Photos by Daniel Efram
Updated 2/9
Dan posted an update to the GoFundMe... thanking everyone for their generous support. Also:
WE NEED: General builders / handy people / painters / wall scrapers / flooring specialists for possible emergency work in the apartment possibly this weekend or next week.
See the comments below or the campaign for more info.
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EVG regular Daniel Efram is helping a neighbor, Ginette Schenck, an 87-year-old resident who has lived in a studio on 12th Street and Avenue A for decades, improve her current living conditions.
Per his crowdfunding appeal:
Ginette's health and apartment have seen better days. Funds raised will go toward a deep cleaning (of the apartment), apartment replacement items, new clothing, bedding, towels, etc... which will allow her to heal in a clean and less germ-friendly environment.
Her health has taken a huge dip in the last couple of months, certainly in no small part due to her horrendous living quarters. It needs a DEEP clean asap, and she will need new everything (clothing, bedding, paint. etc.) to survive. She has been bedridden for months and needs daily help. Her numerous ailments, including painful shingles, neuropathy made worse undoubtedly by her filthy, vermin-ridden studio apartment.Though we have been able to get her some aid through the city, she needs much more and any progress seems destined to be stymied by bad fortune and a lack of family nearby to help her make decisions ...
The way she has been left to die on her own, trying to navigate a health care system designed to punish those without extreme financial affluence, family or regular guidance, is a tragedy.
I've been missing seeing Ginnette on Ave A - Such a sweet woman. Very sorry to hear of her state...Please send her my love. Donated just now
ReplyDeleteThank you, grieve . I can’t write more because I’m so tearful
ReplyDeletedonated. thank you grieve and daniel efram! wishing her a snug, clean and toasty apartment, and a speedy return to good health!
ReplyDeleteThis might be her, in better days, in a wonderful story about NYC pools. https://www.nytimes.com/1999/08/15/nyregion/day-water-floating-air-swimmer-finds-that-manhattan-s-12-municipal-pools-are.html
ReplyDeleteBut many love it anyway. Ginette Schenck, a French immigrant, said she considered the patrons family and pointed out many by name and occupation. ''I grew up in an all-white country,'' she said. ''It was so boring there. Here it is so full of life. Even the cops are nice at this pool.''
More about this neighbor:https://www.ginetteschenk.com/
ReplyDeleteWe must help Ginette, she is so cool, and I miss seeing her on A and hearing all her stories.. she has so many.
ReplyDeleteThanks Grieve for posting this story. Ginette is doing okay. The first day's clean went well... a few snags, but all in all successful. There is a team working on it today and tomorrow as well.
ReplyDeleteEventually, we will need to do some repairs to her apartment as her landlord is unreliable (at best, have not had any direct contact with them.)
What would we do without a community on EV Grieve? Thank you EV Grieve!
She (or someone who can act on her behalf) should apply for meal delivery from Gods Love We Deliver. They are a great org I volunteer for so I will i quire about setting her up. But if someone reading this is close to her and can apply for her please do so. ❤️
ReplyDelete@Jen - thank you for the link. The documentary on that page is worth watching - I think it may have been featured on EVG in the past? Such a sweet person, and the music by Giuseppi Logan made me tear up.
ReplyDeleteWondering if an Amazon wish list would be helpful for supplying all the home goods that need to be purchased?
ReplyDeleteHello! If you’re going to make repairs and help someone like this, please take advantage of the NY right to repair law which allows you to get back costs from the landlord for reasonable fixes they won’t do in a timely manner. It is nice to see people put in time to help but don’t make everything a donation and a give-away to real estate!
ReplyDeleteHow can we all help her clean up the apt?
ReplyDeleteBox’s -
Trash bags-
Please let me know.
I would love to help an get people.
No one should ever live like that🥊♥️
I can help clean up let me know leave me a message here.
DeleteHi to all of these great ideas - if you want to email me directly, you can at dan @ danielefram . com
ReplyDeleteThanks for the ideas and the help!!
what size bedding does she need? What size clothing, shoes? I know she is quite crippled, could she use a cane?
DeleteLooking at the underlying condition of the apartment exposed by the cleaning, it's totally unacceptable. I'm guessing that this is a rent-stabilized apartment, in which case the people helping her should absolutely contact HPD. It will not bring about any short-term miracles, but it should help put pressure on what looks like a very negligent landlord indeed.
