On Saturday, January 28, the 77th Precinct is hosting the program at the Bedford Central Presbyterian Church, located at 1200 Dean Street at Nostrand. The cash-for-guns program will exchange $200 bank card for operable handguns and $20 bank card for operable rifles and shotguns.

For more information, call the 70th Precinct Community Affairs Office at 718-851-5557

BigAppleRx is a money-saving Rx discount card program designed for New Yorkers and visitors to NYC. Card users can look forward to:

Flatbush Dutch Reformed Church
890 Flatbush Avenue
(at Church Ave.) Brooklyn, NY 11226

Community Tax Aid, Inc. (CTA) is an all-volunteer, not-for-profit, tax-exempt organization which has been preparing tax returns FREE for low-income taxpayers since 1969. To see if you qualify, click here. CTA is dedicated to providing all services (state, city, and federal personal income tax forms) with the special needs of and benefits for low income taxpayers in mind. CTA will prepare tax returns for 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011.

For more information, visit www.communitytaxaidnyc.org

If you are interested or would like to refer someone to the program, please contact Project Connect at projectconnect@ucpnyc.org or call Jaqueline Lucas, the director of the Brooklyn Children’s Program at 1-877-827-2666. Spanish translation is available. You can also visit UCP’s website to find out more about the many additional available programs offered at www.ucpnyc.org

ONE NIGHT… On January 30, 2012, from 10:30pm to 4am, the NYC Department of Homeless Services will conduct the Homeless Outreach Population Estimate (HOPE). We need thousands of volunteers to canvass parks, subways, and other public spaces to count the number of people living unsheltered in the city. Just one night of your time will help us collect vital information that is used by outreach teams to help homeless people leave the streets for a better life.

3,000 NEW YORKERS NEEDED…The information gathered by volunteers during HOPE 2011 is critical to our ongoing efforts, but we need your help to make it possible. We need more than 3,000 volunteers, who are 18 years-old or older, to give just one night of their time to help count the number of New Yorkers living on city streets. We will provide you with all the training you will need to conduct the survey on the night of HOPE plus a quick, convenient online orientation when you register to give you the basics.

What’s the first step?  Apply for a mobile food vending license. All the information you need is also on our website at www.nyc.gov/greencarts. If you have questions, email Peggy Leggat, the Green Carts Outreach Coordinator- mleggat@health.nyc.gov.

The NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene will be attending the Board’s upcoming Human Services Committee meeting on Thursday, March 31, 2011 at 7 PM to discuss this topic in further detail.

• Coney Island F22 will serve eligible applicants/participants who reside in the following zip codes: 11204, 11214, 11218-11220, 11223, 11224, 11228-11230 and 11235
• In the middle of February 2010, HRA/DFSS will arrange for HRA’s Management Information Systems (MIS to send the Notice of Change of Center to Food Stamp participants with active cases in the above-stated zip codes.

Like regular, seasonal flu, H1N1 influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory (lung) infection. It causes fever and a cough or sore throat that can last a week or more. Some people also get diarrhea and vomiting.

2. How serious is it?

H1N1 caused some severe illness last spring. But the great majority of infections did not cause complications or require any medical treatment.

3. Will my seasonal flu vaccination protect me against H1N1 influenza?

No. Seasonal flu vaccine will not work against H1N1 flu.To protect against both kinds of flu, people will need 2 different vaccinations: one for seasonal flu, and one for H1N1.

4. Who should receive H1N1 influenza vaccine?

The following people should receive H1N1 vaccine, in addition to a seasonal flu vaccination:

• Pregnant women
• People who live with or care for children younger than 6 months
• Health care and emergency medical services workers
• Children and young adults aged 6 months to 24 years
• People aged 25 to 64 years with certain long-term health conditions that make them more likely to get very sick with the flu

5. Where can I get a vaccination?

H1N1 vaccine will be available in many of the same places where people get seasonal flu vaccine. Call 311 or visit nyc.gov/flu for information.

6. Information may change – stay tuned!
For up-to-date information about seasonal flu, H1N1 flu, and where to get a flu vaccine,including free or low-cost vaccines, call 311 or visit these websites:

From the City of New York: www.nyc.gov/flu
From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/general_info.htm

For SCRIE eligibility, applicants must:

1. Be 62 years of age or older;
2. Rent an apartment that is rent controlled, rent stabilized or hotel stabilized;
3. Have an annual household income of $29,000 or less;
   For applications received in 2009, income eligibility is established by the applicant’s income from calendar year 2008; and
4. Pay more than one-third of the household’s net monthly income for rent.

For more information on applying for SCRIE, visit the Department of Finance’s website.

Community Board 14 has concluded its Holiday Food Drive, collecting almost 200 pounds of food from community residents to be distributed among food pantries within Flatbush and Midwood.

Food pantry shelves have been particularly bare in Community District 14 lately as the economy has worsened and more people are looking to make ends meet.

“When Community Board 14 heard about this on-going crisis affecting our local food pantries, we knew we had to act immediately to organize this relief effort,” said Alvin Berk, Chair of Community Board 14.

“We are really quite blessed to see the outpouring of support from Board members as well as the residents of Flatbush and Midwood to help their neighbors who are hurting a little more than everyone else these days,” said Doris Ortíz, District Manager.

Asked about whether the Board will work on this issue beyond the holiday season, Mr. Berk replied, “Our Human Services and Youth Services Committees are exploring the possibilities of a long-term effort as the high demand at food pantries continues.”

Photo (L to R): Jonathan Judge, CB14 Community Coordinator; Rachel Burk, Council Member Simcha Felder’s Office; Lawrence Hilonowitz, Co-Chair, Human Services Committee, CB14; Ed Powell, First Vice Chair, CB14; Doris Ortíz, District Manager, CB14; Council Member Mathieu Eugene; Alvin Berk, Chair, CB14; Gail L. Smith, Third Vice Chair, CB14; Neil Brier, Co-Chair, Youth Services Committee, CB14; Li Ng Chao, Member-at-Large, CB14; Steve Zeltser, Council Member Michael Nelson’s Office

Here’s how you can help:

Bring 1 item of non-perishable food to our next meeting on Monday, December 8^th, in P.S. 249 (Caton Ave. & Marlborough Rd.) at 7:30 PM or drop it off at the Board office (810 East 16th Street) during office hours (weekdays between 10 AM and 4 PM).

* All items will be donated to food pantries within Community District 14 *

Download our flyer and help us spread the word!