One of the owners of the borough’s new professional soccer team joined Councilman Francisco Moya and numerous community organizations to host four turkey drives ahead of Thanksgiving.
In a two-day effort that began Sunday afternoon at the Park of the Americas in Corona and continued Monday at the Alberta L. Alston House, an assisted living facility in Corona, the Langston Hughes Community Library and LeFrak City, volunteers distributed 1,000 turkeys to area families.
“This is what Thanksgiving is all about,” Moya said. “We had so many people and organizations, not just from Corona or Queens but across the city, come together in the spirit of giving to help us make this event possible. Access to health and fresh food should never be considered a luxury, but for too many people that’s exactly what it is. That’s why it’s such a privilege to help make the holidays a little more special for these families.”
Jonathan Krane, the leader of the ownership group that is bringing the Queensboro Football Club to the borough in 2021, helped distribute the turkeys.
“It’s an absolute privilege and a joy to help put some smiles on faces and turkeys on dinner tables,” Krane said. “This was truly a team effort and an example of what’s possible when we work together as a community.”
Among the organizations that took part were the New York City and Vicinity District Council of Carpenters and Iconic 32 Sports Lab, the performance enrichment program created to help inner-city youth maximize their potential on and off the sports fields.
“One of the most powerful gifts you can give in life is giving back to the community that you grew up in,” Iconic 32 Sports Lab Co-founder Steve Espaillat said. “It’s a great feeling to know that due to our collective efforts, 1,000 families will share a meal with their loved ones this Thanksgiving.”
Other groups taking part in the effort included Colorwerx, General Building Laborers’ Local 79, Precision Concierge NY, CCA Metro, the Ideal Food Basket in Corona and AG Power.
“All I can say is Corona made me,” AG Power Owner Alex Guzman said. “This is where my father started it all; these are the people who helped get us where we are. To give back to the community is a privilege. You see, one of the things I’ve learned is you don’t give to receive, you give because you’re thankful and above all because I know my compensation comes from God.”
