Page 21 - Albanian Yellow Pages 2022

A Message from Mark Gjonaj
You can only get out of a community that which you put into it
Dear Friends,
I hope you and your families are doing well. I am proud of what we have achieved fighting on behalf of the Albanian-American community during my years as a NYS Assemblyman and NYC Councilman.
I am humbled to have worked with the community and the progress we have made on different issues throughout the years, whether it was standing up for different causes, celebrating our culture and traditions, lobbying US policy makers to adopt positions favorable for Albanians, plan and organize rallies, celebrating national heroes and street co-naming ceremonies, celebrating Al- banian Flag Day, supporting Albanian-American organizations, supporting Albanian Language Programs and the Illyria Community and Wellness Cen- ter at Jacobi Hospital and much more.
To ensure that our community thrives and prospers, I am committed to priori- tizing the following initiatives and projects that will benefit our people for generations to come:
• Illyrian Community and Wellness Center at Jacobi Hospital - Over $8 mil- lion has been secured to establish a center that provides a space for commu- nity events and educational programs that will foster the preservation of our culture and language. Offering a safe place for children to play, learn, and de- velop a strong cultural awareness as well as programs that will meet the so- cial, emotional and wellness needs of our growing elderly population.
• Albanian Community and Resource Center – over $2 million has been se- cured to centralize, unite and strengthen Albanian American organizations.
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