News and Events – July 2022

Last month, we launched the Covid Ambassador, made possible through a grant with Surgo Ventures and LISC. The program was activated at our new Covid-care clinic on site at Astoria Houses and at our main LIC clinic. The program encourages peer-to-peer vaccine advice with pre-loaded text messages addressing concerns of the vaccine-hesitant. Patients who text three people or bring someone in for a vaccine receive a gift card, provided by the program. Surgo provided technology guidance and funds for staff, program costs and the gift card incentives.

The Floating Hospital partnered with the Loukoumi Make A Difference Foundation in a food drive to benefit River Fund New York, a Queens-based hunger-relief organization. Our Good Health Shuttle transported the Loukoumi team, assembled by children’s book author and Loukoumi foundation founder Nick Katsoris, and more than 1,000 cans of food to the Mets’ annual summer food drive on July 10. In partnership with Chef Maria Loi, the Loukoumi foundation is donating $50,000 over a five-year period to our community teaching kitchen.

In a nod to both our work with New York City’s public housing communities and our maritime history, The Floating Hospital was invited by Mayor Eric Adams’ office on a ferry ride to launch a program providing discount ferry rides for NYCHA residents. Director of Community Outreach Cynthia Davis and Linda You, clinical projects manager, along with outreach interns, represented the clinic—and enjoyed a day on the river.

We’re gearing up for the start of Camp Rise Up, our annual sleepaway leadership and life-skills camp for teens living with homelessness. This year we will serve 80 teens, housing and feeding them for the week at Camp Ramapo in Rhinebeck, N.Y., and providing a robust program of education and workshops, recreation and leisure activities—at no cost to them. The camp also includes a paid counselor-in-training track that leads to employment for alumni. As no programming, staff or other associated costs are covered by government funding, we rely on the the generous support from private funders to finance the camp. Won’t you join them in giving teens the developmental skills they need to succeed? Your donation here can fund a camper or help provide critical programming during this life-changing week for kids in need.

This post featured in our monthly newsletter from July 2022.

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