August 2016 Monthly Update

A Message from Assembly Member Daniel O'Donnell


Dear Neighbor,

Summertime in New York City is filled with a variety of opportunities to beat the heat and take advantage of free activities and events. This month I encourage you to continue exploring everything the Upper West Side has to offer with your friends and family, but make sure you do so in a safe manner. The extreme heat and high humidity of the summer poses a dangerous risk to all New Yorkers. These temperatures are especially threatening to the elderly, infants, and young children. Remember to seek air-conditioned locations, stay hydrated, apply sunscreen, and check on family members, friends, neighbors and pets. Visit nyc.gov/beattheheat for information and resources to stay cool!  I invite you to take this time to review the list of free activities and events happening all throughout the district this month. From free theatre performances to art classes and museum exhibits, there are many ways to enjoy August in NYC!
 
I am excited to announce that my 12th Annual Summer Health Service Day, co-sponsored by Carlton Davis Jr., President of the Grant Houses Tenant Association and Felecia Pullen, Program Director of S.A.F.E. in Harlem will be on Saturday, August 20th on LaSalle Street between Broadway and Amsterdam. For more information including the types of free services and information offered, jump to the events section of this publication. You can also contact my Community Office for more details.
 
As always, should you need assistance or information, my Community Office is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM. Feel free to call my office at (212) 866-3970 or email me at odonnelld@nyassembly.gov. I also encourage you to follow my official New York State Assembly Twitter & Facebook accounts to get exclusive insight into the work I'm doing in my district and for all New Yorkers by visiting www.twitter.com/dannyodonnellny and www.facebook.com/dannyodonnellny.

 
Very truly yours,
 

Daniel O'Donnell


Assembly Member O'Donnell's 12th Annual Health Service Day
   
Assembly Member O'Donnell will host his 12th Annual Summer Health Service Day co-sponsored by Carlton Davis Jr., President of the Grant Houses Tenant Association and Felecia Pullen, Program Director of S.A.F.E. in Harlem. On Saturday, August 20th, join us at LaSalle Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenues to enjoy services, products and information at no-cost to the community, including:
 
OB/GYN
Pediatrics
Vision Services
Psychiatric Emergency Information
HIV Testing
Blood Pressure/Blood Sugar/ Cholesterol Tests
WIC Program Information
And many more!
 
Help spread the word to other community members you think may benefit from these services!
For more information, contact Assembly Member O'Donnell's Community Office at 
(212) 866-3970.


Assembly Member O'Donnell News Features
 
  In case you missed it, check out these news features of Assembly Member O'Donnell in July 2016.
 

Prison Reform & Criminal Justice
  • Salon Magazine discusses Civil Rights 50-a law, which makes most law enforcement and correctional officer records confidential. Assembly Member O'Donnell introduced two bills to remove and repeal 50-a. Assembly Bill 9332 repeals 50-a completely, while Assembly Bill 7611 would narrow that law by limiting which records could remain classified. Repealing or amending 50a would increase accountability and transparency of law enforcement, and ultimately help increase public awareness and safety. 
 
Housing
  • ProPublica covers the failures of voluntary compliance and Assembly Member O'Donnell's calls for fair housing practices to buildings receiving the J-51 tax abatement.  

Morningside Heights Historic District Designation
 
Morningside Heights is under extreme pressure from large scale, non-contextual, luxury development. Right now, there are proposals for 4 towers within blocks of each other between 120th St. and 122nd St. This means years of constant noise and dust, and additional pressure on neighborhood resources.

 For the past 20 years Assembly Member O'Donnell has been working very closely with the Morningside Heights Historic District Committee to create a protected historic district in our neighborhood, and has called on the Mayor for rezoning above 96th St. 

Now he needs your help! Tell the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) and Mayor de Blasio to preserve Morningside Heights for generations to come by joining our social media petition or signing our online petition .


2016 National Night Out

National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, better places to live. 

There will be music, free food and drinks, entertainment, and activities for kids
There will also be information about community resources available. 

Assembly Member O'Donnell is excited to attend the events hosted by both the 24th precinct and the 26th precinct every summer.


