Roosevelt Island Residents Line Up Yesterday To Receive Free Coronavirus Face Coverings From NYC Council Member Ben Kallos

Long line for Roosevelt Island Coronavirus face covering distribution from news council member @BenKallos in front of Foodtown right now. pic.twitter.com/7SJu9EHr6o

— Roosevelt Islander (@Rooseveltisland) May 15, 2020

Roosevelt Island was left out of Mayor Bill de Blasio's NYC neighborhood Coronavirus Face Covering distribution locations. Fortunately, our NYC Council Member Ben Kallos was able to schedule Face Covering distribution here yesterday afternoon from 4-6 PM outside of the Foodtown Supermarket.

Several hundred Roosevelt Island residents lined up at about 4 PM to receive reusable and disposable Coronavirus Face Covering from Mr Kallos.

Council Member Kallos arrived with approximately 360 reusable and and 280 disposable Face Coverings shortly after 4 PM

to a long line stretching from the entrance to Foodtown Supermarket all the way down the block almost to the north end of the Motograte Garage with social distancing space of 6 feet being maintained.

The distribution was a bit chaotic initially but quickly got  organized with the assistance of Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department (PSD) Deputy Chief Anthony Amoroso and other PSD Officers.

Two separate lines were formed for those with (250 RSVP's) and without reservations and within 10-15 minutes, both lines were moving smoothly and people received their Face Coverings from Mr Kallos and other volunteers.

I spoke with Mr Kallos yesterday. He talked about the Face Covering distribution, food distribution at PS?IS 217 and Senior Center and urged residents to contact him by phone (212 860 1950), email or Twitter if you need any assistance.



He also reported trying to get NYC to have a face covering distribution location on Roosevelt Island.