STANDING Brooklyn’s Biggest Booster
Do-gooders honor good neighbors
GREENPOINT
Three borough leaders were honored
at a recent luncheon for helping
Kings Countians in need.
Do-gooder group the North Brooklyn
Angels honored its “Neighbors of
the Year,” including its own restaurateur
Josh Cohen, Borough President
Adams, and the Brooklyn Chamber
of Commerce’s co-chair and market
executive at Investors Bank Ana Oliveira,
(inset, right) at a luncheon on
March 27 at Broadway Stages on Driggs
Avenue at Eckford Street in Greenpoint.
The organization started with its
“Angelmobile” soup kitchen in 2017
and works to combat hunger, poverty,
homelessness, and housing instability
in the northern part of the borough,
where housing prices have shot up in
the last decade and left many inhabitants
struggling.
It also offers health, housing, and
social services at its offi ce space on
West Street at Noble Street.
Through its luncheon, the organization
raised awareness for its growing
operations, which includes serving
meals at six sites around northern
Brooklyn, and they encourage locals
to join in.
“If you see us in the ’hood, stop by
and say hello! Let us know what you
think of the idea of neighbors helping
neighbors,” the group’s website states.
— Kevin Duggan
SUNSET PARK
Roll out the welcome mat
Standing O salutes NYU Langone
Hospital–Brooklyn on the hiring of
Dr. Yamen Homsi, a renowned rheumatologist
who has been appointed
chief of rheumatology at the hospital,
where he will help Brooklynites living
with arthritis.
Arthritis is one of the most common
causes of disability among
older adults, and has become a growing
public health concern in New
York City as the population ages.
Homsi, who is board certifi ed in internal
medicine and rheumatology,
will oversee a growing practice in
Brooklyn as part of NYU Langone
Health’s Division of Rheumatology,
one of the top rheumatology programs
in the nation, according to
U.S. News & World Report.
In collaboration with physicians
and researchers at NYU Langone
Health’s Center for Arthritis and
Autoimmunity, Homsi will help patients
manage a variety of rheumatologic
conditions, including rheumatoid
arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus,
antiphospholipid syndrome, osteoporosis,
osteoarthritis, vasculitis,
Behcet’s syndrome, and others.
Dr. Jill P. Buyon, division director
COURIER L 22 IFE, APRIL 5–11, 2019 M BR B G
of rheumatology at NYU Langone
Health and the Sir Deryck and Lady
Va Maughan Professor of Rheumatology,
Department of Medicine,
expressed excitement for the recent
appointment.
“Dr. Homsi will extend the
division’s research vision with the
incorporation of additional patients
into clinical trials and registries,”
she says.
“Dr. Homsi brings a new level of
expertise to the clinical team at NYU
CONEY ISLAND
Standing O tips its hat to Coney
Island’s Polar Bear Club,
which on March 25 donated to nine
local organizations $60,000 raised
by the record-breaking number of
New Yorkers who barreled into the
icy Atlantic Ocean at the group’s
annual New Year’s Day Polar
Plunge . The funds will help local
do-gooders continue to coordinate
free events, entertainment, and educational
opportunities for locals,
according to the executive director
of the Alliance for Coney Island,
which received $24,000 as part of the
donation.
“We are ecstatic to put our donation
to good use to continue providing
free events to Coney Islanders
and visitors,” said Alexandra
Silversmith.
The January plunge included a
record-breaking more than 3,500
swimmers, who raised more than
$80,000 through pledges, according
to information from the Polar Bear
Club. The Alliance will use its funds
to pay for its weekly summer Friday
night fi reworks displays, seasonal
job recruitment fairs , and “advocacy
for improvements to the Coney
Island community,” according to information
from the organization.
Other local benefi ciaries of the
donation include:
• The New York Aquarium,
which received a $20,000 chunk
of change that offi cials will use to
fund its local conservation initiative,
among other measures.
• The Coney Island YMCA,
which will use its $3,000 gift to pay
for its summer camp scholarship
program for local youngsters.
The president of the Polar Bear
Club said the group’s regulars look
forward to welcoming more plungers
to their squad next Jan. 1.
“We wish to thank all of our New
Year’s Day Plunge participants who
donated so generously to make this
possible and hope to see them all
again on New Year’s Day 2020 for another
plunge in the frigid Atlantic,”
said Dennis Thomas.
— Julianne McShane
MIDWOOD
Banking on small biz
Three cheers for the Dime
Community Bank, which hosted
small businesses for a tax law
seminar at its Avenue M branch
on March 6.
The event featured keynote
speaker Michael Pechersky, a fi -
nancial planner who stressed the
importance of businesses maximizing
their 2018 tax return.
“It’s diffi cult for businesses to
take advantage of the tax law,” he
said. “I just wanted to teach people
to take advantage of changes
made by recent tax reform passed
in D.C.”
Around 20 small business
leaders attended the seminar,
which was part of the bank’s
Dime Speakers Program, according
to a bank rep.
“The Dime Speakers Programs
are business-focused and
themed events, which help to
bring topics of interest and relevance
to the business community
surrounding our branches,” said
Andrew Grippo.
The March 6 installment of
the series took place at the Midwood
branch at 1600 Avenue M,
and was the third hosted by the
bank since January. The other
events focused on business planning
and business law. In the future,
the bank hopes to expand
the series to explore new and
important topics relevant to the
local business community.
“Going forward, we will continue
to look for speakers on
other topics of interest such as
social media, business succession,
business formation, among
others,” said Grippo.
— Aidan Graham
Langone Hospital–Brooklyn,” says Dr.
Joseph M. Weisstuch, chief medical offi
cer at NYU Langone Hospital–Brooklyn.
“Now patients who experience
symptoms from a variety of arthritic or
autoimmune conditions can be seen by
a leading expert in the fi eld and receive
support from one of the best rheumatology
teams in the nation.”
Homsi sees patients at NYU Langone
Hospital–Brooklyn and NYU
Langone Ambulatory Care Bay Ridge.
To schedule an appointment, call (929)
455–2000, or visit nyulangone.org.
ALL IN FUN: Reps from nine Coney Island-based organizations on March 25 received
a total of $60,000 from the Coney Island Polar Bear Club, which collected the cash at
this past year’s Polar Bear Plunge. John Delaney/WCS
They’re freezin’ for a good reason
Photo by Steve Solomonson
Photo by Trey Pentecost
/nyulangone.org