Queens female empowerment group, Ladies First Astoria, is hosting its first ever “Festival of Giving” to help the homeless in NYC.
The organization will be collecting goods for the next three weeks at three different drop off locations in Astoria. The last day of collection, Dec. 14th, will culminate in a holiday party at 7 p.m. at The Ditty on Ditmars Blvd.
During the following, LFA members will gather donations and place them into bags to be distributed by foot throughout the boroughs of Queens and Manhattan. LFA members will offering the items to every person suffering from street homelessness that they find.
“The whole purpose of LFA is to band together as a community of strong women and lift each other up,” said co-founder Nicole Panettieri. “What better way to do that than by using our time and talents to directly lift up others in need in our own city?”
The group, which formed this summer, works to empower women by supporting female-owned businesses and hosting educational and networking events. LFA is eager to help the larger NYC community during a time with those suffering from street homelessness are at their most vulnerable.
Collection boxes will be at Astoria Bier & Cheese (both locations on Broadway and on Ditmars Boulevard and
For three weeks leading up to the distribution day of Dec. 15, the organization will have collection bins in three Astoria locales, and each week will be designated to collect a different category of items. The drop-off locations will be: Astoria Bier & Cheese (both locations on Broadway and on Ditmars Blvd.); and Comfortland on 30th Ave., all in Astoria, Queens.
LFA has requested gloves, hats scarves, socks, undershirts, t-shirts, metrocards(with one or two rides0, toothbrushes, toothpaste, feminine items, soap, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, combs, hand lotion, granola/cereal bars, peanut butter, jelly, bread, sturdy fruit (apples, oranges, clementines – no bananas, pears, grapes, berries, etc.), water bottles, gift cards in small amounts to McDonald’s, Starbucks, and ziplock bags. All clothing can be handmade but must be new. Toiletries should not contain alcohol and must be travel size and food items must be prepackaged.
The organization requests the following schedule when it comes to item donations:
Nov. 26-Dec. 2: Cold Weather Essentials
Dec. 3-9: Toiletries
Dec. 10-14: Food
