Mayor Mamdani shares Easter dinner with formerly homeless veterans
This is Mamdani’s second visit to the VOA. He previously visited them back in November as then mayor-elect where he served roughly two dozen veterans hot meals in honor of Veterans Day.
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With full plates and a list of stories, veterans had dinner with Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Easter Sunday.
The mayor visited the Commonwealth Veteran's Residence after several stops throughout Brooklyn and the Bronx.
The building has 75 units housing formerly homeless veterans.
"It's a message to all veterans that the city of New York is with them, that this is a new era, an era that wants to make sure that veterans and their families are included," said the Commissioner of the Department of Veterans Services Yesenia Mata.
Alongside other elected officials and the commissioner, the mayor met with more than 30 former service members.
The veterans shared their concerns and questions regarding housing, employment and health.
"Most of them said, 'this is the first time where we actually had someone who sits as a mayor that came here and talked to us and asked us, what is it that we need?'," said Mata.
The moment was a milestone for the people in the room, a veteran could be heard saying to another employee, "I feel like my life was changed."
The president and CEO of the Volunteers of America-Greater New York, Jeffrey Ginsburg said, "We're very proud to be a part of that conversation, but we're most proud that our formerly homeless veterans got to speak for themselves."
The commissioner told News 12 it is the second time the mayor visited the veterans, and it shows a commitment to listening to their needs.
