INCORPORATING THE WEST HEMPSTEAD BEACON VOL. 75 No. 48
Second Class Postage paid at Post office at Hempstead, N.Y. 11550
November 27 – December 3, 2025
2 Endo Blvd, Garden City NY 11530
$1 per copy
Subscription $50
ABBA expands mission with new Hempstead offices Headquarters to boost nonprofit’s workforce devlpment, training
One office is a classroom with up-todate television screens and computers. The other holds state-of-the-art microReggie Benjamin has much to be phones and computers capable of podthankful for during this Thanksgiving casting and multimedia communications. season. In partnership with Luis Mendez, Sur rounded by dignitaries, colleagues and the New Greater Hemp- CEO of Empowering Young Professionstead Chamber of Commerce, he cele- als, the multimedia room will provide brated the grand opening professional training in comof the new headquarters munications technology. It for his nonprofit organizawill also broadcast ABBA’s t i o n — A bl e B o dy o f work and offer media space Believer’s Alliance— at 100 for podcasts centered on Main St. on Nov. 18. Hempstead. For 20 years, through “We have a DJ setup also, training in the field of conso we can get young people struction, Benjamin has involved in the entertainguided thousands of forment and arts,” Mendez said. merly incarcerated people Use of the new offices to renewed, productive TAREll HuddlEsoN comes through another partlives — the ultimate exam- ABBA Director nership, this one with Donald ple of workforce develop- of Job Development Monti, president and CEO of ment. Renaissance Downtowns USA ABBA’s base of operations has been LLC. Bethlehem of Judea Church, which is “We need ABBA here because we led by Rev. Lynnwood Deans. The spa- need the people that live here to work cious new offices at 100 Main St. are here,” Monti said. “We’ve got to train expected to exponentially broaden the people before more buildings get built in organization’s reach.
By REINE BETHANY
rbethany@liherald.com
Courtesy Reine Bethany
Seniors in the community room of general Macarthur douglas Village in Hempstead enjoyed a meal on nov. 19, courtesy of the new greater Hempstead Chamber of Commerce.
‘Friendsgiving’ with the New Greater Hempstead Chamber of Commerce Seniors share gratitude, well wishes at community Thanksgiving gathering By REINE BETHANY Special to the Herald
One of the most soul-nourishing activities of the New Greater Hempstead Chamber of Commerce is its annual “Friendsgiving,” which this year fell on Nov. 19. About 35 seniors from two Hempstead senior housing facilities — General MacArthur Village at 260 Clinton Street and Totten Towers at 20 Totten Street — gathered in the community room of 260 Clinton, which also houses the Hempstead Housing Authority offices eight days before Thanksgiving. Chamber president Dr. LaShawn Lukes and four members of her board of directors arranged the event and greeted the seniors as they entered the room. Professional chefs who are Chamber members loaded two tables with roast turkey slices in gravy, with seasoned stuffing, creamy macaroni and cheese, flavorful collards, succulent candied yams, two
kinds of rice, and sweet cranberry sauce. Cookies and cake on platters sat beside juice, soda and iced tea, completing the meal. O p e n i n g t h e l u n ch e o n , L u ke s expressed her admiration for the seniors and their lives in the community. “Anyone that you come into contact with can be a positive experience,” she said, “and you are the driver of that experience.” Students of Lukes’ financial literacy class at Hempstead High School had sent Thanksgiving messages to the seniors. Lukes read them aloud, provoking laughter with one message that said, “I’m grateful for the lessons you passed down so we don’t mess up and make the same mistakes you did.” The same message concluded, “Thank you, seniors, for supporting the newer generation.” Latoya Benjamin, a Chamber board member who owns V.I.P. Small Dog SitCOntinued On Page 6
I
just want the next 20 years to be even better than the last 20 years.
COntinued On Page 4
Courtesy Reine Bethany
able Body of Believer’s alliance held a grand opening for its new offices at 100 Main St. on nov.18, sponsored by the new greater Hempstead Chamber of Commerce.