NYPD's 26th Precinct: Tonight, Tuesday, August 2nd, from 5 PM to 9 PM on Morningside Avenue between West 125th and West 127th Streets. 

NYPD's 24th Precinct:  Tonight, Tuesday, August 2nd, from 6 PM to 9 PM in the Happy Warrior Playground. The Playground is located on Amsterdam Avenue between 98th and 99th Streets. 


donateNYC
Increase Reuse of Second-Hand Goods!

The New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) announced the launch of donateNYC, a program designed to make finding and giving second-hand goods easier for New Yorkers. 

donateNYC provides residents with a website and mobile app to help them search by material and location to find the most convenient place to give or find reusable goods. 

For local nonprofit organizations in need of donated goods, or businesses looking to donate, donateNYC offers an online materials exchange where they can connect, donate and receive reusable goods. 

The donateNYC website is  nyc.gov/donate


Community Education Council 3 Vacant Seat
 
Do you want a greater voice in your child's education? Become a member of the Community Education Council in District 3! There is one vacancy, which is open to parents from the following schools:
 
PS 9; PS 75; PS 76; PS 84; PS 87; PS 145; PS 149; PS 163; PS 165; PS 166; PS 180; PS 185; PS 191; PS 199; PS 208; PS 241; PS 242; PS 333; PS 334; PS 452; PS 859; MS 54; MS 243; MS 245; MS 247; MS 250; MS 256; MS 258; MS 291; MS 421; FDA II; Mott Hall II; MS 415
 
As a Community Education Council Member you will promote the achievement of education standards, provide assistance to School Leadership Teams, play a role in evaluating the Community Superintendent, and approve zoning lines submitted by the Community Superintendent.
 
You can send completed application materials to:
 
CEC3
154 West 93rd Street - Room 204
New York, NY 10025
Fax: 212-678-2804
 
For more information contact the CEC3 office at 212-678-2782 or email CEC3 Administrative Assistant Karen Butler @


Department of Education Online Access to Student Records
 
Parents of NYC public school students no longer have to go to their child's school to access their child's secure data. Instead, parents can sign up for a NYC Schools account online, allowing them to see their child's student records, such as their attendance, report card grades, and general information. The online program is available in ten languages, making it accessible for a wide audience of parents. For more information about NYC Schools account, please visit  their website.


Harlem Week
 
Harlem Week is a series of events throughout the summer that bring together all age groups and cultures to celebrate the unique and diverse essence of Harlem. This celebration of Harlem offers over 100 events throughout the months of July and August, attracting approximately 2 million attendees from all over New York and the world.
 
For more information about Harlem Week's outdoor and indoor music concerts, the Upper Manhattan Auto Show, film festivals, health fair and 5k, sporting events, adult and children's fashion shows, youth programs and activities, career fairs and the HBCU Fair & Expo, please visit the   Harlem Week  site.


Explore Upper West Side Museums this August!
 
The American Museum of Natural History (Central Park West at 79 Street) is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.. For General Admission, visitors can pay as they like. Suggested donation does not apply to special exhibits. Visit their website  for more information about tickets and shows.
 
The Children's Museum of Manhattan (CMOM) (The Tisch Building, 212 West 83 Street), offers two ongoing exhibits for young children. CMOM is open Sunday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Children under 12 months are free. On the first Friday of every month, CMOM hosts free evening programs. Visit their website  for more information.
 
If you happen to pass by the New York Historical Society (170 Central Park West), at 2 p.m. or 3:30 p.m., check out their free daily tours of some of their collections. To learn when the Society is open, please visit their website , or call (212) 873-3400.


NYC Department of Education to Host Annual Summer Meals Program
 
Summer Meals provides free, healthy breakfast and lunch to all children 18 and younger. Those interested in obtaining meals do not need to register or show any form of personal identification to receive a meal, nor do they have to have NYC residency. 

If you are interested, you can pick up a meal at hundreds of public schools, NYCHA complexes, libraries, and other locations across all neighborhoods of the five boroughs. 

