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The Bridge Project Steps Up to the Plate; Providing Food & Supplies During Pandemic

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By: Fern Sidman

Since the beginning of this unprecedented health crisis known as Covid-19 that saw so very many of our loved ones, neighbors and friends ripped from us, The Bridge’s dedicated staff and cadre of caring volunteers coordinated a massive food drive that provided over 50,000 meals, food supplies and high quality protective gear to the needy each month.
 
As a result of the efforts of everyone who pitched in and lent a hand, The Bridge has now established a well stocked food pantry for anyone in need. Moreover, such protective gear as face masks, plastic gloves, and hand sanitizer are also being distributed for free.
 
As an organization that serves every person in our community, irrespective of religious affiliation, ethnicity, race or sexual orientation, the Bridge would like to express our heartfelt thanks and appreciation to those whose tenacious commitment and unwavering devotion to helping others made this essential food and supplies drive a major success.
 
For over a decade, The Bridge has been coordinating with a panoply of community empowerment groups as well as a vast array of ethnic, religious, cultural and political organizations to provide basic essentials to those suffering in our midst as well as those experiencing tremendous hardships and challenges in other parts of the country.
 
Whether it be helping hurricane survivors in Florida, tornado victims in the Midwest or those enduring the most egregious forms of poverty and homelessness due to societal inequities, the Bridge and its team of remarkably devoted people are on the spot to provide immediate and long term assistance. 
 
“As a community outreach group, our ultimate objective is not only to become a reliable safety net to those whose lives are collapsing before their very eyes, but to become a real family with every single person in our community, “ said Mark Appel, the founder and CEO of The Bridge.  “Gender, race, ethnicity and religious affiliation or lack thereof are irrelevant to us at the Bridge. We are all created equal in the sight of G-d and we are all G-d’s children. It is morally incumbent upon every single one of us to respect each other, to treat each other with dignity, compassion and true understanding, “ he added.        
 
Appel also noted that The Bridge is “confident that we will emerge from this coronavirus pandemic as a stronger, kinder and more inclusive community as we work together to rebuild. Until such time, however that an approved vaccine or treatment option becomes available, it would behoove us all to continue to remain vigilant in our attempts to protect ourselves and our loved ones against the virus.” 
 
Our special thanks go to: 
 
C.O.P.O Council of Peoples Organization led by Mohammad Razvi, Steven Patzer of the 63rd police precinct, Rita Joseph, Mina Asrare, Hafida Torres, JCC of Marine Park, Purpose Life Church, and PASWO
 
We also wish to extend our gratitude to our elected officials: Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte, Councilman Mathieu Eugene and Councilwoman Farah Louis for all the help and assistance to our very successful drive.
 

NYC fires back at Cuomo’s threat to shut down Manhattan over social distancing

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By Kate Sheehy

June 14, 2020 | 5:20pm | UpdatedNYC fires back at Cuomo’s threat to shut down Manhattan over social distancing

Mayor Bill de Blasio on Sunday fired back at Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s threat to shut down Manhattan again if the city didn’t enforce social distancing better — saying through a rep that “imprisoning people” isn’t the answer.

“We must balance safety with people’s need to reopen their businesses,” a City Hall spokeswoman said in an email.

“We had social distancing ambassadors out all weekend distributing masks and encouraging people to disperse after making their purchases.

“These businesses are allowed to be open per the Governor’s guidelines and we don’t believe imprisoning people or taking away their livelihood is the answer.”

Hours earlier, Cuomo had announced that he would close down Manhattan and the Hamptons on Long Island again amid the coronavirus if their “local governments” didn’t do a better job reining in scofflaws who aren’t properly social distancing and wearing masks, particularly outside bars and restaurants.

“We are not going back to that dark place,” Cuomo vowed, referring to the peak of the pandemic in the state, when nearly 800 people died in one day from the contagion.

“People send videos of these violations,” the governor said of the rogue residents — hundreds of whom have been caught on video partying closely together, many without masks, around St. Marks Place in the East Village in Manhattan the past couple of days.

