Brotherly Love Gives Turkeys To 500 Families

Two and a half years ago when Chris and Greg Hein opened the American Recycling Plant in Jamaica, community residents had no idea that the brothers were far more than just the new "garbage men" on the block.
And this past Friday more than 500 lucky individuals who lined up outside St. Pauls Presbyterian Church on 171st Street got to meet the Hein brothers and take home the turkeys they had donated.
The idea was the brainchild of Chris Hein. "It is hard to think that in this day and age, people might not have Thanksgiving dinner. That is definitely not what this holiday is about."
And so Hein visited the office of Councilmember Leroy Comrie and asked for help in organizing the idea. The councilmember was quick to offer assistance in choosing a location for the giveaway and letting needy members of the community know of the Hein familys generosity.
The turkeys were purchased from a supermarket that got the pickup ready for Friday morning. On the line outside the front of the church hundreds of people stood talking and laughing, all waiting for their chance to go inside and choose their turkey.
Loretta Jones said she got to the line about 9 am. "To stand here with all these people and get such a nice gift means Thanksgiving is starting early. Its nobodys fault that some of us cant quite afford everything we need," Jones stated. "But it sure does make you know that some folks with a little more dont hesitate to help others. Now thats what Thanksgiving is about."
Both Chris and Greg Hein stood with Councilmember Comrie as a grateful crowd carried off the staple of their holiday dinner. "Its people like the Heins that make good things happen for the community," the councilmember said. "Its a wonderful thing for an elected official to be able to bring service like this with the help of good neighbors."
But the good neighbor policy is nothing new to either Chris or Greg Hein.
When they first moved to their location on Douglas Avenue they were quick to settle their business and even quicker to notice that there were some things in the community that they would like to address.
Since the strip along Liberty Avenue into the 170s is heavily populated by the waste and recycling industry, a smell described by most residents as "sickening" unfailingly permeated the air shared by the garbage plants and the perimeter of residential homes that surround them.
The diminishing quality of life was long ignored by other businesses but American Recycling met with community officials and laid the groundwork to install an air reactor system, which would eliminate the foul odor.
Additionally, the Hein Brothers spent over $700,000 to reduce noise and virtually eliminated the tracking of any dirt and debris onto the streets.
Then of course there was Helen, the 80-year-old neighbor of American Recycling who was living in her home with no air conditioning until that is the Hein brothers found out about it.
Most recently they sponsored a PAL Halloween Party for almost three hundred children at a local school and the two have organized a Christmas Toy Drive by initiating a community outreach involving local schools and York College.
"Christmas is kids getting toys," Greg Hein said. "This year all kids are going to have Christmas."
editorial@queenscourier.com