The Floating Hospital’s Astoria Branch

With health care much in the news these days, we wanted to remind Astoria residents that we now have a branch of the Floating Hospital right here In our neighborhood. The Floating Hospital was founded in the 19th century and originally ran ships that frequently New York Harbor and nearby waterways, giving poor children and their caregivers a one-day holiday from overcrowded tenements. While they were aboard, the Floating Hospital’s staff of nurses, doctors, dentists, and social workers would provide healthcare services to children and give health and nutrition advice to their caregivers. By the 21^st century the Floating Hospital had become a land-based organization, moving to Long Island City in 2006.

The Floating Hospital at Queensbridge has been a boon to the community there and now a branch has opened at 8-13 Astoria Blvd. Steve Whalen, Director of Outreach and Communications, told the Queens Courier that “the residents of Astoria Houses asked for a clinic close to home, similar to our Queensbridge Health Clinic. When we opened Queensbridge Health Center in 2012, the community response was phenomenal.”

Hours for the Astoria branch are Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 9 am to 5 pm. Walk-ins are welcome. For appointments, call 718-545-0934, and for more information about services offered, check out the Floating Hospital’s website.

Floating Hospital Astoria branch, photo credit Richard Khuzami

Clare Doyle

Clare Doyle is a graduate of the M.A. program in Museum Studies at the University of Leicester, UK. She also holds a Graduate Diploma in Library and Information Studies as well as a B.A. in Archaeology and History from University Dublin, Ireland. She has worked for 30 years in library reference publishing in New York. Clare is the Vice President of Green Shores NYC, a non-profit group that advocates for a cleaner, greener and more connected waterfront in Astoria and Long Island City