“They are rampant, and there’s not enough enforcement,” he said.

New York City just moved into Phase One of reopening last week, while Long Island went to Phase Two.

The City Hall rep said in the email that since March, the de Blasio administration has been “doing aggressive outreach to restaurants and bars in the East Village to ensure they are aware of the relevant PAUSE guidance,” referring to state guidelines amid the contagion.

“This includes distributing ‘Take Out, Don’t Hang Out’ posters for all these biz to display in their windows,” the rep wrote.

“Social Distancing ambassadors from the Sheriff’s Department, Parks Department, DEP and NYPD flooded the East Village — particularly St. Marks corridor & Tompkins Square Park — on Saturday, playing social distancing PSAs, passing out face coverings and dispersing any large groups as needed,” she added.

“Our social distancing ambassadors also assisted local bar owners who needed help with crowd/line management — including chalking sidewalks so customers knew where to stand 6ft apart from each other and putting up bike racks as needed.”

Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte The Right Person For Dem County Chair

Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte The Right Person For Dem County Chair

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By Mark Meyer Appel

On Monday, January 20, the national holiday celebrating the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte was elected chairperson of the King County Democratic Party. It was history in the making as she is the first woman of color to hold this prestigious role.

Assemblywoman Bichotte, as the counties new leader, will play a very important role on the selection of judicial candidates and borough-wide endorsements for all of Brooklyn political candidates

After first getting elected to the assembly, Bichottee quickly became a powerful advocate on so many important issues facing our communities. This includes her becoming chair of the Subcommittee on Oversight of Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs), and serving on the following committees: Banks; Economic Development, Job Creation, Commerce & Industry; Governmental Operations; Health; Higher Education; and Housing.

As the MWBE Subcommittee chair, Assemblymember Bichotte was instrumental in the law she co-authored for the re-authorization of Article 15-A, which extends and provides a more robust NYS MWBE Program (A8414 – 2019), as well as the law for the expansion of the NYC MWBE Program (A8407 – 201).

Assemblywoman and new Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair Rodneyse Bichotte with women district leaders and supporters. Contributed photo.

Assemblywoman Bichotte, with her strong and tenacious work, showed true leadership fighting for the New York State Child Victims Act. She quickly made a reputation as a true and unstoppable leader in the NY political scene. She shared with great courage her own personal story of abuse and garnered the assembly members to overwhelming support for this bill,

In 2019 Bichotte overwhelmingly supported and embraced the candidacy of Farah N Louis for the city council’s 45th district. Councilwoman Farah Louis won the race by a great voter majority despite being attacked by some of Brooklyn leading political leaders, and in a very short period already made major strides in uniting and bringing our community together.

“Brooklyn’s democratic party is made up of people of all backgrounds and all walks of life. It is more important than ever that our leadership reflects the diverse communities that have kept Brooklyn and our Democratic party going for decades. More women of color and descendants of immigrants, like myself, are running for public office to amplify the voices of their local communities and add to the public discourse. Moreover, community and grassroots engagement are necessary to increase civic engagement across the borough,” proclaimed Bichotte upon her assuming leadership of the Brooklyn Democratic Party.

On a personal note, I have gotten to know Assemblywoman Bichotte’s qualities as a true and fierce leader for all of Brooklyn’s diverse communities – Black, Jewish and Muslim. Her advocacy extends to all as she continues to fight for a unified Brooklyn.

Born in Haiti and overcoming the stigma as an immigrant, BIchotte has become a truly recognized leader in the New York Political arena, no easy task. As the newly elected leader she will become a new voice for the voiceless and change the direction of the city in the years to come and make us all proud.

Bichotte is a accomplished in a number of fields and holds many degrees. She earned and holds an MBA from Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management, an MS in Electrical Engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology, a BS in Electrical Engineering from SUNY Buffalo, a BS in Mathematics in Secondary Education and a B T in Electrical Engineering both from Buffalo State College.