ReplyDelete@ EV Grieve - can you post the story on your instagram account for larger audience? It would be great to send it to my followers for help.
ReplyDeleteThank you
please reach out to Cooper Square Committee 212-228-8210 csc@coopersquare.org for help. they have social services, a nurse, and can help with landlord
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know what happened to her dog?🙏🏻
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU FOR HELPING GINETTE!
ReplyDeleteWE NEED: General builders / handy people / painters / wall scrapers / flooring specialists for possible emergency work in the apartment possibly this weekend or next week.
Please respond with a quick summary of your skills and what tools you have access to., include your email and text ready phone number.
Some money has been raised but it may only cover supplies and maybe only a token honorarium right now. Cannot respond to everyone immediately. THANK YOU SO SO SO SO MUCH!
PS: If we didn't list one of your skills that you think might be helpful, please feel free to respond.
PSS: We do have a caring social worker from Moutn Sinai. She is helping, but there are huge holes in the system so we are preparing to do what we can, when we have a window of opportunity,
Unfortunately Bunny, Ginette's cute dog passed away a couple of years ago.
ReplyDeletePlease connect her with Project Ore at Sirovich Senior Center on 12th St. & 1st Ave. They have social workers and resources that specialize in hoarding, decluttering, preventing homelessness.They may be able to help find a substantial grant to help pay for the work! Also, keep in mind that when you are working in a rodent infested apartment, you need to wear hazmat suits, gloves, and foot coverings, and wear respirators! I’ve gotten very sick from helping in these situations.
ReplyDeleteAh, she has been a neighbor for 30+ years. Her former neighbor Winchester Chimes died of aids 30 years ago and was a huge influence on a large amount of performers. We always had that connection. She has always been kind and smiling on the street.
ReplyDeleteThose old tenements are loaded with lead paint. Even after the place is cleaned up wear a NIOSH mask and head covering while doing any repair work. You don't want that shit getting in your hair or congregating on your bald spot.
ReplyDeleteDan, thank you for being a mensch.
ReplyDeletefwiw, people love Amazon wishlists! Some folks will buy items there when they won't donate to a GoFundMe. If you want one and need help setting it up after the initial emergency work is done, please let me know.
Dan, I don't know you, but I want to commend you for being such a caring neighbor: one who doesn't just wring his hands over the situation, but rather one who's taking effective action on Ginette's behalf. You've stepped up for her in a way that few people ever do.
ReplyDeleteThank you for being a true mensch, and I hope all the good you do will come back to you as good karma many times over!
Thank you for featuring Ms. Schenck's story. Godspeed to her.
ReplyDeleteHi Friends Old & New -
ReplyDeleteIf you are interested in how things are progressing, updates are being posted to the GoFundme page (including the most recent updates on cleaning and needs) https://gofund.me/9da4d210
And we may need help going forward. So we started a Google Group. Join it. https://groups.google.com/g/east-side-community-support-system/
Please share https://gofund.me/9da4d210 as she will need everything she can get. Let's make her remaining time, as good as it can be for as long as it is, she's suffered a lot and right now it really seems day-to-day. This can be a mean and cruel world, but her social worker and others are trying. Thank you all so much for your goodwill. She has no idea how many people care right now as she's in so much pain its tough for her to concentrate. But I feel and appreciate it very much and try to convey it often.
There is a chance we may get her into a new apartment and this would truly be like "winning the lottery". We may find out very shortly.
Dan - if everyone could be so fortunate as to have a friend and neighbor like you, this would be a truly wonderful world.
ReplyDeleteglad to see everyone coming together to help Ginette!
ReplyDeletemy next door neighbor was helping her with errands, & tried to help her further, but this got cut short, and he felt quite bad about it.
Does Ginette have Medicare? If she does, I strongly suggest getting her a homecare aid. This is a free service and is available to elderly who experience health challenges. Most senior centers have social workers and counselors who can explain the steps needed to get the paperwork done in order to get a healthcare aid. I would look into this as additional help.
ReplyDeletePlease visit Ginette's website that has her debut novel available for free at www.ginetteschenk.com.
ReplyDeleteI am delighted to report I saw Ginette out on upper Avenue A tonight! She looked wonderful and was in great spirits. I asked her how long she'd been back on the Ave as I hadn't seen her in ages, and she assured me she had been there the whole time, lol. So glad to see this queen back in action ❤️
ReplyDelete