frequent complaints about conditions of local parks in Southwest Brooklyn, Brooklyn Parks Commissioner Martin Maher took things into his own hands by heading to the 79th Street playground on Shore Road. There, he and Parks employees helped to repair a sprinkler. “We take the responsibility of ensuring our spray showers are operational and available during the summer very seriously,” he said. “From the top down, the entire Parks team supports this goal,” he added, according to BrooklynReporter.com.

Compiled by Raanan Geberer.