PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Francesca DiPaola, CEO of Homes for Veterans, on Improving Conditions at Borden Avenue Veterans Residence
1:26:22
ยท
5 min
Francesca DiPaola, CEO of Homes for Veterans, provided testimony on improving conditions at the Borden Avenue Veterans Residence. She shared insights from her recent visit and offered suggestions for addressing various issues at the facility.
- Highlighted the need to fix the leaking roof, which has been a problem for 15 years
- Suggested installing a wind vent at the entrance to address temperature concerns
- Proposed solutions for ensuring all veterans receive starter kits when moving to their own housing
- Discussed organizing summer cookouts to engage the community and raise awareness about the shelter
Francesca DiPaola
1:26:22
Okay.
1:26:23
Perfect.
1:26:24
So I actually just came from Borden, and I am the CEO of Homes for Veterans.
1:26:29
We're a privately funded five zero one c three nonprofit, and we do barrier free and accessible modifications in the homes of disabled veterans.
1:26:38
But we do provide other services like helping veterans get their benefits.
1:26:41
We do a lot of essential item drops at Borden.
1:26:44
And I wanted to grow our relationship with New York and helping out at BoardNav.
1:26:52
So I actually have a list of things that they needed because you were asking how we can improve.
1:26:57
If you wanted to Great.
James Hendon
1:26:58
I'd like
Raul Rivera
1:26:58
to see that.
Francesca DiPaola
1:26:59
Just everything you were asking, I actually have answered
James Hendon
1:27:01
the board and then
Francesca DiPaola
1:27:02
I got signed the NDA.
1:27:04
I did a tour with my intern.
Robert F. Holden
1:27:05
Oh, that's funny.
Francesca DiPaola
1:27:05
So I have a list of things.
1:27:07
It's not long.
1:27:08
So the I know you were focused on the lighting.
1:27:10
I don't know if maybe you somebody else said that to you, but the Oh, that was a
Robert F. Holden
1:27:15
that's the first thing I know.
Francesca DiPaola
1:27:16
Okay.
1:27:17
So the main thing that they've been trying to get fixed for ten fifteen years is the roof.
1:27:22
It's leaking.
1:27:23
So as a you know, and I was gonna actually offer to pay for that.
1:27:27
But there was pushback because they don't I and I've been working with ICL, specifically.
1:27:32
So I know it's like, I'm just sort of learning what's going on.
1:27:36
You know, I just wanna help.
1:27:37
I don't wanna step on anyone's toes.
1:27:40
So I offered to help that, but if you're offering funding, let's get the roof fixed.
Robert F. Holden
1:27:46
Yeah.
1:27:46
No.
1:27:47
I think we both can,
James Hendon
1:27:48
you know, if because I don't know if I'll
Robert F. Holden
1:27:49
get the funding.
1:27:50
We could ask.
1:27:51
But if the roof is leaking, that's a structural problem.
1:27:54
That should be fixed.
Francesca DiPaola
1:27:55
It's bad.
1:27:56
And it's been going on for fifteen years, apparently.
1:27:59
Okay.
1:27:59
And I'm willing to, you know, help with that.
1:28:01
We're a really small nonprofit, but we're lean and we're good.
1:28:05
So, you know, whatever we could do to help, let me know.
1:28:08
But I wanted to put that on your radar immediately.
1:28:11
The second thing that I also offered to help with that I think we could do really quickly is they said because it's like a sliding door that's an automatic sliding door that opens when you go in, the veterans said they're very cold.
1:28:23
So they wanted to install one of these, like, wind vents that pushes the cold air out.
1:28:27
I told them to send us an estimate on that.
1:28:29
It's probably not Oh, man.
1:28:32
Can we schedule a meeting?
Robert F. Holden
1:28:34
No.
1:28:34
No.
1:28:34
You could go on.
1:28:35
I'm gonna let you get extra time.
Francesca DiPaola
1:28:36
Okay.
1:28:37
So the
Robert F. Holden
1:28:37
wind Was three minutes?
1:28:39
No.
1:28:40
Two minute.
1:28:41
No.
1:28:41
Not two three.
1:28:42
We're doing three.
Francesca DiPaola
1:28:43
Okay.
