CitiStorage – Records Storage & Shredding

News from the neighborhood
Greenpoint Gazette by Jeff Mann

For the 16th straight year, the CitiStorage holiday party was an overwhelming success! Staying with tradition, the North 11th Street records-storage giant chose community outreach over eggnog and decorations, resulting in a show of holiday spirit few companies can match. As in years past, the beneficiary of their largesse was The League Education and Treatment Center.

To read the rest of the story click ”CitiStorage Plays Santa to Kids in Need“

Citistorage Saves Day to Provide Venue
May 1st, 2011
Greenline

The show will go on!

After logistical concerns threatened to leave the 7th annual PS 132 Kite Festival without a venue, CitiStorage owners Norm and Elaine Brodsky agreed to provide their waterfront space for the colorful spring tradition.”

The festival will take place on June 5th, from 12 to 5pm. The school community and friends will enjoy a fun filled day of kite flying, art and crafts, food, and games and rides for children. “Kid-friendly” musical acts like the Huntry March Band and Audra Rox will perform throughout the day.”

The event will take place on the waterfront from N.5th to N. 11th Street. All are welcome.”

News from the neighborhood
December 23, 2010
Greenpoint Gazette by Jeff Mann

As the publisher of our community newspaper, I attend countless holiday parties. During the month of December, elected officials, political groups, businesses and non-profits thank their supporters, employees, constituents and customers with great food, booze and holiday cheer as they close out the year. While each of these soirees is special, for me, the stand-out event of the season was CitiStorage’s holiday no-party.

What is a “no-party?” you ask. Around 12 years ago, the employees of CitiStorage approached employers Elaine and Norm Brodsky requesting to forego their holiday party, and to instead donate the proceeds to a worthy cause. That worthy cause was and remains The League Education and Treatment Center (formerly The League Treatment Center).

The League diagnoses, treats and educates more than 500 children and adults with psychiatric and developmental disabilities. League students have the odds stacked against them. 95% come from households that meet poverty guidelines and 40% from foster care. To be accepted into the school, students must have been rejected by the NYC Department of Education (they are referred to the League by the DOE) due to the severity of their emotional problems. Despite these odds, 10% of students transition to public schools each year and 95 percent of their preschool graduates enter programs run by the DOE allowing some of the most difficult students a chance to be successful at school, and eventually in life.

Each day, during the week leading up to Christmas, the Brodskys, CitiStorage President Louis Weiner and several CitiStorage employees head over to the League to hand out presents and help the students unwrap, assemble and play with their gifts. And what an amazing array of gifts, including computer games, remote controlled cars and even bicycles – with helmets, of course – for the oldest classes. As Aron Bukspan, the League’s Director of Development said, “No expense is spared, it seems.” That, in addition to the financial support the Brodsky’s provide for the school’s programs led Bukspan to declare the Brodskys “extraordinary people,” adding that he is “amazed at the level of generosity exhibited by CitiStorage.”

Approximately six months of planning goes into CitiStorage’s annual “no-party.” The CitiStorage team meets with League officials to discuss what gifts are appropriate for each child’s needs and abilities. They then shop for the presents, wrap them and deliver them, remaining very “hands-on” throughout the process. The staff decided early on that they wanted to have a physical role in the gift giving. The enthusiasm of the children, many of whom are amazed that they get to take the presents home with them, is frequently outshined by the excitement of the CitiStorage team when they see and hear a child’s response to his new toy. League CEO Hannah Achtenberg Kinn calls the employees “Santa’s elves, as far as we are concerned…It really is a tribute to Elaine’s own vision and imagination, and her staff are wonderful people. They come year-after-year with unique gifts, with enthusiasm, and most of all, with kindness.

Weiner has a unique perspective. He gets to enjoy the “reward you get from giving to children who may not receive another Christmas present this year, and the reward from seeing young employees take pride in their philanthropic efforts.” What a perfect way to describe the holiday spirit.

News from the neighborhood
December 23, 2010
Greenpoint Gazette

Board Members, key supporters and business and civic leaders gathered on December 16th to be celebrated and honored for their support of the Greenpoint YMCA and its life-enhancing programs and services. For the 4th year in a row, this event was hosted by Norm & Elaine Brodsky in a beautiful space on the waterfront where the business they founded, CitiStorage, is located. Also, for the 4th year in a row, the event was sponsored by Con Edison.

Stuart Leffler, representing Con Edison, was recognized at the event, as were Norm and Elaine Brodsky. The Interim Executive Director of the Y, Keith Hicks, thanked all attendees, saying, “In these economic times, it’s been more important than ever to make sure our doors remain open to those who need us the most.”

Assemblyman Joseph Lentol was among the attendees, who said in his remarks to the crowd, “It is so wonderful to see so many staunch supporters of the YMCA gathered here to celebrate this community. The Y provides essential services and needs us as much as we need it.”

