Former Long Island senator and Republican gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin is launching a charity to help the needy in New York.
Zeldin Cares addresses homelessness and food insecurity, strengthens services for veterans, supports youth education, restores dilapidated buildings, parks and roads, and promotes economic development in impoverished areas. He told the Post that he plans to raise funds and use his volunteer base to promote it. .
Zeldin said he came up with the idea while stumbling in a disadvantaged community and said he feels taken for granted by politicians from both parties.
“I remain determined to provide the leadership needed to move New York forward in areas most in need,” Zeldin said in a statement. “Whether it’s supporting young entrepreneurs in our inner-city communities, cleaning up public spaces or volunteering for our partner organizations, I will continue to do my part to build a better future for New York City. is.”
In an interview with the Post, Zeldin added:
“We don’t have to wait for the government to do something.”
Zeldin is credited with turning four battleground seats for the Republican row in last year’s gubernatorial election, losing a narrow margin to Democrat Kathy Hochol, but multigenerational poverty. He said that tackling such issues should not be a partisan issue.
He has previously acknowledged that in order to survive in statewide elections, Republican candidates must do a better job among minorities and Democratic-leaning New Yorkers, especially black voters.
Many people live in the low-income neighborhoods he tries to help.
“For many New Yorkers, it’s not about blind partisan loyalty,” Zeldin said of helping the poor.
He said he admired the partnership between former Democratic President Jimmy Carter and Habitat for Humanity, which helps build housing for the needy.
During the campaign, Zeldin proposed setting up a business incubation center in Harlem.
“We want to move it forward. People have pledged a lot of support in the seven-figure scale,” he said.
Zeldin Cares will hold a joint event in the Tokyo metropolitan area this week with Arcs, an organization that serves approximately 1,000 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
His group will support extracurricular activities, such as sending children on trips to Six Flags amusement park.
Volunteers from Zeldin Care will also work with Meals on Wheels to deliver home-cooked meals to seniors.
Longer term, we are in talks with apparel companies to design jackets specifically for homeless people to keep them warm during the winter months.
He is also working with Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and community groups to strengthen Hempstead Village.
The creation of the non-profit charity shows that Zeldin intends to remain active and high-profile after giving up his seat in Congress to run for governor.
Some supporters urged him to run for chairman of the Republican National Committee, but he declined after it emerged that incumbent Ronna McDaniel had the votes to secure reelection. .
He also founded his own consulting firm, Zeldin Strategies.
A veteran, Zeldin served four years in the U.S. Army before being elected to the State Senate and then to the House of Representatives.
