The Floating Hospital on NY1

We were excited to see Dr. Shani Andre on NY1 discussing The Floating Hospital’s history and mission from her perspective as executive vice president of clinical administration and chief medical officer during a recent “In Focus” program.

The segment highlighted historic video footage and archival photos of our services on the water as well as more recent use of our now land-based facilities. What hasn’t changed is our patient base. As one of the earliest New York City pediatric charity hospitals, our focus is still on children and families with the most need and fewest resources, as we remove barriers to care. These include a lack of insurance and even transportation to our clinic, so they can heal and find a path forward from homelessness and domestic violence.

Regarding The Floating Hospital today, Andre said she was most proud of the assistance we provide and the staff members who come in daily to supply healthcare, relief, health and hygiene education, and social services “to patients who frequently don’t have other options to receive those services.”

ICYMI: Our gala videos

Every year, The Floating Hospital produces a video for our summer gala that features families who seek our care and who describe their paths from crisis to care and healing. This year’s video also reflected on our 160th anniversary and how our mission has remained unchanged since the beginning.

This year’s families, who both came to New York City from Florida, reflect a trend we have seen in our clinics of families who travel or return to the city from out of state.

As Executive Vice President of Clinical Administration, Dr. Shani Andre noted recently, “because the resources are so great in New York City… we have patients coming from almost all of the states in the United States. They’re coming from Texas, they’re coming from Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, because there are more resources for those individuals who are really struggling.” This trend may have contributed to the historic highs in the city’s family homelessness statistics over the past few years. Although many have found permanent homes for their families, their households can still suffer from food insecurity and the lack of other essentials so many take for granted.

Since 1866, The Floating Hospital has helped New York families with the greatest need and fewest resources. Our “more than healthcare” model and generous donors continue to empower us to provide family medical care, health education, and relief and social services to families in shelters, domestic violence safe houses, and public housing, to ease suffering and create a path forward. “It’s transformed us in so many ways,” one of our younger patients notes in this year’s video. “They give us so much.”

You can watch the full length video that was featured at our summer gala this year and shorter videos (View Crystal’s story here or Jiselle’s story here) focused on individual family stories on The Floating Hospital channel on YouTube.

A grant to prevent and treat gun violence

We are pleased and grateful to announce that The Floating Hospital received a grant renewal this year from the New York City Council’s Cure Violence program.

The $45,600 we received for the 2027 fiscal year will support case workers and other associated costs to assist our behavioral health department in treating victims of gun violence and identify and prevent potentially violent situations.

Any violence has emotional consequences, but victims of gun violence may have lasting physical and mental injuries as well. One survivor of a gunshot wound to the head found the neurological impacts upended her life in ways she hadn’t expected, leading to an inability to work and a fear of leaving her home. “The dangerousness of it, the suddenness of it, is more intense. It creates different triggers,” said Jonathan Zimmerman, director of behavioral health at The Floating Hospital.

We have received grants from this program since 2015, most recently working with City Councilwoman Julie Won’s office. Our main clinic’s location in Long Island City is in the city’s 114th Precinct, one of the largest precinct areas in NYC, including the Ravenswood, Astoria and Queensbridge public housing projects.

The City Council’s website states “Cure Violence takes an evidence-based, public health approach to gun violence by attempting to detect and interrupt conflicts before they escalate, identify and treat high risk individuals (those most likely to commit and/or be victimized by gun violence), and change social norms.”

… and for domestic violence survivors

The New York City Council also renewed our funding through its Domestic Violence Empowerment (DoVE) Initiative, administered by Safe Horizon, which ensures grantees receive funding to provide case management, crisis intervention, education, and other related assistance. Our grant this year for $39,500 will provide services to domestic violence survivors from all five boroughs of New York City and help to fund a case manager and clinical psychologist to provide crisis intervention services.

Rain, shine, or smoke

The forecast was for classic July sunny weather. Instead, smoke and poor air quality from wildfires to the north caused our staff appreciation barbecue to be moved inside on July 17. Holding the event in the Long Island City clinic didn’t stop the fun, however. Our staff enjoyed a catered barbecue lunch, team building, and appreciation. The team challenges included trivia, the human knot, and several relay races.

Please enjoy these photos and cheer the Blue team, whose members were the overall winners of the games. Congratulations!