Despite a setback from Hurricane Sandy, the historic shelter looks ahead to a new facility and a robust Thanksgiving

By Sophia Rosenbaum

The New York City Rescue Mission has a lot to be thankful for post-Sandy.

“It’s a little bit of a hardship to be blocks away from the worst of it,” said Joe Little, the mission’s director of community relations. “But, we were able to sustain some continuity for four or five days while being in the middle of mild-mannered chaos.”

While the mission lost power for four days, they continued to feed hundreds of people, including what Little calls the “perennial homeless” and the “temporarily homeless.”

The mission, which is tucked behind a construction project just south of Canal Street, helps those who have slipped between society’s cracks to find refuge, offer a meal on their plate and a bed to sleep in at night—24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“It’s a sanctuary of hope,” said Martin Bowman, a reformed cocaine addict who now greets anyone who walks through the doors with a smile as the mission’s front desk supervisor. “It challenges your worldview and hopefully starts people on a path to transformation.”

Bowman, who has been affiliated with the mission for 12 years, is just one of their many success stories.

Lost in a sea of scaffolding, the mission is getting a top-to-bottom makeover. With long sheets of plastic serving as makeshift doors and the resonating sound of drills and hammers, Bowman said he’s eagerly awaiting the new six-story building, which is still on track to be complete in early 2014 despite the setback from Sandy.

Many New Yorkers in dire straits can’t welcome the new construction soon enough. Statistics from the 2011 Census Bureau detail a rising poverty rate in New York City, which is currently at 20.9 percent, up nearly one percentage point from last year. In raw numbers, that means close to 1.7 million people fall below the poverty level of $22,811 for a family of four in New York City. Rising poverty paired with our current national economic crisis translates to more people out of work, out of money and out of a place to live.

For the mission, this means more people to help. Packaged as a soup kitchen, a pantry and a shelter, the mission offers a variety of 24/7 services, from three meals a day to overnight lodging to counseling, and men-only 12-step programs for recovering alcoholics and drug addicts.

Harry Benjamin, 58, has been coming to the food pantry for years because he and his wife do not bring in enough money to support his two children.

“I come here to eat,” Bejamin said, ”so that I can have enough food before my next check comes.”
Bowman said all the security guards who work with Benjamin come to the mission for pantry packages to sustain their families.

From 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., people arrive in spurts to claim two plastic bags stuffed with staples like rice, pasta, canned fruits and canned vegetables. Some unexpected treats like cookies and chocolate toffee also make their way into the bags through donations from Starbucks and other local bakeries.

From July to September, over 900 people volunteered at the mission to help serve the 500 people they help a day, according to David Knoche, the mission’s volunteer manager and administrative assistant. From spaghetti and meatballs to a full Thanksgiving meal, Knoche said numbers are up for those using soup-kitchen services for their daily meals since the 2008 recession.

“It takes a village to make things happen,” he said.

While he may not look it in his professional attire of a purple button-up shirt and black slacks, Knoche is a recovered alcoholic and dope addict. He has been clean for over 30 years and attributes much of his success to God.

The mission focuses on religious and spiritual guidance to help people escape drugs and homelessness. James Rowntree, 53, has been in the 12-step program for seven months, and is homeless, but not an addict.

“I’ve got no family, no money, no place to live,” he said in a British accent. “I believe that God wants me to be here.”

People at the mission like Rowntree break the mold of what most people think of when they hear the word “homeless.”

The same is true for Bowman. Although he was raised by a “solidly middle-class family,” his egocentric tendencies eventually tied him in the drug scene.

“My real addictions were power,” he said. “I had no intention of helping the homeless at all,” he added with a laugh.

But, after the tables were turned and Bowman experienced first-hand what it was like to be homeless, he dedicated his life to helping those in need.

“The real struggles in life are universal,” he said. “If you’re a homeless addict, we provide help. If you’re a businessman, we provide help. This place does so much more than just provide people with a meal.”

Little said that despite minor setbacks from Sandy, they are still gearing up for their 14th annual Great Thanksgiving Banquet, where he expects at least 1,200 people—up 200 people from 2011.
“We have a bigger space this year for the celebration,” he said. “So we think it will be bigger this year. Also, I think no matter what your socioeconomic status is, people are very aware of the plight of the homeless right now because of Sandy.”

