AVELLA LAUNCHES SNOW REMOVAL PROGRAM FOR SENIORS

QUEENS, NEW YORK – Senator Tony Avella and the Shin Kwang Church in Bayside are helping senior citizens battle the snow throughout North and Eastern Queens this year, and are asking that additional selfless, able bodied volunteers of all ages to join Avella’s “Snow Removal for Seniors” program.

The Shin Kwang Church has already provided 14 volunteers which will be matched up with seniors living in their vicinity who are in need of assistance with snow removal.  Senator Avella is in the process of reaching out to local schools asking for additional volunteers to help cover the vast 11^th Senatorial District.

“Year after year seniors struggle to clear their sidewalks and remove the snow,” stated Avella.  “Many seniors are unable to remove the smallest amount of snow and are completely trapped following the larger storms.  Unfortunately, they are still responsible for the snow removal in front of their homes and often receive fines from the City for not clearing the snow from their sidewalks.”

Volunteers of all ages can contact the Senator’s office directly at 718-357-3094.   Student volunteers will receive 10 hours of community service credit.

Avella concluded, “The biggest complaint I hear is not that homeowners are receiving the tickets, but that neighborhood kids don’t come around anymore with shovels trying to make a few dollars clearing sidewalks!  Thankfully, we have already received over a dozen volunteers from the Shin Kwang Church in Bayside.  Hopefully we can enlist more volunteers.”