Today, Monday, August 27, Borough President Marty Markowitz, Deputy Borough President Yvonne Graham and Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, along with Governor Eliot Spitzer’s office, Assembly Member Nick Perry, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs Guillermo Linares, Council Member Mathieu Eugene, and other Brooklyn and New York City elected officials and community leaders join forces with various Caribbean Consuls General and community leaders to mark the beginning of our designated Caribbean Relief Week.

Caribbean Hurricane Relief Week is a coordinated campaign to provide emergency assistance through aid and donations to Caribbean regions and people affected by the devastation of Hurricane Dean, which will begin on August 27th and run through Labor Day September 3rd. Governor Spitzer has authorized the use of the State Armory, located at 1579 Bedford Avenue (bet. President & Union Streets) as the primary collection center in Brooklyn for our hurricane relief efforts. Over the course of this week, all are asking that residents and businesses throughout Brooklyn aid in the relief effort by contributing a monetary donation, or help in securing other crucially needed items such as diapers, generators, water filters/purifiers, insect repellant, batteries, international calling cards, flashlights, over-the-counter pain relievers, tarpaulins, duct tape, soap, and non-perishable food items.

Arrangements that have been put in place, by the governor’s office, for this purpose:

• The designated person at the Armory in charge of this operation is Colonel Jacqueline Russell. Colonel Russell can be reached at (718) 467-7998. If she is unavailable, the alternative contact person is Sgt. Grace Clarke. 
• The Armory is opened Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m to 5:00 p.m. and armory personnel has been authorized to accept hurricane relief donated item during these hours of operation.   There are no weekend hours.
• Drop-off can be made through the front entrance on Bedford Avenue or the side entrance on Union Street.
• Donated items will be stored in the Main Drill Floor Military Room.
• Volunteers are needed at the Armory to sort, document and package any donated items for shipment to the recipient countries.
• For further information, please contact the Armory at (718) 467-7998

                         
Monetary donations can be made through the consular offices:

       
            ●          Consulate General of Jamaica          ● Consulate General of Dominican Republic
                        767 3rd Ave # 2                                 1501 Broadway
                        New York, NY 10017                            New York, NY 10036
                        (212) 935-9000                                  (212) 768-2480

            ●          Consulate General of Haiti               ●  Consulate General of St. Lucia
                        271 Madison Avenue #5                      800 Second Avenue – 9th Floor
                        New York, NY 10016                           New York, NY 10017
                        (212) 697-9767                                 (212) 697-9360

            ●          Consulate General of Belize             Consulate General of Dominica
                        820 Second Avenue, Suite 9001          800 Second Avenue-Suite 400-H
                        New York, NY                                   New York, NY 10017
                        (212) 599-0233                                (212) 599-8478

            ●          Consulate General of France (Martinique & Guadeloupe)
                        934 Fifth Avenue
                        New York, NY 10017
                        (212) 606-3623