Swindler of UES Woman Indicted

Philip Leopold, who is charged with grand larceny, forgery, falsifying business records and several other charges, was indicted this week for stealing over $1.6 million from an 85-year-old Upper East Side woman who is nearly blind, has hearing problems and other health issues. Leopold, who is 76, first met his victim about 40 years ago, and he began helping her with her finances, writing out checks for her to sign to pay for her household expenses. In 2002, he convinced her to open a trust and name him and the Bank of New York as trustees, and he gradually began siphoning money into that account until it held $2 million by 2003. He began writing fraudulent checks to himself and forged letters to the bank, requesting transfers into his own accounts. According to court documents, Leopold used the stolen funds to pay for a myriad of expenses, from everyday household goods to several life insurance polices for him and his daughter. He spent $63,000 on storage units in Manhattan and used $882,000 to pay off his personal credit cards. Perhaps most appallingly, he spent over half a million dollars at ShopNBC, a television and online shopping site. He bought thousands of items through home shopping channels, including jewelry, electronics, figurines, coin collections, kitchen supplies and a “multi-color fog maker.” Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance said in a statement that the actions the defendant stands accused of are “sadly, not uncommon,” and he encourages anyone who is a victim of or suspects someone they know to be a victim of elder abuse to call the DA’s hotline at 212-335-9007.

Historic Walking Tour

Preservation advocacy group Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts is leading a walking tour of the Carnegie Hill Historic District next Saturday, May 12. The walk will meander through the East 80s and 90s, with tour leader Bernie Cohen pointing out the sights along the way. The district, which was designated in 1974 and expanded in 1993, is the second largest on the Upper East Side and contains within its boundaries many rows of townhouses, freestanding residences and apartment buildings. The area was named for industrialist Andrew Carnegie, whose mansion on Fifth Avenue and East 91st Street now houses the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum. Participants should meet at the northwest corner of Fifth Avenue and East 86th Street at 1 p.m. Advance payment ($15, $10 for members) is required; call 212-535-2526 or visit www.friends-ues.org/events to purchase tickets.

City Planning to Unveil East Midtown Rezoning

The Department of City Planning will be presenting the results of its East Midtown Zoning Study to Community Board 6 this week. The department is expected to present a plan for rezoning that would create an increase of available commercial space by 20 to 30 percent. The “upzoning” would encourage buildings to be made taller (current zoning does not place a cap on height) in order to gain this space increase and also create ways for newer and more modern structures to be built in the area. The region affected would be between East 39th and 59th Streets, between Third and Fifth Avenues. Mayor Bloomberg has made it clear that he wants to see the region revamped and able to attract new business, especially technology companies; he has said that the city should make sure it is doing all it can to attract business to the area. Some neighborhood groups, including the Turtle Bay Association, are wary of the city making fast changes and will be watching the process closely, as will real estate interest groups who support changes that allow for more development.

Mayfair Block Party

The Church of the Holy Trinity, which is known locally as the “dog-friendly church,” is holding a free community block party this Saturday, May 5, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Animal companions are welcome, and there will be special activities for cats, dogs and other pets. There will be toys and treats for sale, a silent auction to win a custom portrait of a pooch, pet horoscopes and training tips. For humans, there will be a health care booth with a doctor and physician’s assistants on hand to check blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol levels. Kids can play in the bouncy castles, get their faces painted to match their canine companions and participate in crafts. There will also be food from the nearby Genesis Restaurant for sale, as well as beer and wine. The French Cookin’ Blues Band will be supplying the musical vibes for the event. East 88th Street between First and Second Avenues.

Women in Arts Celebrated

The Czech Center and Composers Concordance Records are hosting an evening of art and music by women, “Ladies First,” on Friday, May 18. The opening reception will feature a video installation with interviews of prominent female artists, many of whom will be in attendance at the event. The chamber music concert to follow will feature world premiere works as well as Czech composer Antonin Dvořák’s themes. Audience members can meet the musicians and artists at the after-party. The event runs from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Bohemian National Hall, 321 E. 73rd St. Suggested donation $20, RSVP at ladiesfirstnyc.eventbrite.com.