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QUEENS WEEKLY, JULY 12, 2020
QUEENS ORGANIZATION RECEIVES $30,000 GRANT
TO PROVIDE FRESH FOOD TO FAMILIES IN NEED
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
As part of its commitment to
create healthier communities free
of hunger during the COVID-19
crisis, the poverty-fighting organization
Robin Hood allocated a
$30,000 grant to Brighter Bites,
supporting home delivery of free,
fresh produce to families living
in several Queens neighborhoods
impacted by the pandemic.
Brighter Bites is a nonprofit
that creates communities of health
through fresh food with the goal
of changing behavior among children
and their families to prevent
obesity and achieve long-term
health.
The Robin Hood Foundation
initiative allows Brighter Bites to
continue to serve 2000 families in
Queens that were already receiving
fresh fruits and vegetables
before COVID-19 began to spread
throughout the borough.
“Brighter Bites NYC was incredibly
proud to be the recipient
of a generous Robin Hood Relief
Fund grant allowing us to safely
distribute nutritious fresh food
to families suffering during this
time,” said Melanie Button, regional
program director, Brighter
Bites. “As an organization, we
were adamant that school closures
would not stop us from continuing
to provide produce to our families,
but we knew that we would need to
shift our model. This Robin Hood
grant ensured that we were able to
do that … setting off a spectacular,
community-based operation.”
The Robin Hood funded program
included a partnership with
Connected Chef, a culinary education
company that designed the
delivery model and re-employed
chefs and cooks, who have lost viable
sources of food due to shortened
hours and job losses to pack
and deliver the produce.
This collaboration ensured that
families living in the hardest hit
ZIP codes received fresh immuneboosting
produce, valuable nutrition
information, and cooking tips
delivered to their door to reduce risk
of exposure.
Brighter Bites and its partners
distributed a total of 296,965
pounds of mixed produce during
May and June, allowing for
2,000 care packages to be distributed
per week. Distributions took
place in the Jackson Heights, Corona,
Woodside, Astoria and East
Elmhurst neighborhoods.
Prior to the pandemic, the organization
served over 25,000 families
nationwide enrolled in the
program across 100 schools, with
each family receiving 25 pounds
of fresh produce and nutrition
education on a weekly basis. When
COVID-19 struck, schools were
shuttered and families lost access
to fresh produce they were dependent
on for daily nourishment.
“At the height of the COVID-19
pandemic in New York City, one
in three parents were reducing or
skipping meals to feed their children
and 2 million of our neighbors
were at risk of going hungry,”
said Emary Aronson, chief
knowledge officer and senior advisor
to the CEO at Robin Hood.
“We are proud to support Brighter
Bites’ initiative to quickly get
food into the hands of families in
the hardest hit neighborhoods in
Queens.”
Reach reporter Carlotta Mohamed
by e-mail at cmohamed@
schnepsmedia.com or by phone at
(718) 260–4526.
Brighter Bites and its partners distributed mixed produce
during May and June, allowing for 2,000 care packages to be
distributed per week in Queens neighborhoods impacted by
COVID-19. Photo courtesy of Brighter Bites
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