Season's Greetings from Assembly Member O'Donnell
Dear Neighbor,
 
The holiday season is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate love with our families, our friends, and our neighbors. It is a time to reflect on the year past, while looking forward to our plans for the New Year.  I hope, too, that you will remember the millions of New Yorkers for whom this may be a difficult time. 
 
Similarly to my Thanksgiving  message, I have included below a few ways you can give back this winter season.  As we prepare for the holidays and the New Year, I invite you to extend your time or your donations to organizations that aim to uplift New Yorkers in need. 
 
I would also like to use this opportunity to share a few community updates with you. The Citibank on 111th Street has finally begun work on building a new branch. I have included the rendering below. The former D'Agostino site on 110th St. is slated to have a new grocer in the beginning of 2017. Finally, the former Banco Popular site on 111th St. is undergoing renovations; we have reached out to the owner for their plans with the space, and will update you once we hear back. 

Finally, I want to bring to your attention the increase in hate crimes throughout the City. Unfortunately, the Upper West Side, Morningside Heights, and Manhattan Valley are not immune to these acts of hate. I ask that you be vigilant, observant, and take care of one another. If you witness a hate crime or are a victim of a hate crime, call 911 as soon as you are able. 

I wish you a warm and joyous holiday season full of compassion for yourself and others. Please note that my office will be closed from Saturday, December 24th, 2016 until Monday, January 2nd, 2017. We will resume normal operating hours on Tuesday, January 3rd, 2017.

Cheers to the new year ahead!
 
Very truly yours,

 
Daniel O'Donnell

P.S. I thank everyone who contributed to the Holiday Toy Drive a t my Community Office this December. It was our most successful toy drive yet!
Community Office Operation Hours

In observance of the holiday season, the Community Office of Assembly Member O'Donnell will be  closed  from Saturday,  December 24th, 2016  through Monday,  January 2nd, 2017. 

The office will resume normal operating hours on Tuesday, January 3rd, 2017.

The 28th Annual New York Cares Coat Drive
 
The 28th Annual New York Cares Coat Drive kicked off mid-November with 125,000 coat requests from the community left to fufill. They're relying on us to keep tens of thousands of New Yorkers warm throughout the coldest months of the year. Here are three ways to help immediately, courtesy of New York Cares:
 
1. Text COAT to 41444
Don't have a coat to donate this year? New York Cares has a whole new way to give in case you've already cleaned out your closets or can't make it to a drop-off location. Simply text COAT to 41444. Just $20 buys a new coat for a neighbor in need.
 
You can gather your friends, family, colleagues, or neighbors and run a coat drive of your own. In fact, it's one of the most powerful ways to bring in more coats for those who most need them.
 
Have a couple of coats to donate? New York Cares has drop-off sites open to the public all over the city - any NYPD police precinct, which are open 24 hours a day, any Queens Library branch, and many more.  Just type your zipcode  to locate a collection point near you, or contact Assembly Member O'Donnell's Community Office at 212-866-3970 for help finding your nearest location.

Ice-Skating Rinks Re-Open
 
New York City's favorite winter activity returns for another year! Rinks in Central Park, Bryant Park and across the city have re-opened for the winter season.
 
The ice skating rinks listed below offer a safe way to celebrate the cold weather. Please call rinks before your visit to confirm hours, as outdoor skating rink schedules can change due to weather conditions. Feel free to visit the  NYC Parks website for more information.

Name Location Phone Accessibility 
Lasker Rink at Central Park Entrance just south of park entrance at 110th Street and Lenox Avenue 917-492-3856 Yes
The Rink at Bryant Park Between 40th and 42nd Street 212-661-6640 Yes
Wollman Rink at Central Park Central Park at 63rd Street 212-439-6900 No
The Rink at Rockefeller Center Rockefeller Plaza between 50th and 49th streets
 212 332-7655
 Yes
Riverbank State Park Ice Rink Riverbank State Park, at 145th Street and Riverside Drive 212 694-3600
 Yes

Goddard Riverside Community Center's
Holiday Meals 2016
 
Goddard Riverside Community Center,   working with a coalition of community residents and merchants, is once again sponsoring its annual Holiday dinner for the homeless and other individuals and families in need. Everyone is welcome, especially those of our neighbors who haven't any place to go or anyone to celebrate with. The dinner will be held on:
 
Christmas Day
Sunday, December 25th, 2016
Noon to 3:00 pm

at Goddard Riverside Community Center
(593 Columbus Avenue at 88th Street)

As most of the food is donated, Goddard Riverside welcomes the participation of congregations, schools, and organizations in organizing bake sale and/or baking cookies and pies for their dinners. Based on the demand for food last year, Goddard Riverside is in great need of additional contributions, specifically cooked or frozen meats, and baked or packaged desserts. 

To make arrangements for donations, and for further information, please call Brianne Kilpatrick at (212) 873-6600, ext. 314, or email at [email protected].

Citibank Site on 111th Street and Broadway

Assembly Member O'Donnell has been in consistent communication with Citibank to address the community's urgent need to have a reconstructed branch at 111th street and Broadway. We are happy to share a draft rendering of the new Citibank building, demonstrating that the new structure will be the same size as the previous building prior to the fire.


We will continue to update the community with developments, and remain attentive to this ongoing issue.

Big Brothers/Big Sisters of New York City
 
A Big Brother or Big Sister is a volunteer mentor who spends about four hours every other week, for at least a year, with a young person in need. The pair spends their time participating in low-cost or no-cost recreational activities like exploring a new neighborhood or playing Frisbee in Central Park. 

All volunteers must commit to eight hours per week. 

For more information on how to become a Big Brother or Sister, visit Big Brothers/Big Sisters of New York City's website, or call 888-BIGS-NYC.

City Harvest

City Harvest provides food for over 800 emergency food programs including soup kitchens, food pantries, daycare centers and senior centers in all five boroughs. 

During the holidays, City Harvest helps groups or individuals organize food drives in their apartment buildings, office buildings and places of worship. 


To learn more about getting involved, visit the City Harvest website.

City Meals on Wheels
 
Citymeals delivers meals to homebound elderly on weekends, holidays, and in times of emergencies. 

Call to volunteer for meal delivery or to become a "friendly visitor" to an elderly person, or send a monetary contribution to 355 Lexington Avenue, 3rd floor, NYC, 10017. 

For more information regarding holiday volunteer opportunities, visit the City Meals on Wheels website.

Coalition for the Homeless' Holiday Toy Drive

Please join the Coalition for the Homeless for their annual Holiday Toy Drive. The Coalition is collecting new, unwrapped toys for homeless children. Here's how you can help:
  • Donate to their Kids' Holiday Carnival
  • Drop-off your new, unwrapped toy at one of the following public drop-off locations:
    • Coalition for the Homeless: 
      129 Fulton Street New York, NY 10038
    • The Albert Apartments: 
      23 East 10th Street New York, NY 10003
  • Visit their Amazon Wish List or make a gift online to support the Toy Drive.
Follow Assembly Member O'Donnell on Facebook and Twitter to get the latest updates on community events, important information, and legislative updates!