Borough President James Oddo is pleased to announce that his office will be helping Cut Red Tape 4 Heroes and Super Health Pharmacy to bring essential PPE to Richmond University Medical Center staff. Cut Red Tape 4 Heroes puts free personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies directly in the hands of NYC doctors, nurses, healthcare staff, frontline workers and those in need by parking its donation truck outside of medical centers and offering PPE to anyone with a hospital badge.

Today, Tuesday, May 12, starting at 1:30pm, Cut Red Tape 4 Heroes will park their donation truck outside of Richmond University Medical Center to distribute 4,000 kits and additional supplies to anyone with a hospital badge. The pre-packaged PPE kits include: 1 face shield, 1 KN95 and 7 surgical masks. In addition the volunteers will be refilling hand sanitizer bottles, handing out gowns and Tyvek coverings based on availability.

“Thank you to Cut Red Tape 4 Heroes and Super Health Pharmacy for including our office in this distribution effort for our frontline healthcare workers. We continue to  work collaboratively in an all-out effort with every possible source to find supplies for those helping our community through this crisis,” noted Borough President James Oddo.  

Borough Hall is pleased to be involved in today’s effort, and is looking forward to future collaborative efforts with these organizations to bring PPE to Staten Island’s frontline workers.

This fundraiser, organized by Rhonda Roland Shearer on behalf of Art Science Research Laboratory Inc. in partnership with Housing Works, has distributed PPE to more than 15K healthcare workers and those at risk across the city and has purchased more than 1 million PPEs to date. The initiative, which was initially paid for by Rhonda’s own home equity line, is being funded via donations raised on www.cutredtape4heroes.org.  

“We are heartened that Borough President James Oddo is going to help and distribute PPE supplies today. The needs for PPE have been huge here in Staten Island,” said Rhonda Roland Shearer, founder of Cut Red Tape 4 Heroes and Director of Art Science Research Laboratory.  “Beyond PPE, we are bringing dignity and respect to these frontline workers and saying to them that we see you, we thank you, and we have your back."

Super Health Pharmacy, a local Staten Island pharmacy, has provided trucking, banners, and PPE discounts to the project. 
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“Super Health Pharmacy is super excited to be able to help out neighbors at Richmond University Medical Center during this time in partnership with Cut Red Tape 4 Heroes. This is what it is all about, helping our community and getting things done,” said Mayank Parikh, Super Health Pharmacy. ​

Borough President Oddo continues to maintain a focus on expanding COVID-19 testing options for Staten Islanders, and has clarified today with the public the differences between  Diagnostic Testing and Antibody Blood Testing. 

"We are now at the phase of this pandemic where we see that people are recovering from COVID-19 and we are eager to return to our normal lives. As eager as we might be, it's important to continue to protect ourselves with social distancing and face coverings and gloves while in public. Now is the time for antibody testing and that's happening in numerous ways on Staten Island," explained Borough President James Oddo. "It is especially important to note that even if you test positive for antibodies, evidence that you have been exposed to COVID-19, it may not make you immune to any future strains of the virus. We must continue to be vigilant about protecting ourselves and others."

What is COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing, and what does it tell you?

• If you have symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, aches, persistent cough, loss of senses of smell and taste) and go to get tested, you may receive a Nasal Swab Molecular Test.
• This test will confirm, with a high degree of accuracy, whether you are POSITIVE or NEGATIVE for the virus AT THE TIME OF THE TEST.
• Your provider or the lab will usually contact you with results by phone and can advise you on how long to quarantine, based on the results of your test. The results could take 3-5 days, during which you must self-quarantine. 

​What is Antibody Blood Testing:

• Antibody blood tests can indicate if you had the virus in the past, whether or not you experienced symptoms.
• This test detects the “IgG” antibodies, which indicate that you had the virus in the past, and “IgM” antibodies, which may indicate more recent infection 
• If you did have symptoms, you should wait at least 2 weeks after the end of symptoms to get the antibody test, as it can take this long for the body to produce “IgG” antibodies. This antibody test is nearly 100% accurate when used more than 14 days after the end of symptoms, which is why the timing is important. 
• There is substantial evidence that people may have been infected without ever being symptomatic. Depending on the timing of the infection, the antibody blood test would detect the “IgG” antibodies in this population.
• Patients who believe they were exposed and want to be tested should discuss their situation with their healthcare provider. 

