On Sunday, January 29th from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm at 101 Clinton Street Street (between Remseen and Joralemon) Spread Love Brooklyn is collecting cold weather items for asylum seekers who recently arrived in New York. Donations are earmarked for the benefit of Gowanus Mutual Aid, CHiPS, and Team TLC. Please consider gifting any of the following:
- winter coats
- sweaters/sweatshirts
- hats, scarves, gloves, mittens
- winter boots/sneakers
- new underwear & socks
- backpacks
- gently used strollers
All items should be new OR gently used and washed. Please, no broken zippers, missing buttons or snaps, rips, holes, or stains. Ideal shoe sizes are men’s size 9 and under, women’s 8 and under, and any child size.
If you recall, in August and September 2022 Texas Governor Gregg Abbott (R) sent busloads of asylum-seekers to New York City in August and September of 2002 to prove a political point, as reported by the New York Times. New York City is a sanctuary city.
Spread Love Brooklyn is the brainchild and passion project of Brooklyn Mom, Christina D’Asaro. It unofficially began during the peak of the pandemic in December 2020. Not yet branded as Spread Love Brooklyn she held a toy drive for children for a local mutual aid group. When Lincoln Restler was newly elected in 2021, she cold-called the City Councilmember to see, “if he could help [her] with distribution in the community. He connected me with Wyckoff, gardens, among others, and I ended up [collecting] 700 toys in my tiny apartment.”
In 2022, Christina was able to officially partner with Councilmember Restler and his team to hold two events for the benefit of Gowanus Mutual Aid and NYCHA respectively. First, in September, she collected school supplies. Then in December, she coordinated another toy drive, this time held at the Brooklyn Borough Hall’s Farmer’s market. Their efforts, along with that of the community, amassed over 1,000 donations and took three cars to transport to Lincoln Restler’s headquarters on Atlantic Avenue.
Spread Love Brooklyn founder Christina D’Asaro with City Councilmember Lincoln Restler and Peppa Pig at the Dec 2022 toy drive.
Christina works full-time in communications and is a wife and mother of a spirited young daughter. Given her professional and familial responsibilities, she isn’t sure whether this labor of love will evolve into the establishment of a non-profit. But for now, “future plans include a food drive.” Still, she is changing the lives of neighbors in need one drive at a time. She added, “the network is growing and people are spreading love-expanding to Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, etc.” Follow Spread Love Brooklyn on Instagram for up-to-the-moment info on her efforts to help our neighbors. Brava, Christina! Brava!
Photo Credit: Beth Heller Photo/Beth Eisgrau-Heller
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