FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM SEPTEMBER 30, 2021 • BUZZ • THE QUEENS COURIER 37
Forest Hills benefi t concert helps City Harvest feed New Yorkers
BY KAYLA WONG
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
Even a rainstorm couldn’t stop legendary
hip-hop artist Nas from returning to
his hometown of Queens.
On Th ursday, Sept. 23, the Grammy
winner headlined the Concert to Feed
NYC at Forest Hills Stadium to benefi t
City Harvest, New York City’s fi rst and
largest food rescue organization.
The funds raised
were enough to feed
more than 2.5 million
New Yorkers
in need for a day
and will help the
organization rescue
and deliver
nutritious food
during a time
of historic food
insecurity across
the city.
Native New
Yorker DJ Cassidy,
a world-renowned
maestro, record
producer and
creator of the
groundbreaking
series, “Pass Th e
Mic,” kicked
off the night
with an electric
hourlong
musical journey
celebrating
New York.
“We are grateful
to our longtime
friend Nas and to DJ
Cassidy for partnering
with City Harvest to raise enough
funds to help us feed nearly 2.5 million
New Yorkers struggling to put meals on
their tables due to the pandemic,” said
Jilly Stephens, CEO of City Harvest. “At
a moment when food insecurity rates
continue to be at record highs throughout
our city, we are proud to partner with
them to bring fresh, nutritious food to
thousands of families across the fi ve boroughs.”
Celebrities in attendance
included television
personality and entrepreneur Bethenny
Frankel, model and City Harvest
Champion Brooks Nader and rapper
and record-producer Slick Rick.
Th e Concert to Feed NYC also featured
VIP Speakeasy suites and minilounges
with menus curated by City
Harvest Food Council Members, including
from Chef Angie Mar from her latest
restaurant Les Trois Chevaux, and
exclusive culinary off erings from Matt
Katakis’s Butcher Bar, Simon Kim and
David Shim’s COTE Korean Steakhouse,
Roni Mazumdar and Chintan Prandya’s
Rah and Melba Wilson’s Melba’s. Th ey
were joined by Nas’s favorite, Lauren
Gustus’ Sweet Chick.
Aft er the show, Queens Borough
President Donovan Richards presented
Nas with an offi cial key to the borough
of Queens. He also presented the
key to 10 City Harvest frontline workers
who worked tirelessly during the
height of the COVID-19 pandemic to
rescue and deliver more than 200 million
pounds of nutritious food to New
Yorkers in need — more than double the
amount of food the organization rescued
and delivered over the same time period
pre-pandemic.
And Nas didn’t just get a key — the
Richards also declared Sept. 23 as Nas
Day in Queens.
Samlyn Capital founder, Rob Pohly,
who underwrote all venue-related
expenses for the event, said, “It was
inspiring to see City Harvest, Nas, DJ
Cassidy, members of New York City’s
restaurant community and every day
New Yorkers come together to help feed
our neighbors in need during this critical
time.”
Nas and Queens Borough President Donavan Richards at The Concert To Feed NYC at Forest Hills
Stadium.
buzz
Photos by Jared Siskin/Getty Images for City Harvest
DJ Cassidy performs onstage during The Concert To Feed NYC at Forest Hills Stadium on Sept. 23.
Nas performs onstage.
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