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April 24-April 30, 2020
Queensboro FC and Chamber of Commerce
support ‘Food for the Fearless’ campaign
A Flushing grassroots organization donated hundreds of meals to area first responders and
frontline workers. See story on Page 7. Photo courtesy of Asians in America
Vol. 29 No. 17 28 total pages
BY BILL PARRY
The “Food for the Fearless”
campaign to donate meals to
frontline hospital workers during
the COVID-19 crisis has
surpassed its initial fundraising
goal of $50,000.
Now, Queensboro Football
Club, the borough’s first professional
men’s soccer team, and
the Queens Chamber of Commerce
are urging supporters to
contribute to the campaign to
help reach their new target of
$100,000 raised.
The campaign was launched
by physician’s assistant student
Mark Boccia Jr. and his father
Mark Sr., the owner of three
popular Queens restaurants.
“Bourbon Street, One Station
Plaza, and Austin’s Ale
House are dedicated to the
support of the fearless physicians,
registered nurses, physical
therapists, physician assistants,
nurse practitioners,
respiratory therapists and all
other healthcare workers serving
our community,” the Boccias
said. “We are thankful to
the support of our neighbors,
friends, family, loyal customers,
and our partners Queensboro
Football Club and the
Queens Chamber of Commerce
for getting behind this important
cause. We are asking everyone
to continue to pitch in
to support our fearless heroes
on the frontlines.”
Queensboro FC will begin to
play in 2021 in the USL Championship,
the top tier of the United
Soccer League. They were
connected to the Boccias’ fundraising
campaign through the
Queens Chamber of Commerce
and will be urging soccer fans
to make donations through a
robust social media campaign.
“We are dedicated to doing
everything in our power to
help Queens during this crisis
and every day after,” Queensboro
FC Founding Partner
Jonathan Krane said. “We are
inspired by how the community
has rallied behind this campaign
in a significant way and
want to do our part. We are so
thankful to Mark for leading
the charge, and for the Queens
Chamber of Commerce for
connecting us to these great
community-oriented small
businesses.”
The chamber is the oldest
and largest business association
in Queens, representing
more than 1,150 businesses and
more than 100,000 boroughbased
employees.
“Small businesses like
Bourbon Street, One Station
Plaza and Austin’s Ale House
are the backbone of Queens,
and are stepping up in a big
way to help us get through this
crisis,” QCC President and
CEO Tom Grech said. “We are
inspired by everything Mark
is doing to support the brave
health care professionals putting
their lives on the line to
defeat this epidemic and are
happy to support his efforts.
We are thrilled to connect
one of our newest members,
Queensboro Football Club, to
this cause. Before a ball has
even been kicked, Jonathan
and his team are proving to be
an important part of Queens’
business community.”
Every $1,000 raised will
allow the restaurants to provide
up to 100 meals, at cost,
to various local hospital units
battling this pandemic. Hundreds
of meals have already
been delivered to Jamaica
Hospital, New York-Presbyterian
Queens, Flushing Hospital
and North Shore University
Hospital. In addition to
feeding frontline healthcare
professionals, the donations
allow the restaurants to retain
their employees during
the coronavirus emergency.
To support the Food for the
Fearless campaign visit their
GoFundMe page.
Reach reporter Bill Parry by
e-mail at bparry@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at (718)
260–4538.
SUPPORTING OUR HEROES
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