Brooklyn Borough President

BOROUGH PRESIDENT JOINS DRY CLEANERS IN CLOTHING THOUSANDS OF NEW YORKERS THIS WINTER


Photograph by Joe Frizzell
In photo: (from left to right): Borough President Marty Markowitz, Francis Choy of the Neighborhood Dry Cleaners Association, Shi-Yong Khim, Director of the Korean Dry Cleaners Association Winter Clothing Drive, First Deputy Commissioner Fran Winter of the Department of Homeless Services, and Yong Cho, Vice President of the Korean Dry Cleaners Association of New York.

On Friday, December 9, Borough President Marty Markowitz, along with the Korean Dry Cleaners Association in cooperation with the Neighborhood Cleaners Association, donated more than 6,000 articles of unclaimed clothing to the Department of Homeless Services. Homeless Services First Deputy Commissioner Fran Winter was at Borough Hall to collect the various overcoats, jackets, sweaters and pants that were graciously donated by dry cleaners from Brooklyn and beyond and which will be distributed to homeless shelters in Brooklyn and across New York City to help clothe thousands of New Yorkers this winter.

“There is a chill in the air, but Brooklynites and residents all over the City have a warm spot in their hearts for those who are struggling to make ends meet,” said Borough President Markowitz. “Thank you to the Korean Dry Cleaners Association and the Neighborhood Cleaners Association for gathering this clothing — I know it will mean so much to thousands of Brooklynites and New Yorkers during the freezing months ahead. Sometimes it is easy to take things for granted in life, but a warm coat or a cozy sweater can help someone trying to reclaim and rebuild his or her life.”

“I am happy to join my fellow dry cleaner owners as we give back to the community,” said Shi-Yong Khim, Director of the Winter Clothing Drive, Korean Dry Cleaners Association. “No matter how small your organization is, there is always something you can do to help. During Christmas time and the onset of winter, it is especially important because people need clothing to stay warm and dry. We are incredibly pleased to be able to once again help out homeless New Yorkers during the holiday season.”

“I want to first thank the Korean Dry Cleaners Association for their generosity during this season of giving and for remembering the most vulnerable New Yorkers, “ said Fran Winter, First Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Homeless Services. “I also want to thank Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and his staff for organizing this event and helping show how partnerships between public agencies and the business community can make a difference to those in need.”

The clothing will be taken to three shelters in Brooklyn – the Atlantic Armory at 1322 Bedford Ave., the Barbara Kleinman Shelter at 300 Skillman Ave., and the Kingsborough 6 at 681 Clarkson Ave. Clothing will also be distributed to the 30^th Street Men’s Shelter in Manhattan, as well as, other shelters run directly by the Department of Homeless Services.