What does Antibody Blood Testing tell you?

• You may have read or heard that the antibody test may provide evidence of future immunity. While this is often the case with other viruses, the science is not yet clear on this particular virus.
• At this point, antibody blood tests will indicate only that you did or did not have exposure to COVID-19 in the past.
• Currently we DO NOT know if having antibodies will prevent you from getting a future SARS CoV 2 coronavirus infection.
• While some of these tests have been approved by the FDA, for emergency use in a pandemic setting, we must stress that, like flu, strep, and many other widely used diagnostic tests, they are not 100% accurate.

For a list of locations offering testing on Staten Island, including antibody tests, please visit https://www.statenislandusa.com/covidtesting.html. 

Borough President Oddo is pleased to share the progress of the collaborative effort with Richmond University Medical Center, Staten Island’s skilled nursing facilities, and Chembio to bring antibody blood tests to Staten Island’s nursing homes, as well as RUMC staff. RUMC will be running and processing the tests, at its own cost and by its own lab technicians, for both their staff and for nursing facility tests. RUMC has quickly ramped up and trained its staff, completed the initial validation of the test kits, and begun testing staff for the antibodies. 

This is an important step in beating COVID-19, and the Borough President expresses his gratitude for the partnerships to make this happen.

Thus far, six RUMC staff members in the Department of Laboratory Medicine have been trained to analyze the tests. Currently, RUMC is testing their medical personnel and staff, averaging about 125 tests per day. To date, 700 tests have been completed. 

At this time, the collaborative is working on completing required paperwork as well as memorandums of understanding with the skilled nursing facilities and respective partners so that the testing can begin at their sites. 
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“We are very excited about this partnership with Borough President Oddo and Chembio labs,” Richmond University Medical Center President and Chief Executive Officer, Daniel J., Messina, PhD, FACHE, said.  “The safety and health of our staff on the frontlines of this pandemic is always our highest priority. They are caring for hundreds of COVID-19 positive patients in various stages of the virus. On behalf of everyone at Richmond University Medical Center, I would like to thank Borough President James Oddo and Chembio for helping us secure access to this new testing capability.”

Borough President James Oddo, the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce, and the United Federation of Teachers are pleased to announce the continued success of the “Feeding Our Frontline” initiative, a partnership established April 1, 2020, with local restaurants and caterers to provide grab & go meals to hospital staffs at Staten Island University Hospital (both the North and South campuses) and Richmond University Medical Center. The program has been able to continue thus far as a result of generous partners and members of the community who have made donations for the meals. 

The collaborative would like to extend special appreciation to National Grid, who have signed on as a $10,000 Corporate Sponsor of the initiative. 

As of Monday morning, $65,770 has been donated in total to the initiative, with donations beginning at a $35 contribution to feed five healthcare workers. Borough President Oddo, the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce, and UFT extend their gratitude to all those who have donated and those who have come forward as sponsors to ensure this program can continue.

So far, 8,704 grab & go meals have been provided for Staten Island healthcare workers. The collaborative partnered with local businesses A&S Caterers & Luncheonette, A Taste of Honey Caterers, Aunt Butchies of Brooklyn, Beyar’s Market and The Stone House who have all stepped up to provide meals at $7 per meal. Additionally, three weeks ago, 330 pizzas were delivered from Campania Coal Fired Pizza, Ciro Pizza Cafe, Millie's of Staten Island and DiLeo's Pizzeria to SIUH, RUMC, as well as Staten Island’s skilled nursing facilities. 

