Flushing pantry distributes emergency food
Photo by Dean Moses
Meng was able to secure 55 pallets
of fresh produce to deliver
The delivery comes in response
to the U.S. Department
of Agriculture’s (USDA) change
to the Coronavirus Food Assistance
Program’s (CFAP) Farmers
to Families Food Boxes
initiative, impacting which
boroughs could be served by
specific vendors.
Queens Congresswomen
Meng and Alexandria Ocasio-
Cortez said they’d work to remedy
the issue after La Jornada
began to petition for the program
to be restored in response
to receiving a letter from the
USDA that it had canceled their
program.
Many pantries in Queens,
including La Jornada, which
works with other pantries to
help feed some of the hardest-hit
communities in the borough,
were suddenly without vendors
or guidance on who they
could contract with to purchase
food supplies, as a result of the
change.
Meng’s office noted the problem
was further complicated because
the USDA did not provide
overlap in service, or general
assistance to those suddenly
without a vendor.
New York City is ensuring
pantries are well-stocked with
healthy food options, with a
focus on fresh produce distribution
in high-need neighborhoods,
identified by the Task
Force on Racial Equity and
Inclusion, through the P-FRED
program.
The initiative is leveraging
the federal Community Development
Block Grant (CDBG)
funds that were included in the
City’s “Feeding New York” plan,
a way to use available resources
to meet the deepest of needs.
Additional reporting by Dean
Moses.
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A long line of people wrapped
around several blocks of La
Jornada food pantry waiting
to take home groceries, while
crates of emergency food, provided
by the City’s Pandemic
Food Reserve Emergency Distribution
(P-FRED), were taken
inside on Tuesday, Oct. 13.
The food pantry, located at
133-36 Roosevelt Ave., has been
feeding thousands of Queens
families for years, but has been
put into overdrive since the
pandemic began to hit the borough
in March.
On Tuesday, dozens of people
waited in the rain — not to pick
up food, but just to be placed on
their distribution list.
Several Queens elected officials
joined the Mayor’s Office
for Food Policy Director Kate
MacKenzie of the Mayor’s Office
for Food Policy to distribute
the pallets of emergency food,
including Congresswoman
Grace Meng, Assembly members
Catalina Cruz and Ron
Kim, Councilman Peter Koo
and Human Resources Administration
Administrator Gary
Jenkins.
La Jornada’s Executive Director
Pedro Rodriguez also
gave the officials a tour of the
volunteer-run pantry.
“I am incredibly grateful
to Congresswoman Meng, Assemblywoman
Catalina Cruz,
Mayor de Blasio, and Director
MacKenzie for delivering 55
pallets of fresh produce today,
which will help combat food
insecurity in Queens,” said Rodriguez.
“My organization has
been at the forefront of ensuring
our neediest families have
the healthy food they need and
deserve. No one should ever
go hungry, especially during
a national health crisis. Today’s
delivery is in part due to
Congresswoman Meng and Assemblywoman
Cruz who are invaluable
allies and friends.
Because of their leadership,
many families will have fresh
fruit, vegetables and other staples
to eat.”
The items on the pallets included
apples, potatoes, oranges,
yams, kale, peppers, grapes,
carrots, cucumbers and celery.
Through the City’s P-FRED,
to La Jornada.
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