The new humanitarian relief center at the Creedmoor Psychiatric Center in Queens is officially up and running, with the first hundred or so migrants spending their first night at the facility Tuesday.
But right next door to the two massive tents is an organization called SNAP, Services Now for Adult Persons, that has been operating at the adjacent location since 1999. Many of the staff and members at the site are not happy with their new neighbors, SNAP CEO Paola Miceli says.
What You Need To Know
- A new migrant facility the Creedmoor Psychiatric Center in Queens Village officially opened Tuesday. Right next door to the two massive tents is an organization called SNAP, Services Now for Adult Persons
- The nonprofit organization cares for the needs of elderly residents and their caregivers. SNAP CEO Paola Miceli says many of the staff and members at the site are not happy with their new neighbors
- Since construction of the migrant facility began, many longtime senior center members have threatened to leave for other senior centers over safety concerns. Construction has also caused some delays for food supply delivery
The nonprofit organization that cares for the needs of elderly residents and their caregivers serves around 200 members at their Creedmoor location, providing services to hundreds more in the community.
But since construction of the migrant facility began, many longtime members have threatened to leave to other senior centers over safety concerns. The migrant facility is expected to house 1,000 single adult men for the foreseeable future.
“The others that are threatening to leave are pretty longstanding members of the organization, and that is what they are saying. 'We have been coming here for decades, and now you are taking away our home,' which is how they are looking at it. They don’t feel safe,” Miceli said.
The facility at Creedmoor is responsible for making 500 hot meals daily, some to be delivered to seniors at home and others served at the center, but construction has caused some delays for food supply delivery.
Staff at SNAP are now fearful lower enrollment could mean being forced to shut down operations in the future.
“We have a contract with NYC Aging, and we have certain mandates that are contractually based in terms of the units we are required to provide, so when we fall short of the expectations of the contract, we are put at risk of losing the contract,"
The CEO of SNAP says the city agencies on site have been responsive to their concerns, but because of the sheer size of the facility, there are disruptions.
They are asking for either the city or the state to provide security specific to their building, in addition to the round-the-clock security at the migrant facility.