Club Projects

FIDI LIONS CLUB  CENTENNIAL SIGNATURE SERVICES:  SERVING YOUTH, VISION AND ENVIROMENT (RECYCLING)

1.  YOUTH: MENTORING YOUNG STUDENTS AT RISK WITH THE NEW YORK STATE MENTORING PROGRAM.  

What we have seen in these last years, the destruction of our cities and history, the kiling and criminal behavours are a wake up that we need to do more for our children today to be a productive citizen tomorrot.  More than ever today we need people to come foward and Give the Gist of Time to a young student you your community that might fall off track and ends up in the streets of violence, gangs, criminal behavours and drugs.

We are Mentoring young students at PS188 Island School in Manhattan, where most of the young students live in shelters and do not have a parent to guide them.  

We serve with the New York State Mentoring Program “NYSMP/Mentoring USA, mentoring a young student at risk.  It is the first one-to-one Mentoring Program Created in the United States, to address the large population of school dropouts and to cut the high rate of incarceration among teenagers in New York State.  The program was created by the NYS former first Lady Matilda Raffa Cuomo, gives children the chance they deserve to complete their education and become productive citizens – it does not require academics, but requires the Mentor to guide his/her Mentee to finish his/her education and become a productive citizen.  Mrs. Cuomo chairs the program is also a Lions member and we have honored her as the LIONS OF THIS CENTURY for her years of dedication to children and family causes.

During COVID-19 pandemic we were unable to Mentor our Mentees and look forward to resume in September.  

To learn more and get the program running in your Lions District or Club contact:  tpaladini38@nyfidilions.org 

2. VISION;  The positive effects of participation in sports for a blind and partially sighted person, irrespective of the ability or experience to run freely without fear and improve their health cannot be underestimated - it is a gateway to social inclusion, increases confidence and self-esteem, it encourage them to get out and about safely, to participate fully in their communities, live the life they choose, and strengthening both social and motor skills.

3.  ENVIRONMENT (Recycling of eyeglasses and hearing aids): Recycling of unused eyeglasses and hearing aids are the Financial District Lions Club's year-round service. Eyeglasses plastic, metals and cut lenses that are thrown on landfills pollutes the environment and take up valuable landfill spaces, and the recycled eyeglasses stop the need for production materials that launches carbon emission. There are 4 Million used eyeglasses thrown out in the US while153 people worldwide suffer from uncorrected refractive errors. Additionally, recycling eyeglasses and hearing aids not only gives us the opportunity to contribute to cleaner air but also helping people who needs them.

Since we started this recycling Service in 2012, we have collected over12,000 eyeglasses and 284 hearing aids. The year of 2020 during COVID-19 pademic we received 1,280 pairs of eyeglasses and 8 pairs of hearing aids from people who mailed them to us. When we delivered them to the Lions Recycling plant it was closed and we had to place the boxes on a crate in front of the Recycling Center.

We have collection boxes at several places in Manhattan and also receive them by mail. To find out where to send your unwanted eyeglasses and hearing aids contact:  secretary@nyfidilions.org

Below is the transition of the eyeglasses and hearing aids we receive. To learn more, visit the recycling center website:  www.njlerc.org

OTHER SERVICES

CHILDREN OF SOLDIERS FROM NEW YORK

• USO/LIONS PROGRAM “UNITED THROUGH READING – ALWAYS AT YOUR SIDE".

  Fidi Lions Club works closely with USO of Metropolitan New York raising funds to benefit children of soldiers from New Yorkwho are stationed away from home,  

       

LIONS CLUB COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM;

FiDi Lions Club is in the process of organizing a Community Response Service Club whose members will be trained and certified to respond to natual and man-made disasters.  In an event of such casualities you'll be prepared to resond even before any other professional help arrives.

You do not have to live in Battery Park City to become a member of this Service Group.  Interested person shall contact:

 Ln. B.G. Sidney Baumgarten at Email: sidbaumgarten.legal@gmail.com

Annival Rescue contact Lion Paula Galloway at Email: paula@rundog.com

Financial District Lions Club past fundraising campaign have resulted in donations to organizations such as University Settlement, The Joseph Addabbo Family Health Center of Red Hook and Rockaway (Sandy Relief), CCI-Canine Companion for Independence, Sight First, The Brandel and Murphy Foundation, to LCIF-Lions Clubs International Foundation for the Measles Initiative and Oklahoma Disaster Relief, the Tsunami in Japan, and USO of Metropolitan New York which is our ongoing service in support to the children of soldiers.  

DONATIONS TO CHILDREN VICTIMS OF TYPHOON YOLANDA, AND HURRICANE SANDY:

In addition to cash contributions FiDi Lions members organized a donation campaign collecting approximately $10,000.00 in medication, prescription drugs, diapers, baby bottles, toiletries and hygiene products for the children affected by Typhon Yolanda in the Philippines.  

SANDY HURRICANE RELIEVE:  We provided generators as a loans from Lions Clubs International and medical supplies Joseph Addabbo Family Health Center in Red Hook, and donated $1,000.00 to University Settlement facility “Early Start Program” in Chinatown damaged by Hurricane Sandy.