1:28:45
Thank you.
1:28:46
The wind vent, I told them to send me an estimate on that.
1:28:49
So they could send me the estimate.
1:28:51
I could share that with you as well.
1:28:54
Another thing are the starter kits.
1:28:56
When the veterans leave the facility and they go on to their housing, they're they have these beautiful starter kits that are, like, pots and pans and stuff like that.
1:29:05
But they said they were struggling to get every single veteran one of those kits.
1:29:09
So, like, let's make up a number.
1:29:11
Let's say it was 60 veterans that move out.
1:29:13
They get, like, I don't know, 50.
1:29:16
Like, they're just short some months because they don't have enough funding.
1:29:19
So I offered every quarter to either get a corporate sponsor or for us to donate it.
1:29:26
So that's like a again, like a
Robert F. Holden
1:29:27
really huge kid to move into an apartment.
1:29:29
You they'd get
Francesca DiPaola
1:29:30
pans, basic
Robert F. Holden
1:29:32
Dishes or
Francesca DiPaola
1:29:33
Forks, spoons.
1:29:34
Okay.
1:29:34
Yeah.
Robert F. Holden
1:29:34
Basic stuff.
1:29:35
That should you know, again, we can work together on that.
Francesca DiPaola
1:29:37
Super easy.
1:29:38
Yeah.
1:29:39
So that was another thing.
1:29:41
And then another thing that I really wanted to help with, they did a big cookout last year because I know you said you guys were trying to donate and you were kind of not able to get inside.
1:29:52
So this summer, they're gonna do they did a really successful cookout last year.
1:29:56
They said it was great.
1:29:58
They are doing one for Memorial Day, tentatively the Thursday before Memorial Day.
1:30:03
They wanna do multiple of those in the summer.
1:30:05
So I also offered to try to get some corporate sponsors to try to raise money to help, you know, chips, soda, just make those cookouts kind of like a really nice thing for the veterans to look forward to in the summer.
1:30:17
And I just think more of the community that we can get involved, the better because DBS was mentioning how do we get the word out about this is the only veteran homeless shelter in New York City.
1:30:29
I'm from Bergen County.
1:30:30
I never heard of this.
1:30:31
And people we don't have a shelter like this in New Jersey at all.
1:30:35
We don't have the same kind of homelessness issue.
1:30:39
So even in New Jersey, like, I think we should get the word out about this shelter.
1:30:44
People wanna help veterans, like you said.
1:30:46
I don't I think more people should know about it.
1:30:48
So the cookouts could be a way like, an easier way to for people to get involved.
1:30:52
It's, less intimidating than fixing the roof, let's say.
1:30:55
So that was my list.
1:30:59
Again, we can, like
Robert F. Holden
1:31:00
What about the kitchen?
1:31:01
Do you do you saw the kitchen?
Francesca DiPaola
1:31:03
They didn't take me back in there.
1:31:05
But we passed by.
1:31:06
Yeah.
1:31:06
I did ask about it.
1:31:07
I didn't wanna, like I didn't wanna be too aggressive, but I you know, I oh, and another thing.
1:31:14
The offices where all of these reps are so you guys have reps in these offices.
1:31:19
The they were really, like I thought the facility was much more beautiful for the veterans than where the reps are forced to go, in my opinion.
1:31:28
I there's no windows.
1:31:30
Like, if I was a case worker there, I would not wanna go to work.
1:31:32
And my intern, who is a who has worked in New York Presbyterian Hospital for twenty years, she and she goes to Lehman now.
1:31:39
She was like, I would go there and be on my phone all day.
1:31:42
Like, it was depressing for the workers, you know?
1:31:44
So the office
Robert F. Holden
1:31:45
is No.
1:31:45
I totally agree with that.
1:31:46
So very good suggestions.
1:31:48
Maybe we can coordinate.
1:31:49
We can go together.
Francesca DiPaola
1:31:50
Please.
Robert F. Holden
1:31:51
And then we could walk I want I wanna show you the kitchen, but I'd like your some input.
1:31:55
So
Francesca DiPaola
1:31:56
Please.
1:31:56
Yeah.
1:31:56
And may we can do Can I give you my Yeah?