Dress for Success
The “Giving Gals” of Montrose, Pennsylvania have been sewing dresses and quilts for our young patients for many years. This month, they had a moment in the spotlight. Monica Morales, an Emmy award-winning investigative reporter for PIX11 News, is the host of Monica Makes It Happen, which highlights social issues such as food insecurity and human trafficking.
She traveled to Montrose to meet and interview the ladies who, since meeting fellow resident and Floating Hospital President Sean Granahan, use their spare time to make beautiful things out of cloth to comfort those in temporary housing. On her back deck, Carol Brown showed some of her current projects and made a plea for fabric donations so their work can continue.
Back in our main clinic in Long Island City, Morales found four-year-old Raylis, who found a new quilt and dress that she kissed, tried on and twirled around in to show her happiness with it. Her mother noted that it was a sign that “kindness still exists.” We think the handmade donations are a powerful example of strangers coming together to create hope in the community.
To donate fabric to the “Giving Gals,” contact Svetlana Stanarevic at sstanarevic@thefloatinghospital.org.
Bowling for a cause
Please join us for an evening of fun with purpose on Tuesday, October 14 for Strike Up Hope! from 6-8 pm at Lucky Strike Times Square. Individuals or teams of up to four are welcome, novice level or pro. There will be prizes for top teams and individuals along with food, soft drinks and one complimentary glass of wine or beer.
Entry fees are $125 per person or $450 for a team of four. The money raised will help provide free transportation to care, on-site health education and summer programs that keep teens on track. Rally your company or squad to help families rise! Sponsorship packages are available and can help even more people receive the healthcare, education and essentials they need to build a stable and hopeful future.
Women Wellness starts with you
For more than a decade, The Floating Hospital’s Women’s Wellness Days have ensured women and girls receive screenings, vaccinations and information they need to live healthy lives in an environment of tranquility and indulgence.
Through a partnership with the American Italian Cancer Foundation (AICF), we offer mammograms on their mobile unit as well as tests in our clinic for HPV, cervical cancer and STIs. Before or after their screenings and workshops, guests can relax with a massage and partake in other rejuvenating activities. Classes will be offered on women’s and girls’ health topics such as perimenopause and puberty. Breakfast, lunch and snacks will be served. There will also be many free items to take home including clothing, lingerie, personal care and beauty products.
For more information on how you can help sponsor Women’s Wellness and the well-being of women and girls, contact Jenny Iselin at JIselin@thefloatinghospital.org. You can donate goods via our wishlist or use the list for inspiration and shop anywhere.
Like other kids across America, the children we serve who live in temporary housing all love Halloween, which will be here before we know it. The excitement of dressing up and pretending to be someone or something else can be a welcome distraction from the challenges of their new environment. It also allows them not to miss out on a common childhood rite, injecting some normalcy into an otherwise chaotic time.
We gladly accept costume donations to help them celebrate the holiday. In addition to our annual costume appeal, our health education department holds Halloween-themed lessons on bones and brains during the last two weeks of October that young patients can enjoy before or after their appointments. They go home with bags of “treats” too.
Supporters who wish to help our young patients dress up for the season can ship costumes to us through online retailers such as Amazon or Walmart or send them directly to The Floating Hospital, 21-01 41st Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11101. Costume drop-off at the same address is available during our regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 8am-5pm. Costumes must be received by October 21.
Pickups may be available for anyone who has amassed a large number of costumes through a school, business, or apartment collection drive. Ask for the education department at 718-784-2240, ext 777 for more details.
Armed against the flu
As we pass the date that marks the official start of fall, it’s time to think about flu shots and other seasonal needs.
Annual flu shots are recommended for everyone aged six months and older. Flu begins to spread in early fall, so having the vaccine by late October is recommended, and the hospital has flu shots available now for anyone who wants them. Those who inoculate themselves help protect others by contributing to herd immunity and minimizing the flu’s ability to jump from one patient to another.
Other ways of defending against infection include minimizing exposure to people who have the flu, covering the nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing, washing hands with soap and water, not touching the face and frequent cleaning and disinfecting of high-touch areas like door knobs and light switches.
A healing partnership
On the afternoon of September 24, The Floating Hospital partnered with the Healing Circle Foundation to present the Embracing Well-Being Program, “a series designed to foster mindfulness, self-awareness, resilience, and community connection” at our Community Center in Long Island City.
The event included a discussion on mindfulness and self-awareness, open sharing and reflection, and a class in He Yi Dao, which is a movement-based healing practice to support emotional resilience.
The program was part of United Nations General Assembly Healing Arts Week, a showcase of “how the arts contribute to global health and well being,” held during the UNGA in New York City. The Healing Circle Foundation is a nonprofit that promotes mental, physical, and spiritual healing using energy elevation meditation, He Yi Dao or moving meditation, energy, dance, detoxification and wellness consultations.
