By Mary Marvin, Mayor, Village of Bronxville
Apr.29, 2020: As the days continue, the Covid crisis manifests itself in many ways for many people - - be it exhaustion and sadness for our first responders or financial worries and anxiety for our business owners. They all need us as their Village family now more than ever.
To that end, I just want to recap how we can say thank you with gifts of support while keeping all the benefits in the Village of Bronxville.
It is a win on every level as we can express needed thanks, help out local business owners and maintain the vitality of the business district so that when all this comes to pass, we preserved Bronxville as a very attractive place in which to call home.
The village government, with the incredible support of the Police Department, encourages you to buy a gift card of any amount for any of the first responders – be it hospital workers, Bronxville police officers, Eastchester firefighters, or EVAC staff. Our officers then go around to the various business establishments, collect the cards, and deliver to the appropriate headquarters.
The Bronxville Chamber of Commerce has a very user-friendly and expansive site to both donate gifts of thanks to first responders and/or buy merchant gift cards for oneself to help keep our businesses afloat. Click here to go to the Bronxville Chamber of Commerce website.
As a reminder, New York State rules allow owners of non-essential businesses to be in their stores on a daily basis and conduct business via email or phone. Goods can then be picked up, delivered, or mailed for any customers.
Bronxville school families just recently started a go fund me page to deliver meals to Lawrence Hospital staff. All the food purchased would be from Village establishments. To donate, click here.
The Bronxville Rotary Club has started an Emergency Food Fund for staffers of our businesses who were laid off and do not have a safety net as the days continue. Click here to go to the Bronxville Rotary website, and a description of the fund and ways to donate immediately pops up. The seed money for this project came directly from Rotary funds, and the continued donation of our generous Rotary members helps to keep it going.
The Bronxville, Tuckahoe, and Eastchester Community Fund has started a Community Fund Covid-19 Relief Fund to provide immediate relief to community programs that address social, economic, and other repercussions of the virus. The fund will not only serve those in the Community Fund’s current catchment area but, if needed, our neighbors in Mount Vernon and Yonkers. Click here to go to The Community Fund of Bronxville, Tuckahoe and Eastchester website and the donation instructions pop up. Again the seed money for this program was provided through the generosity of current Community Fund donors.
Equally important are cards and letters of thanks to all our first responders. Michael Fosina, President of NYP Lawrence Hospital, shared that the cards and signs sent to hospital workers are displayed throughout the hospital and have served to uplift and inspire the entire staff. Cards to the hospital can be directed to Michael Fosina at 55 Palmer Avenue, Bronxville, NY 10708.
All of our first responders have mentioned seeing the posters in house windows, signs on lawns, or the chalked driveway messages on their way to and from work. They are so appreciative, especially that the younger members of our community, recognize their efforts.
To a person, every one of our first responder organizations has contacted the Village to express their thanks to you for your gestures of kindness, big and small. Rest assured, I have never met more grateful nor more deserving people.
Our special Village is known for stepping up when our neighbors and friends need us, and there is no more appropriate time than now. We truly are in this as a Bronxville family. As I said on my recent call, “Be kind whenever possible as it is always possible.” -Dalai Lama
Photo by A. Warner
Editor's note: As a public service, MyhometownBronxville publishes articles from local institutions, officeholders, and individuals. MyhometownBronxville does not fact-check statements therein, and any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the thinking of its staff.
