National Night Out is a boroughwide success
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, A 30 UGUST 16-22, 2019 BTR
Goya Donates Meals For Bronx Families
Goya Foods, the largest Hispanic-owned food company in the United States, donated 2,500
pounds of food to Catholic Charities of New York on Wednesday, August 7 in celebration of
the National Dominican Day Parade of New York. Twenty volunteers helped unload and pack
5,000 pounds of the total amount of 10,000 pounds of Goya products from a Goya truck
at 1257 Ogden Avenue. The donation will provide 16,667 meals for families in need in the
Bronx (l-r) Dr. Regus, Christina Contreras, Wilton Cedeno, Estela Vazquez, Mariah Khury,
Maria Lizardo and retired NBA player Felipe Lopez. (left below) Wilton Cedeno (back, c),
National Dominican Day Parade Board president with 44th Precinct police offi cers and
Goya and Catholic Charities of New York representatives.
Wilton Cedeno (front, 3rd from l) and Eddie Silvero
(front, r), Catholic Charities/Alianza Division
with staff, volunteers and investors.
(left) Residents awaited their turn to receive
food. Photo by Jewel Webber
BY ALEX MITCHELL
Bronx citizens and NYPD
offi cers alike united in celebrating
the annual National
Night Out throughout the borough
on Tuesday, August 6.
The events, which serve as
an opportunity for the community
and police to come together
and build bonds that
can lead to better relations,
witnessed a sizeable turnout
over last year and went off
without a hitch, according to
Joe Thompson, 49th Precinct
Community Council president.
“The turnout we had was
phenomenal,” he said while
mentioning that the year prior
was “lightning-ed out.”
“After that, having such
a good year was very important,”
he continued.
The big hit of of the evening
occurred when Councilman
Mark Gjonaj sponsored a
hot dog cart to feed the hungry
crowd at Comras Park off Lydig
Avenue.
Thompson continued to explain
that the 4-9 moved their
venue from Pelham Parkway
to Comras at the request of the
NYC Parks Department some
A K9 unit in the 40th Precinct smiles with children. NYPD
years ago. The community is
fi nally adjusting to the new location.
“More people are fi nding
out where we are now which is
very important,” he said.
Other precincts around the
borough saw similar success
as the 49th did, with their own
celebrations.
The 46th Precinct took over
Roberto Clemente State Park
where their Jungle Adventure
shuffl eboard game was
quite popular with kids and
adults alike. Meanwhile the
48th Precinct was grilling up
some of the best barbeque in
the Bronx on Bathgate Avenue
between East 188th Street and
East 189th Street for their residents.
The 40th Precinct had its
K9 and mounted units interact
with neighborhood youngsters
at Brook Ave between East
137th Street and East 138th
Street that pleasant evening.
“Our focus is to let the
criminal element in our community
know we are working
with the police and we are not
going to surrender to crime,
quality of life expectations or
anything else,” said Elizabeth
Gill, 47th Precinct Community
Council president emeritus.
Her precinct’s annual event
featured entertainment, members
of the precinct’s youth
Explorers program, volunteer
NYPD auxiliary police, clergy,
NYPD personnel, and residents
at Granada Place between Ely
and Laconia avenues.
Meanwhile in the 45th Precinct,
police offi cers personally
contributed raffl e items
like bicycles and other great
gifts to give away at the rear
of a Co-op City building at 140
Benchley Place.
Other precincts around
the borough also celebrated
the day in style; like the 41st
Precinct at the Police Athletic
League Center at 991 Longwood
Avenue, 42nd Precinct
at Jennings Street between
Prospect and Union avenues,
43rd Precinct at Bruckner
Commons at 970 White Plains
Road, 44th Precinct at East
169th Street between Walton
and Gerard avenues, the 50th
Precinct at West 234th Street
between Broadway and Bailey
Avenue, and the 52nd Precinct
at Poe Park on the Grand Concourse
at East 192nd Street.