Starting in the spring of this year, New York City has seen thousands of migrants arriving, many of whom are fleeing economic turmoil in Venezuela. The New York Times reports the number as more than 21,000.
In early October, Mayor Eric Adams declared a state of emergency as the city scrambles to find shelter and resources for the influx of migrants, as mandated by the “right to shelter” policy that requires the city to provide housing to anyone who needs it.
The need for help is great, but luckily, there are some new local initiatives that you can participate in.
Ilegal Mezcal (38 Greenpoint Avenue) just placed a donation bin outside of its headquarters. They will collect cold-weather clothing like coats and jackets. Its headquarters is open on the weekends from 12 – 5 p.m. Ilegal Mezcal will offer a 10% discount on apparel for anyone who donates, a rep for the brand told Greenpointers.
Local politicians have also heeded the call for supplies. City Council Member Jennifer Gutierrez shared on Instagram that she, along with State Senator Julia Salazar, will host drop offs in their respective offices, an initiative which started this past Saturday and will last until November 2. El Puente will collect donations at both its Williamsburg (211 South 4th Street) and Bushwick (311 Central Avenue) locations.
Aside from cold weather clothing, you can donate supplies for babies and toddlers — strollers, diapers, etc.