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THE IMMIGRANT TRAIN. THE GREATEST NEWS PHOTOGRAPH I HAVE EVER SEEN. IT BREAKS YOUR HEART! IT SPEAKS TO YOU. IT FORCES YOU TO CONFRONT YOUR CONSCIENCE. YOUR FEAR. YOUR COURAGE. IT WAS TAKEN  BY INTREPID PHOTOGRAPHER ALEJANDRO CEGARRA OF THE NEW YORK TIMES.THANK YOU FOR TAKING IT MR. CEGARRA at great risk!

34 WAYS WESTCHESTER COUNTY CAN STEP UP, 

HELP THE UNWANTED, LIFT UP  PEOPLE TERRORIZED  BY THEIR COUNTRIES,

SAVE CHILDREN, PARENTS AND MAKE THEM AMERICANS FOR LIFE LIKE “US.”

JUST DECIDE TO DO IT! BECAUSE IT’S RIGHT!

NOW.

WPCNR NEWS & COMMENT. By John F. Bailey. May 13, 2023:

George Latimer wrote this in an opinion Friday shared by the county with WPCNR:

The people who are migrants are in dire need. Our city neighbor is trying to address that need. They, too, need help. Realistically, we have limited resources and can help to a limited degree. If we can manage some numbers, with proper services and controls in place, we, too, can help. We do not have the resources to take on overwhelming numbers — if other places, everywhere each do a modest share, we can make this influx manageable.

This is by far the strongest statement made by any leader in this state than I can remember.

Thank you, George Latimer. We needed that. This was tough for you to do.

Somemebody had to say it, and you did it!

Westchester needs permanent “Housing for the Helpless.”

Now, Westchester, it is up to you. Help. Take In. Lift Up, Save.

34 THINGS WESTCHESTER CAN DO NOW to

HOUSE THE HELPLESS

1. Every school public and private elementary or middle school or high school has gymnasiums, CAFETERIAS, classrooms that not used at night and could increase capacity during the day.  The schools have students filled with humanity eager to help. Set up cots and enclosures to help the families. It is simply a matter of deciding we are going to do this.
2. There are empty hotels long since closed by covid. The Rye Town Hilton. The Arrowood.  They SIT EMPTY. The county should rent them from the owners and house the immigrants there. They are empty. Better yet BUY THEM or lease wings of them for permanent ‘HOUSING FOR THE HELPLESS,” to benefit victims of fire, flood, storm damage–always there to help the helpless.
3. Every functioning hotel with vacances in it shoud make those rooms available on a long term basis. (Mayor Adams of NYC is trying to do this. Let’s make this a permanent model.)
4. Every apartment owner who has apartments not rented should make them available for occupancy by these immigrants in need. If present tenants do not like it, let them out of their leases.
5. Every house of worship, cathedral should open their sanctuaries to house immigrants. Save them. What would Jesus do? 
6. Every city hall should open up their unused floors and underused city property to house them.
7. Professional sports arenas and stadiums should open their vast spaces to house them and feed them (plenty of concession stands). Where are the Yankees and the Mets on this issue. The Knicks and Rangers are done…MSG has plenty of space.
8. The empty theaters in the county and of course can house them on dark nights.
9. Warehouse owners…where are you?
10. Home owners like me, who have empty rooms, can take families in. A clearing house could be set up. I raise my hand!
11. The entertainment studios around Nassau, Westchester  should open empty sound stages for housing.
12. The Westchester County Center vaccinated thousands now it is back for entertainment, it could house families on the floors under the main floor.
13. Office buildings not fully rented up should convert those office spaces for immigrants.
14. The County Airport that no longer has the general aviation rentals they used to have could convert that black top into housing.
15. The County Office building could house immigrants overnight ( a reach but hey, it is a big building.
16. The County Courthouse is not used at night. The court rooms could sleep persons the offices with their posh couches could be places to sleep.
17. Beach facilities could be used to house immigrants to sleep them overnight.
18. Camps in Westchester could house immigrants in the evenings after the campers go home and meals could be served there.
19. Colleges campus could open their dorm facilities in evenings (colleges are closing now).
20. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS facilities that shelter trucks, could shelter immigrants.
21. Every unrented, unleased commercial space in the county could be converted into temporary housing
22. Hospitals now relieved of the crush of covid (except for White Plains Hospital) could use their private rooms unoccupied to house families and also examine them for health issues
23. Playland could house folks in the Playland Ice Casino.
24. Glen Island could house them in the restaurant facility
25. Tents could be set up in the Westchester Parks.
26. Country Clubs could make their facilities available, PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT
27. Use the County Fund Balance to purchase foreclosed homes to house immigrants.
28. Set up a Open Homes Bank Roster, Owners volunteering their homes to share with “Our New Americans.”
29. Target illegal housing with rooms, and “eminent domain” these long-tolerated properties and seize them as a permanent “Westchester Housing Bank.”
30. CLOTHING FOOD INDUSTRIES SHOULD DONATE CLOTHING TO THE BRAVE, THE INTREPID, THE OPPRESSED WHO ARE TURNING TO US, SAYING PLEASE HELP US. 
31. WORK THE PHONES TODAY CALLING ALL ORGANIZATIONS, CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS, CLUBS, COMMUNITY GROUPS, DEVELOPERS AND ASK HOW CAN THEY HELP NOW 
32. MEDIA ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD ORGANIZE GO FUND ME PAGES.
33. BILLIONAIRES SHOULD DONATE A BILLION EACH.
34. DECLARE A HUMANE EMERGENCY — RESCIND ZONING LAWS TO PUT HOUSING FOR THE HELPLESS PERMANENTLY IN THEIR COMMUNITIES BECAUSE IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. 

Every suggestion here will be ignored as being impossible. 

But none of them are.

You just have to want to do it.

Let’s do it!

All In!