8 JUNE 15, 2017 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM Ridgewood church to provide ‘emergency beds’ for homeless BY ANTHONY GIUDICE [email protected] @A_GIUDICEREPORT Homeless people will soon be welcomed at a Ridgewood church that is working with a nonprofi t group to provide them with “emergency beds” for overnights, according to several sources. The Ridgewood Presbyterian Church, located at 59-14 70th Ave., is looking to create an “Emergency Bed Stabilization Program” that will provide local men and women — with a focus on seniors — with no place to live, or who are living in dangerous conditions a place to stay while they are given services to get them back into a safe and stable living situation. “It’s for Queens people. Most likely local Ridgewood people, and if we have extra room we can take in people from other parts of Queens,” said Reverend Victoria L. Moss, pastor of Ridgewood Presbyterian Church. “It will be for men and women. They have to be vetted and undergo a background check. There will be no one with substance abuse, violent history or alcohol problems.” According to the Department of Homeless Services (DHS), the Ridgewood Presbyterian Church reached out to the agency to fi nd out how they can help a small number of their congregation that does not have a place to live. DHS put them in touch with Breaking Ground, a nonprofi t service which provides safe, secure housing with on-site support services, as well as a street outreach program, to help move clients toward permanent housing. “These beds would enable Breaking Ground to continue bringing this borough’s homeless neighbors in off the streets and working with them as they get back on their feet. We always welcome houses of worship that want to do more,” said Isaac McGinn, the DHS press secretary. Through a pending agreement with Breaking Ground, the church aims to house a maximum of 15 people in two rooms owned by the church, where a shower will be installed. The people would be allowed to stay overnight from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. the next morning. The church would provide them with meals in the evening and morning. There will be at least two security guards on site for the 12 hours (two six-hour shift s) as well as four case workers each shift , Moss said. Ridgewood Presbyterian, which is charged with staffi ng the program, says it will hire local residents for many of the staff positions. According to Christopher Winter, the lead consultant on the project with Ridgewood Presbyterian Church, no one will be bussed into Ridgewood to use the services. It is for the local residents who are having housing issues. “This is not a shelter, this is not a busing in situation, this is not even close to a drop in center,” Winter told QNS in a phone interview. “We are putting this team of people together to see how to best serve the people of Ridgewood and Queens who are coming already to the church and raising their concerns and needs. The goal is to transition them where they can go through management to help them secure full housing.” The “Emergency Bed Stabilization Program” will not interfere or operate during the times that the part-time preschool program is in session at the church, Moss noted. The Ridgewood Presbyterian Church and All Saints Old Catholic Community, which uses the same building, already provide services to the homeless and underserved individuals of the community. “We do work with Breaking Ground, DHS, and the police to make sure the homeless get the things they need,” said Father Mike Lopez, pastor of All Saints. “But as far as I know, there is no shelter going there. We do work a lot with the homeless. We have community meals on Monday nights. One Saturday a month we hold a community meal and provide other services.” Ridgewood Presbyterian Church is hoping the program will be fi nalized and running by the end of the summer. Mayor comes to Rego Park & announces that neighborhood will get a new public library BY SUZANNE MONTEVERDI [email protected] @SMONT76 At long last, Rego Park residents will be getting a new and improved library branch. Mayor Bill de Blasio made the announcement during a June 8 town hall at the neighborhood’s Lost Battalion Hall Recreation Center. The new building will be erected in the same location as the current library at the corner of Austin Street and 63rd Drive. The current building, which was built in 1975, is 7,500 square feet, lacks ADA accessibility and has out-of-date technology — no longer serving its growing population, according to the mayor’s offi ce. Last year, the branch had 189,000 visitors and a circulation of nearly 194,000. In its place will rise an 18,000 square foot, two-story accessible building with modern amenities, according to de Blasio. “Libraries are at the heart of neighborhoods across the city, and I am thrilled to announce that Rego Park will have a new facility to meet its needs,” de Blasio said. “As the neighborhood continues to grow, this library will be a treasured cornerstone of the community. I’d like to recognize Council member Karen Koslowitz, Queens Borough President Melinda Katz and Queens Library President Dennis M. Walcott, whose tireless work helped make this possible.” The project is fully funded with a total of $32 million allocated by the mayor’s offi ce, the borough president’s offi ce and the City Council. Katz, Koslowitz and Queens Library President Dennis M. Walcott were also present for Thursday’s announcement. “These substantial investments are not only for the long-awaited expansion of the Rego Park library, but for the children, seniors and families of Rego Park,” Katz said. “These capital funds will allow for a brand-new, state-of-the-art community hub of learning, literacy and culture. We are both the borough of growth and the borough of families, and I am delighted to collaborate with Mayor de Blasio and Council member Koslowitz to deliver this for the growing families of Rego Park.” Additional details will be announced as the project moves forward. Photo via Google Maps The one-story Rego Park library will be replaced, according to Mayor Bill de Blasio. Photo via Google Maps The Ridgewood Presbyterian Church is looking to open an "emergency bed" program for local homeless seniors.
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