The collaborative would like to thank the following corporate sponsors of the “Feeding Our Frontline” initiative: National Grid, Former Deputy Mayor Howard Wolfson, Matrix Development Group, The Staten Island Yankees, Sunrise Office Services, Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Plus, Miller's Launch/Miller's Tug & Barge, Former City Councilmember Sal Albanese, Cheriyn Hoti, Ana Patricia Cosentino, C.B. Contracting Corp., Deputy Borough President Edward Burke, Former City Councilmember Fred Cerullo, Notre Dame Club of Staten Island - Bread of Life Food Drive, Rebecca DelVecchio, Richmond County Baseball Club, Rossana Pontecorvo, Wendy’s (The Rawson Group), Ronald Raguso, Moving Pictures Inc., Joseph Simone, Anne Marie and Robert Rautenstrauch, Ashleigh Owens, Donald and Kathleen Helt, Jean Giobbie, M/M Frank  Coccaro, Lisa Pratti, Robert Ryan, and the Sisters of St. Dorothy.

To kick off the program, the Borough President, the United Federation of Teachers, Community Television, and the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce donated over $15,000 to feed hospital staff.  

“We are grateful for the support our community has shown this program that allows us to offer free meals to our healthcare workers as they fight this crisis on the frontline. The work our nurses and front line healthcare workers do each day is nothing short of heroic. Any and every donation is welcome so we may continue to show our appreciation for their daily strength and caring. Thank you to UFT and the SI Chamber of Commerce for continuing to partner with us to meet this need,” said Borough President Jim Oddo.

“You can always count on Staten Islanders to come together when you need them the most. It’s been wonderful to see so much generosity as both businesses and residents continue to contribute to this initiative. We send a big thank you to all of our essential workers who have been working tirelessly to take care of our community,” said Linda Baran, President & CEO of the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce.  “The Chamber thanks Borough President Oddo and our partners, we are honored to take part in an effort that supports our hospital workers while supporting our local businesses as well.”

“We are proud to support this wonderful initiative and thankful for the opportunity to provide food to our frontline workers, who are beyond courageous.  They selflessly perform their jobs to keep us healthy and safe, and we thank you!” said Carol T. Decina, Manager of Customer and Community Engagement, nationalgrid. 

Borough President Oddo, the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce, and UFT also extend their gratitude to those who have used their respective platforms to promote the “Feeding Our Frontline” Initiative, including the Staten Island Advance for covering the program on multiple occasions, as well as those in the Staten Island Delegation and all community partners and constituents who have shared the donation link to help get the word out to the greater Staten Island universe.
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To make a donation or join the program as a sponsor, please visit https://statenislandnycoc.wliinc19.com/mc-forms/feeding-our-front-line.aspx. ​

Borough President James Oddo is pleased to announce his office has facilitated the donation of Personal Protective Equipment and other vital supplies for local Staten Island community organizations in need via community donors who have offered up their available supplies through Borough Hall’s online donation portal, created specifically for this purpose. Borough President Oddo is also pleased to announce, through his partnership with the Staten Island Community Organizations Active in Disaster coalition, the purchase of PPE and supplies from Superhealth Pharmacy to further fill the gaps of supply needs.​

Donations have been allocated to the following community organizations: 26 group homes and adult care facilities, 6 CBOs, as well as Richmond Engine Company 1, Visiting Nurse Association, Primary Care Ambulance, Volunteer Heart Ambulance, Hope Home Care, and The Stella Orton Home Care Agency, Inc.

“We continue to work collaboratively in an all-out effort with every possible source to find supplies for our community organizations on the front line in need during this crisis. We are extremely grateful to each organization and constituent who has stepped up to help fill this critical need. Staten Islanders supporting Staten Islanders, that is the good news coming out of this crisis,” noted Borough President Oddo.

In March, Borough Hall opened an online supply donation portal for dentists, physicians, veterinarians that are closed or seeing less patients, as well as community organizations, pharmacies, construction companies, hardware stores, HVAC companies, cleaning companies, nail salons and the like to donate personal protective equipment and other needed supplies for our frontline responders, healthcare workers and social service providers.

Borough President Oddo would like to extend his gratitude to the following generous donors who submitted their available supplies for donation to local organizations through the online portal: 

• Amos and Zalina Reginald, who donated 700 Gloves, 48 Kimberly Clark XL white suits, 160 KN95 Masks, and a 6-Pack of Micro Bacterial Liquid Soap 
• The Boy Scouts of America, who donated 5,000 new, unopened Neckerchiefs
• Jason Rivera, who donated 30 Face Shields and Face Masks Ear Savers
• Rongyao Huang, who donated 200 3-Ply Disposable Masks
• The Rotary Club of Staten Island, which donated 1,200 Hazmat Suits 
• South Shore residents David, Melissa, and their daughter, who donated 150 Face Shields and 200 Gloves
• The U.S. Social Security Office, which donated 500 N95 Masks

Each donor was connected with Staten Island community organizations to arrange the donation of the supplies between their respective parties. 

