Generous New Yorkers donating to help influx of migrants ahead of winter
NEW YORK - Generous New Yorkers are helping migrants prepare for winter, donating coats, blankets and more to help the new residents, many from countries with warmer climates, adjust to the cold.
As CBS2s Dave Carlin reports, Elly Shodell marvels at the mountains of donations piled high at the office for her state Assembly member.
"This is great. I hope it all works out for them," Shodell said.
The working space shrinks as the pile grows, and Shodell adds to it.
"I feel better having some kind of positive statement about the situation, because we want to welcome them," Shodell said.
Heavy coats are desperately needed for migrants newly arrived from warmer climates.
Many of the donations you might expect, but some that are a little different, like a crib, and a sewing machine.
Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal likes that her office looks like it was turned upside down.
"We've had people come from Queens and elsewhere.. eager to help all of these asylum-seekers," Rosenthal said.
"There's a dire need for diapers," she added.
The items get sent to The Skyline hotel on Tenth Avenue in Hell's Kitchen, a family shelter with a mix of migrants and New York residents. A manager spoke to Carlin off camera to to confirm a total of about 200 families, including New York native Tasha Daniels and her baby daughter, about 4 months old.
"They started coming more and more," Daniels said. "Because they need the help. Everybody needs help."
As more migrant families arrive, public schools take in more and more students.
"There is a need for more Spanish-speaking personnel in schools. More Spanish speakers and social workers," Rosenthal said.
Rosenthal says more hotel space must be found, and moving families into permanent housing is the urgent next step. For that, and other migrant crisis solutions, she and other New York politicians are pushing for more federal funding.
This week the City Council identified 10 hotels struggling financially or vacant that could be turned into migrant family shelters.