On the Human Services Front

A lovely piece from Firefly Kate Sydney’s Compassion Collection

One of the many folks on the Human Services front that we’ve long appreciated is Dr. Jeffrey Reynolds of the Family & Children’s Association in Nassau County. He suggest that this press update from NYS Senator Kaplan is a good resource for those who care and/or need services during this challenging time, be they senior services, hunger, housing, healthcare, domestic violence, drug addiction, or legal services.

We were heartened to hear that caring LIers crashed the LI Cares website trying to make donations. Still, food banks are facing significant challenges, especially with everyone rushing the grocery stores!

They are running an “Essential Drive in Response to COVID-19 School Closures, which you may donate to here. You can check out their Facebook Page for information on what they’re doing to serve our most vulnerable, including mobile food pantries!

From The INN: What You Can Do to Help Right Now

Housing Help has been offering info on legislative and other matters that impact housing and more

Mental Health: We don’t know where this “Waves of Wellness” is based, save Facebook, but it’s been helpful

For Veterans: One of the better sources of information we’ve come across aimed directly at vets is Patchogue VFW Commander Dave Roger’s personal Facebook Page. We are grateful for his service.

For Seniors: Stop and Shop will be open exclusively to folks over 60 from 6-7:30am starting Thursday. This lets them get there when it’s the least touched and the best stocked. We are grateful.

Help Our Emergency Service Providers Help YOU!

Source unknown…but we thank whomever created it and figure they want it shared.

We are beyond grateful for our Emergency Service Providers – always, but especially now. While most of us are taking the moment to prepare ourselves, all over Long Island VOLUNTEERS are preparing themselves to put themselves at risk to help us all see this through.

In order to keep doing this, they NEED TO KNOW when they are going into a situation that might expose them to the virus. This way, they can take the special precautions necessary to keep EVERYONE down the line safe and still in service. So…tell the 911 operator, put a sign in your window, do whatever you can to make sure they can stay in service. THANK YOU!!!

The Huntington Community First Aid Squad has some good stuff on their page that you can share.

 

 

 

And…..while our hearts and gratitude are with all these folks, and Jon in particular is generally the first to point fingers in a million directions regarding whom else we should be appreciating, we want take a moment to personally thank Jon Siebert of the Mastic Beach Ambulance Company for his service here and so many times before. He’s a real friend, a true public servant and a most excellent human.

Best to you and your whole crew!!!!!

 

First — Puppies!!!

Image provided by the Guide Dog Foundation

If there’s one silver lining, it’s that the dogs of the world have not only been cleared of their own virus scare, they also suddenly have their people home a lot more!

Of course, some very special canines get to stay with their people wherever they go. We were going to share our adventures learning about the incredible service dogs at the Guide Dog Foundation, and Americas Vet Dogs, but realize they are probably occupied with more important things this month than helping us edit a long-form article.

So…soon…

Meanwhile, we invite you to please support the valuable work of the Guide Dog Foundation, and Americas Vet Dogs and to check out their newsletter and testimonials. The stories are incredibly uplifting and heartwarming. Check ’em out here and here

NOTE! There may be special ways folks can help them navigate the current situation soon. Watch their websites and social media as well as our Facebook Page for details!!!

Ultimate Feel-Good Story: Giving an LI Veteran a Home

Image of Fairway Home

We were first introduced to this endeavor to purchase and remodel a house in order to give it, mortgage-free, to a post-9/11 Purple Heart recipient by Rosemarie Kluepfel of Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp. and Daphna Adler of Interiors by Daphna Adler at a SCWBEC (Suffolk County Women’s Business Enterprise Coalition) meeting. Since then, we have become fully enamored with the merry band of designers, remodelers and others who have given so much to make this happen.

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Gus Scutari: Syosset’s Humble Champion of Americanism

We read this over and over and learn something new each time — WWII Veteran, Memorial Day Parade Organizer, and ardent booster of continuing to endeavor to be a good American in all sorts of ways, Gus Scutari reflects on life.

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