Doe Fund Will Maintain LIC Strips
The City Council majority leader has partnered to expand street cleaning to sections of Long Island City and Dutch Kills, it was announced Thursday, July 31.
Through $133,000 allocated by lawmaker Jimmy Van Bramer, street cleaning will be expanded to several new routes, three days a week. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday–Jackson Avenue from Vernon Boulevard to 45th Avenue, 11th Street to 44th Drive, 5th Street from Borden Avenue to 46th Avenue and the side streets between Vernon Boulevard and 11th street–will be cleaned by the Doe Fund, it was noted.
The Doe Fund is a nonprofit that helps formerly homeless men transition back into the workforce. Its Founder and President, George McDonald, members of the LIC partnership, Community Board 2 representatives and local residents joined Van Bramer last Thursday to support the effort to keep the community clean.
These efforts have included community clean-ups, pigeon mitigation along the number 7 line in Woodside and Sunnyside and street cleaning services, Van Bramer stated.
The Doe Fund already operates in the 26th City Council district and many others across the city. Funding will also maintain existing cleaning services five days a week in Woodside and Sunnyside.
“Over two years ago we introduced the Doe Fund to the 26th District,” Van Bramer said. “Since then we have tackled the issue of street cleanliness head-on. With this expansion in Hunters Point/Long Island City and Dutch Kills, thousands more residents and countless business will benefit form these services that keep our streets clean.”
The Doe Fund’s Ready, Willing and Able trainees clean 150 miles of city sidewalks every day, it was noted.
Services provided by the Doe Fund include cleaning sidewalks, trash pick-up, tree pit maintenance and weeding and graffiti removal from fire hydrants, light poles and mailboxes. Workers will also clear snow from catch basins, gutters, crosswalks and bus stops as well, Van Bramer stated.
He has allocated over $230,000 toward maintaining neighborhood cleanliness since taking office, it was noted.
“Since being elected in 2009, Councilmember Van Bramer has been instrumental in improving the quality of life in District 26,” McDonald said. “We’ve been proud and grateful to join him in that work, cleaning and beautifying streets in the district for the past year. By doubling his investment in street cleaning services, he’s become one of the biggest City Council supporters of the Doe Fund’s ‘men in blue’– many of whom were homeless and jobless until just a few weeks ago.”
