Councilman Andrew Cohen donates $10K
to Lehman College food pantry
BY ALEX MITCHELL
Despite the challenges
of COVID-19, an elected offi
cial’s generous donation to
a Bronx-based college will
allow the institution to continue
providing food to its
students.
On June 17, City Councilman
Andrew Cohen announced
a $10,000 donation
to the Lehman College food
pantry.
This donation will ensure
that hundreds of Lehman
students will be continue
to be served by the pantry
through the summer months,
even as the campus remains
off-limits to most visitors due
to the coronavirus pandemic,
according to the college.
“Hunger should never be
a barrier to an equitable education,”
Cohen said, adding
“The food pantry has always
been an essential resource
providing students with a
myriad of food assistance
services that allow students
to focus on their academic
studies.”
Councilman Andrew Cohen Photo courtesy of NYC Council
Given the current set of
circumstances surrounding
COVID-19, instead of receiving
bags of food on site, the
students will be mailed $50
gift cards so that they may
avoid the trip to campus, according
BRONX TIMES R 6 EPORTER, JUNE 19-25, 2020 BTR
to Suzette Ramsundar,
associate director of the
Offi ce of Campus Life.
“The councilman’s grant
was incredibly kind and generous,”
she said, continuing
to add “we’re using the funds
to purchase food cards from
Morton Williams to give to
students over the summer.”
The Lehman College food
bank, which was started by
student leaders and opened
in March 2017, aims to alleviate
food hardship among the
college’s students.
“I’m proud to provide this
funding to advance Lehman
food pantry’s work addressing
campus food insecurity,
deeply rooted in the school
philosophy of fostering economic
and social mobility
through education,” Cohen
said, adding that he is “grateful
this grant will be used
to meet an urgent need and
ensure students experiencing
hardship have access to
fresh, healthy food during
the summer months.”
Since the pandemic began,
the food bank has seen
a 300 percent increase in student
requests for its services.
While Cohen’s grant will sustain
the pantry in the short
term, more assistance is
needed, the school stated.
To make a donation, and
support Lehman students,
visit lehman.edu/campaignforlehman.
GET A FREE COVID-19 TEST
Stop the spread. Get tested. Hit accept.
If you test positive for
COVID-19, the Test &
Trace Corps will call
you to offer additional
FREE resources and
other support.
NYC.gov/COVIDtest