Dear Neighbors, On January 1, 2022, I became your 14th Bronx Borough President, and my team and I have been hard at work to serve the residents of this great borough. It has been a challenging and difficult few weeks in The Bronx, as we experienced a tragic 5-alarm fire with 17 fatalities in Fordham Heights, we have seen a wave of violence including an incident involving an 11-month year old child, a building explosion in Longwood, a police officer shot in the line of duty in Belmont, a shooting inside of Jacobi hospital, and COVID-19 continues to impact our everyday lives. Although we have faced incredible hardships, we know that in trying times, Bronxites always come together and display our strength. We have seen neighbors helping neighbors, and we have seen overwhelming generosity from community members wanting to help one another.
Our office, along with our local elected officials have been on the ground since the fire in Fordham Heights, to ensure immediate services are coordinated to help our residents and families. We immediately established Monroe College as a service center that included multiple city agencies and community based organizations to assess the needs of each household. We established collection sites in the area including Bronx Community College, The Gambian Youth Organization, and local Mosques to receive necessary items and toiletries for our families. Weeks later, we continue to work with our families on long- term needs including permanent housing in the Bronx. We have committed to ensuring that none of our families are displaced, nor forced to return to Twin Parks if they choose not to.
Our collective goals are to help with both short and long term housing, social services, wraparound services and necessary counseling to help our families heal and rebuild. The deaths of our neighbors will not be in vain and we will turn our pain into purpose to rebuild Twin Parks in the long term. I am grateful for the love and support of New Yorkers, Bronxites and neighbors who stepped up to help. The overwhelming support has been felt by the families of Twin Parks and we are truly grateful to the New York City Police Department, first responders, the FDNY, American Red Cross, faith leaders, the Office of Emergency Management and so many others that have offered support. In response to the recent incidents of gun violence we have seen in our city, our office is joining forces with elected officials, clergy, community leaders, and our violence interrupters to execute a plan of action to make our streets safer. When a young baby is senselessly shot, it is a sign that this is a state of emergency, and that we have more work to do to end the proliferation of guns in our neighborhoods. In addition to the work we have done with our partners in government, we want to make sure the voices of the community are also being heard. We have opened up applications to join your local community board and we are encouraging everyone ages 16 and up to apply. You can click HERE for more information on how to apply in English or in Spanish. Even during these difficult times, I am reminded of the resiliency of our borough and the need for us to lead with compassion, consistency, dedication, empathy, and purpose. I look forward to seeing you all in every corner of our borough soon, and together we will build a healthier, safer Bronx for everyone. In partnership, Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson | 
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