Local officials and community residents recently teamed up to donate more than 400 turkeys to needy families at the Bread of Life food pantry in Long Island City.
Assemblymember Michael Gianaris joined by Bishop Mitchell Taylor of the East River Development Alliance, Assemblymember Cathy Nolan and then-Councilmember elect Jimmy Van Bramer on December 23 to distribute the turkeys provided by the Long Island City-based company FreshDirect.
“As we approach the heart of the holiday season, FreshDirect is honored to be helping out some of those in our community in need,” said Jim Moore, senior vice president of business affairs for FreshDirect. “We are always eager to lend a hand in feeding the hungry and joining efforts for this event.”
The New York City Coalition Against Hunger said that 93.4 percent of agencies distributing food reported feeding an increased number of people in the last 12 months, while 71.7 percent of those agencies said this number increased “greatly.”
“This time of the year can be tough on families and its heart warming to see community come together to help out the local food pantries,” said Nolan. “This large donation of turkeys will help many families in the Queens community.”
According to figurers, those with the greatest increase in need in Queens are 45.5 percent of families with children and 30 percent of senior citizens. In addition, 57 percent of surveyed agencies who distribute food were forced to turn people away, cut portion sizes or cut hours of operation.
“As we continue to wrestle with unemployment and underemployment in public housing neighborhoods this is a way not only to give people a little help and happiness during the biggest holiday of the year, but also to continue to raise awareness concerning an ever-growing need,” said Bishop Taylor. “As demand for food goes up, the supply can not keep up. The Center of Hope International Bread of Life Food Pantry is on track to serve 25,000 people by the end of December. We need food to continue to help our fellow New Yorkers.”