City Councilman Steve Levin also attended, saying, “New York City is made up of neighborhoods, and the building blocks of neighborhoods are institutions. The Greenpoint YMCA is a strong, lasting institution that is so deserving of our support.”

Those who were honored had made contributions of time and talent to the Greenpoint YMCA, and also made contributions to the Greenpoint YMCA’s Strong Kids Campaign. Funds raised through the Strong Kids Campaign go to provide financial assistance and free programs for the community.

In all, over dozens of key supporters were honored at the Greenpoint YMCA’s Winter Gathering sponsored by Con Edison, enjoying food, fellowship, and the joy of knowing that they have helped to ensure that the future of an organization that has served the neighborhoods of Greenpoint and Williamsburg for over 125 years, and thereby have helped to ensure the future of our community.

To find out how to contribute to the Strong Kids Campaign or become a Strong Kids Campaign volunteer, please call (718) 389-3700.

News from the neighborhood
Greenpoint Gazette

The glittering lights of the Manhattan skyline shone brightly on the Brooklyn side of the East river Wednesday night as friends, elected officials, board members and community supporters gathered at Williamsburg’s own CitiStorage at the 2nd Annual Greenpoint YMCA’s Winter Gathering celebration.

The event, which was sponsored by Con Edison and hosted by Norm and Elaine Brodsky, celebrated the Greenpoint YMCA’s Board of Managers and closest friends and supporters in the community, including key volunteers, business leaders and elected officials. Short speeches were delivered by Melvin Tse, the Executive Director; Tammea Tyler, Senior Program Director for Youth & Family Programs; Board Chair Paul J. Pullo and Assemblyman Joe Lentol.

Despite recent economic news, the tone of the night was decidedly hopeful, as YMCA administrators and supporters made it clear that they refuse to let their programs suffer in the face of financial hardship. Melvin Tse thanked those attending for their support along with about 450 other community donors the 2008 Strong Kids Campaign helped to ensure that the Greenpoint YMCA was able to serve approximately 4,000 neighborhood children, 80 percent of whom participate in programs free of charge or with financial assistance. It’s more important than ever that our 2009 Campaign be successful so that we can meet the growing needs of the young people and families in our community, said Tse.

Guests were greatly moved when Tammea Tyler shared the stories of two families that had been greatly impacted by the Greenpoint YMCA’s programs and the Strong Kids Campaign. Drawing from her personal experiences in helping these families, she shared her memories of their great relief when they were told the Greenpoint YMCA would be there for them no matter what, and that financial assistance would be available to them during difficult times.

Assemblyman Lentol addressed the guests, affirming his great support of the Greenpoint YMCA and its important work. And Paul J. Pullo s poke of how in these times, non-profits are again being asked to do more with less. Pullo remarked that, with the commitment of our friends to the Greenpoint YMCA’s Strong Kids Campaign, they would be able to meet the challenge and make sure their doors remain open to those who need them the most.

The evening included an award ceremony during which Norm and Elaine Brodsky and Stuart Leffler of Con Edison were honored, in appreciation of their support and involvement.

For more information about the Greenpoint YMCA’s Strong Kids Campaign, how to make a contribution or volunteer, please contact Rene Bouchard, Director of Fund Development and Communication, at (718) 389-3700, ext. 4406.

News from the neighborhood
Greenpoint Gazette by Juliet Linderman

“Elaine, you’re here! Thank you for coming!” said Hannah Kinn, Executive Director of the League Treatment Center in downtown Brooklyn, as she opened her arms to hug Elaine Brodsky, the co-owner of CitiStorage. “Our very own Santa Claus!” All across the League Treatment classroom—of which there are 15 in total at their downtown campus, one of three in the borough of Brooklyn—toddlers were tearing open gifts and tossing tidbits of wrapping paper every which way. Two weeks early, Christmas arrived in DUMBO on Monday morning, when five CitiStorage employees, along with Brodsky herself, took a trip downtown to deliver 130 gifts to developmentally challenged and emotionally disturbed children, ages 3 to 5 years old—a 13-year-old CitiStorage holiday tradition.

“Thirteen years ago, we decided that instead of having a big Christmas party, we’d do this,” Brodsky explained. “What they really do here, is make miracles.”

To read the rest of the story click “CitiStorage Brings the Holiday Cheer to DUMBO“

Dec 10, 2009, by Will Yakowicz
Greenpoint Gazette

How do you get Europeans and South Americans to fly out to Brooklyn to see a warehouse full of cardboard boxes? Be the best darn file and record storage and destruction company in the nation, that’s how.

CitiStorage, a medical and court record storage company in Williamsburg, has a business model to brag about, currently stores 4 million boxes, adds 450,000 additional boxes to its warehouse each year, and was the first stop on a tour of the best small businesses in the nation.

The tour is hosted by Small Giants, an organization of businesses that concentrate on giving back to the community, dedication to customer service, and the creation of excellent workplace environments instead of growing into mega-businesses.

To read the rest of the story, click A Small Giant in the Big City