In order to find specific participating locations, please visit www.schoolfoodnyc.org , text "NYCMEALS" to 877-877, or call 311


The 2016 New York City Youth Guide to Summer Fun

The 2016 New York City Youth Guide to Summer Fun is a broad citywide calendar of family-oriented events and resources. Whether you're looking for the hottest concerts, film festivals and street fairs, or need to beat the heat at one of our many pools and beaches, there are thousands of attractions and events that are just a quick walk or subway or bus ride away.

This guide is a partnership between New York City agencies, museums, youth groups, libraries, arts organizations and cultural institutions.


The NYC Organics Collection Program
 
New York City runs one of the largest f ood waste recycling programs of its kind, collecting organic waste from residences, schools, city agencies, and institutions in all five boroughs. Every week, the Department of Sanitation collects food scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard waste from participants in pilot areas. Sanitation transports this waste to local and regional processing facilities where it is recycled into compost or turned into renewable energy.
 
To request NYC Organics Collection in your apartment building, city agency, or non-profit organization, submit an online inquiry at
 
Single-Family homes and small apartment buildings in pilot areas automatically receive service, as well as select public schools. If you don't live in a pilot area or if your building does not qualify for NYC Organics Collection, you can still recycle your organic waste by composting at home or bringing your food waste to a drop-off site in our community. Visit http://nyc.gov/compostproject for food waste drop off locations and more information.
 
The office of Assembly Member O'Donnell urges the community to participate in this initiative, as the NYC Organics Collection Program is a proven way to combat rodent infestation on our streets and in our spaces.


CityParks Sports Summer Programs

CityParks Sports helps kids stay active through free instruction in New York City parks across the five boroughs. Register now for programs including Tennis, Golf, Track & Field, Soccer and Get Up & Go. All programs are free of charge, include the use of equipment and run from early July through mid-August

Parents can register kids online at or on site during program hours with an instructor.

If you have any questions contact sports@cityparksfoundation.org or call (212) 760-6999 to register by phone.


Thrift Store Day
 
ReuseNYC  is excited to promote National Thrift Store Day on August 17, 2015 and celebrate the vibrant NYC re-use community. First-time and seasoned thrift store shoppers alike are invited to support their local thrift shops. Shopping second-hand not only saves shoppers money, it reduces waste and conserves resources. In addition, buying used goods from non-profit thrift stores supports those organizations' important social-service missions. Get more information on Thrift Store Day by visiting their website  and get shopping!


Summer on the Hudson
 
Summer on the Hudson is the Parks Department's annual outdoor arts & culture festival that takes place in Riverside Park from 59th Street to 153rd Street. With a mix of music concerts, dance performances, movies under the stars, DJ dance parties, kids' shows, special events, wellness activities, and more there is something for everyone!
 
All programs and events are free to the public and registration is not required unless specifically stated in event information.
 
To get the latest schedule, news and updates visit  Summer on the Hudson
 

ASSEMBLY MEMBER O'DONNELL'S UPCOMING
FREE LEGAL CLINIC
 
For constituents who need help with legal issues but are unable to come to Assembly Member O'Donnell's Community Office during the workday, Assembly Member O'Donnell hosts a monthly evening opportunity for constituents to consult with a volunteer attorney.
 
Call Joyce Goodman at (212) 866-3970 to make an appointment.
 
** Thursday, August 25th**


NEED A LARGE PRINT COPY OF THE MONTHLY UPDATE? CALL OR VISIT ASSEMBLY MEMBER O'DONNELL'S DISTRICT OFFICE FOR ONE!

If you are visually impaired or feel that you read better in large print, please do not hesitate to request a large print copy of Assembly Member O'Donnell's monthly update. Please call or stop by the Assembly Member's Community Office to request a copy. 


ATENCION // ATTENTION

La oficina comunitaria del Asambleísta Daniel O'Donnell tiene empleados que hablan español para asistir al público, tiempo completo, de   lunes a viernes desde 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM. La oficina de la comunidad está localizada en el 245 West 104th St., cercana a la calle Broadway. También se puede contactar la oficina en horario de trabajo al (212) 866-3970.
--
Assembly Member O'Donnell's community office has full-time Spanish-speaking staff available to assist you, Monday through Friday from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM. The office is located at 245 West 104th Street, just off Broadway. You can also call (212) 866-3970
during business hours.