FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM OCTOBER 19, 2017 • THE QUEENS COURIER 21
Thieves targeting
cars at night in
109th Precinct
BY SUZANNE MONTEVERDI
smonteverdi@qns.com
@smont76
Flushing, Whitestone and College
Point residents were given a series
of tips to use to deter thieves from
rummaging through their cars in
the early hours of morning.
Inspector Judith Harrison, commanding
officer of the 109th
Precinct, alerted attendees at the
Oct. 11 Community Council meeting
about an uptick in perpetrators
with their eyes out for valuables in
vehicles parked on streets, lots and
residential driveways.
“They take whatever you have in
your car — and they’re very persistent,”
Harrison said.
The commanding officer said
an alarming number of residents
leave valuables, especially their
wallets, bags and purses, in their
cars. Thieves also look for laptops,
cell phones, GPS devices, charging
cords and even loose change. No
matter how long you will be away
from your vehicle, Harrison said,
take your belongings with you.
The problem is exacerbated by
car owners forgetting to activate
their car alarms, the inspector continued.
Car alarms should always
be activated and vehicles should be
parked in well-lit and highly trafficked
areas, which deters thieves.
The same people who pull on
car door handles are likely to try
opening home or garage doors, so
ensure these are always locked too,
Harrison also said.
“Get an alarm system — to protect
your home, to protect your
vehicles,” the commanding officer
said.
Harrison also suggested installing
video cameras on private property,
which may also serve as a
deterrent, if it is financially feasible.
Any incidents of theft should be
reported to your local police precinct.
Maspeth resident pens book
on city’s homeless crisis
BY ANTHONY GIUDICE
agiudice@qns.com
@A_GiudiceReport
One Maspeth resident is looking to get
to the root of the city’s growing homelessness
crisis, which sees nearly 60,000
people sleeping on the streets each night,
and dispel some of the myths surrounding
homelessness through her new book
“Our Invisible Neighbors.”
Crystal Wolfe, founder of the Catering
for the Homeless nonproft organization
which connects catering companies and
restaurants with organizations that give
out their excess food to the homeless and
communities in need, wrote her book as
a way to tell not only her personal story,
but the stories of others who are or have
been homeless, and provide input on how
to solve the homelessness crisis.
Th roughout the book, Wolfe delves into
the causes of homelessness, including not
only the well-known factors of drug abuse
and mental illness, but also some causes
that many people might not consider
such as domestic abuse, natural disasters,
skyrocketing medical bills and more.
Wolfe spoke to over 100 organizations
and cites nearly 200 sources in
“Our Invisible Neighbors,” including
Community Board 5 (CB 5) and their
Homeless Subcommittee, which helped
her come up with some of the book’s
solutions to the homelessness problem.
She also took a look at the Housing First
program which has been used in many
countries around the world, including
the U.S., to stem the tide of homelessness.
Wolfe took things to a more local level
in speaking with Assemblyman Andrew
Hevesi and his Home Stability Support
(HSS) program as a way of preventing
people from being homeless before they
are on the streets.
“I want to emphasize that Andrew
Hevesi’s Home Stability Support (HSS)
is an even better plan than Housing First
— it is the fi rst comprehensive plan to
prevent homelessness and my interview
with him on his plan is in Chapter 23
of this book,” Wolfe said. “HSS will be
voted in January of 2018, and the community
and government support is crucial
for him. His plan will prevent homelessness
for NYC and throughout the
state of N.Y., and even if New York does
not vote in favor of his plan next year, it
could be used as Housing First was used,
to end homelessness in other states and
countries.”
“Our Invisible Neighbors” aims to help
local residents better understand homeless,
therefore allowing them to better
assist the homeless, Wolfe contends, by
debunking many of the myths surrounding
homelessness, like the fact that 70 percent
of the homeless in NYC are families,
and nearly 44 percent of the homeless
across America actually have jobs.
“I also think this book would help anyone
who reads it to understand homelessness
better through the personal accounts
of the book, from those who have been
or currently are homeless, and the chapters
on the myths and causes of homelessness,”
Wolfe said. “I think one of those
myths it is important for the local neighborhood
to understand is that having
homeless housed actually improves property
taxes. I’ve heard examples for this
even in NYC, but I used an example of the
neighboring city of Philadelphia.”
However, the best way for people to
help the homeless, Wolfe said, is to actually
get involved.
Besides her Catering for the Homeless
operation, Wolfe is preparing to host
a toiletry drive for the homeless with
St. Sebastian’s Church in Woodside.
Th e drive will be held on Nov. 10 and
11, with donations being accepted at St.
Sebastian’s Academy, located at 39-76
58th St., from 7 to 9 p.m. on Nov. 10, and
from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Nov. 11.
“We need donations, volunteers to
assort the items, and people who can
drive the donations to the homeless shelters
and church pantries,” Wolfe added.
“Our Invisible Neighbors” is now available
at major and independent bookstores,
and online on Amazon and Kindle,
online bookstores.
Healthcare organization celebrates 110 years of excellence
A New Yorkbased
healthcare
organization is celebrating
over a century
of providing
outstanding services
with a gala
event.
In 1907, what is
today known as
Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care
and Rehabilitation was established by
a group of benefactors as a shelter for
homeless adults. From a single room
in an East Harlem House, Parker has
grown to be the region’s leading provider
of short-term rehabilitation and longterm
care.
On Oct. 26, Parker is inviting the community
to the Queens Museum for a
grand gala to celebrate Parker’s rich history,
innovative health care and new
technologies. Th e event will also recognize
Victoria Schneps-Yunis, co-owner
of Schneps Communications, for her
humanitarian works.
Schneps-Yunis sits on the board of the
Queens Museum of Art, Boys and Girls
Club of Metro Queens, Jamaica Center
for Arts and Learning and Flushing Bank.
She also founded and heads Schneps
Communications, a group of community
newspapers, websites, social media and
networking events in Queens, Brooklyn
and Long Island.
“We’re privileged to honor Victoria
Schneps-Yunis for her many philanthropic
accomplishments, civic-mindedness
and charitable endeavors,” said Michael
N. Rosenblut, Parker’s president and CEO.
“In 1971, ‘Vicki’ founded Life’s WORC,
a not-for-profi t which helps over 1,500
developmentally disabled and autistic folks
in 40 group homes and 20 day programs,
plus the Family Center for Autism.”
Th e gala will begin at 6:30 p.m. and
feature food, drink, dining and dancing.
Supporters are invited to reserve a table
at the gala, place an ad in the Gala Journal
or send a fi nancial gift . Th e support helps
strengthen Parker’s endowment, which
will benefi t the Institute’s current and
future patients and residents.
For reservations and sponsorship
opportunities, please visit www.parkerinstitute.
org/events-page-gala-2017. More
information can be requested at 718-289-
2143 or gala@parkerinstitute.org.
Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care
and Rehabilitation is located at 271-11
76th Ave.,
New Hyde Park. Learn more at their
website, parkerinstitute.org.
Photo: Shutterstock
Photo courtesy of Crystal Wolfe
Crystal Wolfe is continuing to peel back the
misconceptions on homelessness with her new
book “Our Invisible Neighbors.”
Photo courtesy of Parker Jewish Health Care and Rehabilitation