Borough President Oddo also announced today that through Borough Hall’s partnership with the Staten Island Not For Profit Association’s (SINFPA) Community Organizations Active in Disaster coalition, the following supplies were purchased from Superhealth Pharmacy for our community's frontline healthcare workers and providers of critical services:

• 5,500 3-Ply Disposable Mask
• 500 Vinyl, Powder Free, Latex Free X-Large Gloves
• 500 Vinyl, Powder Free, Latex Free Small Gloves
• 400 Vinyl, Powder Free, Latex Free Medium Gloves
• 4,000 Nitrile Medium Gloves
• 2,000 Nitrile Large Gloves
• 50 16-oz. Hand Sanitizer 
• 12 gallons Hand Sanitizer
• 75 plastic gowns
• 300 KN95 Mask

The funds for this purchase were raised via the SINFPA COVID-19 Supplies Fund donations, of which a majority were raised via donations from Borough Hall’s partnership with James Cox to make his tribute piece “Thank You” available to the public. For more information on this partnership: click here.
Borough Hall is still accepting donations through its online donation portal. Any offices interested in donating should visit www.statenislandusa.com/PPE and fill out the intake form. A staff member from Borough Hall will be in touch shortly to arrange your donation.

Borough President James Oddo recently announced his office’s collaboration with Staten Island artist James Cox to make “Thank You,” the artist’s tribute piece to frontline workers, available to the public. Constituents who contributed to the Staten Island Not For Profit Association COVID-19 Supplies Fund would receive a print of the piece, and all contributions would go to provide vital personal protective equipment (PPE) and other needed supplies for those who need it most. In response to the overwhelming support the collaboration has seen, Borough President Oddo is pleased to announce a second phase of the initiative.

The color illustration is being reproduced for the second phase as an 18.5”x 10" poster, and for a limited time is available to donors who contribute $25 or more to the COVID-19 Supplies Fund through the Staten Island Not-for-Profit Association, a local organization fielding donations for PPE and other supplies for local community-based organizations.

This second phase comes on the heels of the success of the first phase, where signed prints of the 13”x 20” piece were made available to the first 200 people who pledged a $50.19 or more donation to the Staten Island Not-for-Profit Association. Borough President Oddo is pleased to announce more than $10,000 has been raised from the completion of the first phase of the initiative.

Generous citizens who would like to support this effort can donate at www.sinfpa.org or by mailing a check directly to Staten Island NFP Association (950 W. Fingerboard Rd, Staten Island, NY 10305). Those who have contributed to the fund and are expecting one of the original 13”x 20” signed pieces will be receiving the print shortly, if they have not already gotten theirs.

“Staten Island, thank you! In just two weeks, you have helped us hit our goal of raising more than $10,000 to supply our frontline healthcare workers with critically needed PPE. We are so grateful to be able to bring this partnership with James Cox to the Staten Island community, and are even more grateful to see the response you have given it. Thank you to everyone who has supported this initiative, either by making a donation to the fund or by sharing this information so others may,” noted Borough President Oddo.

Thank you to Luke’s Copy Shop, who has agreed to provide prints of the illustration as their donation to the cause for both phases of the initiative. 

“Thank you to all that have donated so far. The poster version will continue this great collaboration between the Borough President’s Office, myself, Luke’s Copy Shop, and the SINFPA to raise money for the people that need it most. This whole experience is proving art can make a difference!” said Artist James Cox.

In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, Borough President Oddo has seen many Staten Islanders step up to show their support for the first responders and health care workers who have fought this crisis on the frontline. However, this story was one Borough President Oddo was particularly impressed by.

