— IN THE PAST WEEK —
Vallone Announces Expansion of
Free Queens Senior Transportation Program
Council Member Paul A. Vallone was joined by Selfhelp Vice President of
External Relations and Communications Sandy Myers and local seniors to
announce that the free senior transportation program will begin again on
Oct. 10. Vallone is proud to have nearly quadrupled the amount of funding
for this successful program since 2017, when he allocated $40,000 to pilot
the program.
This year, Council Member Vallone allocated $90,000 for seniors living in
his Northeast Queens district, while Speaker Johnson secured another
$50,000 at the request of the City Council’s Queens Delegation to provide
expanded services to seniors across the entire borough of Queens. In
addition, Queens Borough President Melinda Katz allocated $10,000 to the
program.
To make an appointment, seniors can call the Selfhelp Clearview Senior
Center at 718-224-7888 between the hours of 9 a.m. and noon to schedule
their next-day rides. Those who use the service will need to fill out a
basic application with demographic information and an emergency contact and
provide their destination. When ready for pickup, the senior will call
again for their return trip.
Selfhelp Community Services will work in partnership with Four Twos and
Central Car Service to schedule rides. The program will operate until the
funds are depleted.
“I’m excited to announce the awaited return of our Free Senior
Transportation Program, which will kick off again on Thursday, Oct. 10,”
said Council Member Paul Vallone. “Since we began the program four years
ago, thousands of rides to and from important medical appointments have
been provided to our borough's seniors — at no cost to them. In just a few
years, we’ve been able to nearly quadruple funding amounts for the program,
enabling us to provide this vital service to seniors throughout Queens. I
thank Speaker Johnson, Queens Borough President Katz and the Queens
Delegation for their support and Selfhelp Community Services for always
being an outstanding community partner.”
“This is wonderful news,” said Frank Pavone, 93. “I recently fell, but now
I’m back and on my feet again thanks to my doctors. The most important
thing is for seniors to have reliable transportation to get to our
doctor’s appointments. This program makes a big difference for us and our
families.”
Read Coverage:
[1]Queens Courier
[2]Q[3]ueens Chronicle
[4]Patch
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Vallone Hosts Italian Heritage Celebration at City Hall
On Thursday night, Council Member Paul A. Vallone was proud to co-sponsor A
Celebration of Italian Heritage in observance of National Italian American
Heritage Month. Within the City Council Chambers, Vallone honored Joseph
DiPietro, President of the Federation of Italian American Organizations of
Queens (FIAO), with a New York City Council Proclamation for his
outstanding character and service to the community.
Mr. DiPietro was born in Sicily, Italy, and has been a resident of Astoria,
Queens, since 1966. In 1992, Mr. DiPietro’s passion for the community led
him to get involved with the FIAO, and in his role as President, he has led
the organization to meet the needs of the Italian-American community in
matters including immigration, foreign pensions, health and social issues
and cultural events. Mr. DiPietro served as chair of the 2004-2005 Queens
Columbus Day Parade and he currently serves on the Board of Directors of
the Central Astoria Local Development Coalition. He is also co-founder,
former President and the current Vice President of the Astoria Italia
Soccer Club, a team he has coached since 1995.
Consul General of Italy in New York, the Hon. Francesco Genuardi, delivered
remarks at the event. LaGuardia Arts High School student Victoria Pinto
performed the American and Italian National Anthems and the Landrum School
of Performing Arts led a dance performance.
“For centuries, Italian Americans have helped shape the course of our
nation’s history,” said Council Member Paul Vallone. “I’m proud to
co-sponsor the Italian Heritage Celebration at City Hall and recognize
outstanding Italian Americans like Joe DiPietro for their immeasurable
contributions to the Borough of Queens and the City of New York!”
View More Photos: [5]Flickr
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Vallone Marches in the 75th Annual Columbus Day Parade
Proud Monday morning to join Governor Andrew Cuomo and the thousands who
filled Fifth Avenue to march in celebration of Italian American heritage at
the 75th Annual Parade! Thank you to the Columbus Citizen Foundation for
once again organizing this special NYC tradition!
View More Photos: [6]Flickr
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— MORE NEWS —
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Italian Cultural Society Dinner Dance
A night to remember on Monday celebrating Italian Heritage and Culture at
the Italian Cultural Society of NY's annual Dinner Dance in Howard Beach! A
pleasure to introduce my NYC Council colleague Bob Holden, who was honored
with the Chairman's Award. Viva l'Italia!
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Coming Together with the John Lennon Tour Bus
On Tuesday morning, I stopped by Holy Cross High School, where a group of
students worked to write and produce a song and music video in one day with
The Lennon Bus! The school also received a package of instruments and
equipment to incorporate into curriculum.
Proud to fund this unique experience and see our students thrive!
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Touring NewYork-Presbyterian Queens
Productive tour and meeting this morning with the leadership
of NewYork-Presbyterian Queens to discuss all of the great work happening
at this healthcare system!
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QICA Legislative Breakfast
Great morning speaking at the Queens Interagency Council on the Aging's
Legislative Forum about our efforts to support our city's older adults in
the latest budget.
We will continue to work hard to make sure that our seniors are well
represented in all levels of government.
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Join Us For Our Final Outdoor Movie Night of the Year!
We still have one more outdoor movie to enjoy this year!
Mark your calendars and tell a friend!
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— UPCOMING EVENTS & COMMUNITY INFO —
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Thanks for reading! As always, if you have any questions or concerns, do
not hesitate to contact my office.
Sincerely,
Hon. Paul A. Vallone
New York City Council, District 19
42-40 Bell Boulevard, Suite 507
Bayside, New York 11361
718.619.8611
[email protected]
Follow me on [7]Facebook, [8]Twitter and [9]Instagram
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