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Acts of kindness flourish in New York after Chelsea attack

Posted at 7:47 PM, Sep 19, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-19 19:47:13-04

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As it happens over and over again whenever we are confronted with tragedy or terror, small acts of kindness by everyday people offer up a sort of karmic balance in our world.

This was in full display in New York after the Saturday night explosion in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan.

Here’s how people are making a difference through simple gestures:

They handed out coffee to cops

New Yorkers came out in large numbers to praise and thank first responders for their work. One of those stopping by was a local Starbucks employee who identified himself as Jermaine.

“I want to give y’all some coffee and some pastries,” he said, passing bag after bag over barricades on Sunday afternoon.

“Thanks a lot, man,” a man in a fire department shirt replied.

The gesture was captured in a 33-second clip posted by KnightNews.com.

“I wish I could give a little more,” Jermaine told the officers, but by the look on their faces, he’d done plenty.

.. And pizza for lunch

NYPD officers maintained a presence throughout Chelsea on Monday, including the subway station on 23rd Street and Sixth Avenue, near the site of the bombing. To show their gratitude, people brought them boxes of pizza.

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Local citizens looking out for our officers with the #nyc official food #pizza #chelsea #chelsea

A post shared by Zach Escalante (@zach_escalante) on

They offered free rooms and dinner

The popular West Village hotel, the Standard High Line, opened its rooms to residents living within the attack area. In a Facebook post, the hotel said residents with proof of address could also eat free.