Cox, a 23-year old resident of West Brighton, with a gift for art illustration and a passion for community spirit, created his latest work of art as a tribute to health care providers and other front line workers fighting to save lives in the Coronavirus crisis. The illustration entitled “Thank You,” drawn in pencil, and then scanned into the computer where it was digitally colored-over in Photoshop, depicts frontline warriors in the Coronavirus battle holding up the Verrazano Bridge.

Cox’ mother, Renee, shared with Borough President Oddo her son’s work, stating that he hoped to support local healthcare heroes and essential frontline workers by using his artwork to raise money for needed PPE and other supplies for frontline workers. The Borough Hall team immediately fell in love with the drawing, its message, and the artist's goal, and got to work to make the concept a reality.

Borough President Oddo asked Emil Micha, a Borough Hall Graphic Designer with a long and distinguished career as art director for institutions like Sotheby's and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, to get in touch with Mr. Cox to offer his advice and expertise. After Emil spoke with the artist, Borough Hall went directly to Luke’s Copy Shop, a local small business, to make this concept a reality.

Cox explained that he came up with the idea for the piece after social distancing rules were put in place and he ventured out one night to buy food at Café Milano on Forest Avenue, realizing how fortunate he is to still be able to pick up pizza during a time like this. James lives close to Richmond University Medical Center. He shared that the night he went out for food, he felt inspired by the heroes outside his bedroom window, and began sketching the figures in the piece.

The illustration reflects his pride in being a New Yorker and a Staten Islander, and paid homage to the frontline heroes in this health crisis: from our hospital nurses and doctors and first responders and city workers to our small businesses and construction workers.
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Cox is pursuing a Masters Degree in Arts Education at Brooklyn College. He received his BA in Art Illustration from Pratt Institute. His career goal is to be an Arts Education teacher, as well as a professional illustrator.

Last month, Borough President James Oddo partnered with FreshDirect to make an additional 400 meals available daily to Staten Islanders in need in light of the Coronavirus outbreak.  After the program, which was rolled out in all five boroughs, ended, the need for the additional meals was evident and FreshDirect has responded by extending their commitment.
Beginning today, 500 grocery boxes per day prepared by FreshDirect, will be delivered to community food pantries and disseminated by partner organizations, including Catholic Charities and Community Health Action of Staten Island. This number is up from 400 boxes daily from the initial launch of the program.
“FreshDirect is extremely thankful to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, New York City Sanitation Commissioner and current Food Czar Kathryn Garcia, and Staten Island Borough President James Oddo for his support of Operation 5-Borough Food Drive,” said Larry Scott Blackmon, Vice President of Public Affairs at FreshDirect.   “We are very grateful to continue the distribution of food to communities in Staten Island with Borough President Oddo, who has been partnership has proven invaluable.”
 
"The first phase of the FreshDirect Food Drive was so well received and we are so grateful for phase two, which is providing even more food to Staten Island’s food insecure population,” said Borough President James Oddo.  “Special thanks to FreshDirect and to CEO David McInerney for providing 500 meals daily to our community and to our partners, Catholic Charities and Community Health Action, for making sure this food gets to those who need it most."
Each grocery box, provided free of charge by FreshDirect, will contain the following:

• Rice (2 bags, 16oz)
• Pasta (2 boxes, 16oz)
• Canned beans (2 cans, 10-16oz)
• Canned meat/fish (2 cans, 3-5oz)
• Canned vegetables (2 cans, 8-15oz)
• Raisins/dried fruit (4 boxes, 2oz per box)
• Cereal/oatmeal (1 box, 10-20oz)
• Milk/milk substitute (1 container, 32oz)
• Corn (2 ears)
• 2 potatoes (two)
• 1 onion
• 1 carrot
• Orange/apple (2 in total)

 
ABOUT FRESHDIRECT:
FreshDirect is the Northeast's leading online fresh food grocer, delivering next day, same day and on-demand directly to customers throughout seven states, including the New York City and Philadelphia metropolitan areas, and the District of Columbia. FreshDirect is committed to sourcing the freshest and best-tasting meat, fish, produce, and specialty items through direct relationships with suppliers, growers, and farmers. Launched in 2002, FreshDirect is a privately held company headquartered in Bronx, NY. For more information, visit www.freshdirect.com or www.foodkick.com.