Sunnyside District Management Association

(UPDATE 08.13.21) Thank you to everyone who has given so generously to this fundraiser!!! This is a devastating loss for our community and for our businesses, but once again we find ourselves overwhelmed with gratitude for this beautiful community and their support of the workers who have been displaced.

We are working closely with the New York City Department of Small Business Services' Emergency Response unit on small business recovery. We have a long road ahead to see the necessary repairs made to the damaged site and reopening of the affected businesses, but they will have our support and guidance along the way. We are also working with the small businesses to determine the exact number and identity of employees who lost their income with this fire, so we can begin planning distribution of the emergency funds. 100% of the proceeds from this fundraiser will be distributed to displaced employees. 

We are also working on compiling a list of open job opportunities in the area for workers who desire assistance with job placement.

As of 3 pm this afternoon, following the inspiring response to this crisis, and in the interest of ensuring displaced workers are supported in the weeks ahead, we raised our fundraising goal to $50,000. Thank you to everyone who has liked, shared, and contributed to get us to where we are now!

If you wish to make a donation by check rather than through Go Fund Me, send your check made out to "Sunnyside Shines Fire Relief Fund"to PO Box 4477, Sunnyside, NY 11104; we will provide you with a receipt for tax services. We are a 501(c)3 organization and your donation is 100% tax deductible to the extent permitted by law. If you have any other inquiries regarding this fundraiser, please email us at info at sunnysideshines dot org.

08.12.21
This morning, a four alarm fire tore through a block at 44th street and Queens Boulevard. At this time we know that several businesses have been damaged or disrupted and will continue to update this fundraiser as developments become clear. Just as we did following the 2018 devastating fire In Sunnyside, we are jumping into action to raise relief funds for workers displaced but this fire. We appreciate your support as our businesses struggle with this new loss after the last grinding 18 months of hardship for our entire community.

The morning of December 13th, a devastating fire ripped through the heart of our neighborhood of Sunnyside, Queens, destroying six businesses and leaving dozens of employees out of work in the middle of the holidays.  While we are grateful that there was no loss of life, the toll on our business community is unimaginable, and for residents of our neighborhood, many precious memories of good times at these businesses are also up in smoke.

What has transpired in the hours since this fire are testament to this amazing community----hundreds of individuals have inquired about how they can help, and every single community organization has expressed their interest in lending their resources to help our business owners and employees back on their feet. Together, within hours of the fire, we have already organized a Resource Fair and Community Fundraiser for December 17th, and we continue to connect businesses to resources available through New York City's emergency management systems. 

Your donation is tax deductible, and all funds will be used in their entirety to provide relief to employees of the businesses affected by the fire.

The Sunnyside Fire Emergency Fund is the product of the efforts of several dozen individuals and community groups, who have united to heal our community in the face of this tragedy.

Donors who wish to contribute outside of Go Fund Me may make a donation directly through Sunnyside Shines; please message us for more information if you are interested in this option.  Additional contributors to date are all listed on the Sunnyside Shines website at www.sunnysideshines.org/firerelief and include:

Cash Donations at 12.18 Fundraiser at Sunnyside Community Services ($15,817.25)

Online ticket sales proceeds from 12.17.18 community fundraiser ($12,860)

Proceeds from 12.23.18 fundraiser at Bantry Bay ($3100)

Amin Siad, Fresh & Save Supermarkets ($2,000)

Cash Donations at Bar 43 Fundraiser 12.19.18 ($1,915)

Sunnyside Florist ($1,058)

Paddie Reilly Memorial Foundation, Inc. ($1,000)

Pete's Grill ($1,000)

Queen of Angels Roman Catholic Church ($1,000)

Sunnyside Ballet Nutcracker Collection ($793.50)

Proceeds from 12.21.18 Jack's Firehouse Karaoke Fundraiser ($645)

Patricia Dorfman ($600)

Richard F. Drake ($525)

Anonymous ($500)

Bar 43 ($500)

Dazies Restaurant ($500)

Eileen Walsh ($500)

Elinor and Robert Schanz ($500)

Eric and Lisa Gioia ($500)

Ingrassia Insurance Agency ($500)

LIC Building LLC ($500)

Marc Crawford Leavitt ($500)

Sunnyside Artists ($500)

Sunnyside Kiwanis Foundation ($500)

Sunnyside Painting ($500)

The Lowery Bar & Kitchen ($500)

Angela Maguire ($300)

Maureen O. Stathis ($300)

Joseph Y. Schulder ($252)

Brian T. Brennan ($250)

NYS Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan ($250)

Dance Matters NYC LLC ($250)

Donovan's Pub ($250)

Kathleen and Pedro Kourtesis ($250)

Maura Lynch ($250)

Veronica Brennan and Francis O'Mara ($250)

Sunnyside Ballet LLC ($250)

Bula Arts & Culture ($220)

Leonard B. Lacroix ($200)

Sunnyside Artists (via art auction sales) ($200)

Sunnyside Woodside Lions Club ($200)

Valentine and Aristide Michielini ($200)

Families of the Students of P.S. 150 ($173.13)

Sunnyside-Woodside Action Group ($160)

Cooldown Juice ($150)

Maria and Peter Ross ($150)

Barista Staff of Paris Baguette ($120)

44 KPF INC. ($100)

108 Pct Community Council ($100)

Anne Walsh and Rosemary Murphy ($100)

Bill Makolin ($100)

Cecilia Harrigan and Rosemary Flanagan ($100)

Diane Ballek ($100)

Debbie & Gary Bush ($100)

Dennis and Norma Branco ($100)

Edward G. Casazza ($100)

Gary Matson ($100)

Jill Monroe ($100)

Joanne Smith and Nancy Gratzer ($100)

Katherine Calitri and Shirley Bomzer ($100)

Kevin O. Kane ($100)

Maureen and Richard O'Connor ($100)

Ombreo / Hideo Nakamura ($100)

Skillman's Famous Pizza Shop ($100)

Thomas Dunne ($100)

Fostra ($100)

Sheila Ross, Sheila Ross Pottery ($100)

Theobucket Vintage ($100)

Treestar* Soaps, Jose Alvarez-Oviedo ($71)

Extra Helpings Household Goods ($60)

Brian Lam Works - Charitable Pop Up Market Donation ($53)

Anonymous Sunnysider ($50)

Carol Matson ($50)

Catherine Doxey ($50)

Catherine McNamara ($50)

Frances Kraemer ($50)

John J. O'Sullivan ($50)

Margaret Gloeckler ($50)

Mary Delaney ($50)

Mary and Michael OSullivan ($50)

Patrick T. Rohan and Theresa A. O'Sullivan ($50)

Rehndell Masi, RNK Ceramics ($50)

Vincent V. Voorhees ($50)

Marie Antoinette Lewis ($50)

Virginia Ferrara ($50)

Anonymous Sunnysider ($40)

Forward Roots LLC ($40)

Mary Ann and Joseph Gurrado ($40)

Sal DiMattei ($40)

Davida Sobers - Charitable Pop Up Market Proceeds ($34.50)

Limited Toy - Charitable Pop Up Market Proceeds ($30)

Anonymous Sunnysider ($25)

Daniel and Christine Bergin ($25)

Debra Markell ($25)

Gerald and Margaret Perrin ($25)

Lelanie Oei ($25)

Peter's Impressions ($25)

Christina Byrn ($20)

Dorothy and Charles Cavallo ($20)

Shawn Hill ($20)

Grace Kelli Cupcakes ($15)

Selmin Karatas, Pyxis Products Ltd ($12)

Simon Donikian ($10)

Tito Rad's ($1,000)