14
QUEENS WEEKLY, DECEMBER 1, 2019
Food drive
Hospital location to help
New Yorkers have access
to fresh produce. In addition,
we donated nearly 400
pounds of fresh produce
this past summer. Now that
the growing season is over,
we see this food drive as
an extension of our work
to help feed New Yorkers,”
said Jennifer Walden Weprin,
executive director of
the Queens County Farm
Museum.
Suggestions for food donations
include canned fish
and lean meats, nut butters,
soups and stews, whole
grain bread, cereal and
crackers, dried rice, noodles
and pasta, oatmeal, canned
or dried beans, sauces and
gravy, packaged fruit and
vegetables and shelf-stable
milk. Expired food will not
be accepted.
The U.S. Department of
Agriculture defined food insecurity
as “having limited
access to adequate food due
to a lack of money or other
resources.” Data from CUNY
showed that 42 percent of all
first-time CUNY freshmen
are from households making
$20,000 or less. Prior
to entering college, nearly
eight in 10 of those students
received free breakfasts and
lunches while attending
DOE public schools.
In 2018, Healthy CUNY
and the CUNY Graduate
School of Public Health conducted
a survey which estimated
that 52,550 undergraduate
students reported that
they “often” or “sometimes”
experienced two or more of
the four USDA indicators of
food insecurity in the last 12
months. The following are
the four USDA indicators:
• Worry that they would
run out of food before they
could afford to buy more
• Cutting or skipping a
meal because they didn’t
have enough money for food
• Inability to eat balance
or nutritious meals because
of lack of money
• Going hungry due to
lack of access to food
An estimated 35,440 students
reported that they
“often” or “sometimes”
went hungry over the last
12 months, which the USDA
considers the more serious
indicator of food insecurity.
CUNY published these findings
in the “Q and A on Food
Insecurity as a Barrier to
Academic Success at CUNY”
in March.
“In New York City, no
college student should have
to choose between staying in
school or having enough to
eat. Together, we can ensure
that all CUNY students have
the resources they need to
meet their nutritional needs
while pursuing their academic
goals,” said Nicholas
Freudenberg, professor at
the CUNY School of Public
Health and the lead researcher
on the CUNY Food
Security Survey.
Those interested in donating
to the Queens Farm
food drive can come by the
Farm Store from Monday
to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5
p.m. for the whole month of
December except Christmas
Day. The farm is open until
2 p.m. on Dec. 24. Admission
is free and the site is ADA
accessible.
Reach reporter Jenna
Bagcal by e-mail at jbagcal@
qns.com or by phone at (718)
260-2583.
Continued from Page 1
Unveiling
Utopia Parkway to unveil
Madeline Sershen Way.
Those in attendance included
Councilman Paul
Vallone, Senator John Liu,
Assemblyman Edward
Braunstein and members
from St. Francis Preparatory
School, Our Lady of the
Blessed Sacrament School
and P.S. 209.
In June 2018, senior
driver Sheila Kahn Prager
struck and killed 17-yearold
Sershen as she was crossing
the street. The teen’s
untimely death sparked
community advocacy for
senior driver reforms, including
retesting elderly
drivers every two years.
Back in July of this year,
Councilman Paul Vallone
announced that the City
Council approved several
street co-namings in honor
of Sershen, College Point
resident Joe Femenia and
Bayside resident CW5 Howard
Haider.
“A beloved daughter, sister,
aunt and an exceptional
student and young woman,
Madeline Sershen lived a
brief but very bright life
and was clearly loved by
so many in the Northeast
Queens community,” said
Vallone. “Thank you to
Olivia Sershen and Skyler
Nenadich for sharing such
moving words, and to Madeline’s
aunt Rita Barravecchio
for being a strong advocate
for positive changes
to New York State’s driving
laws. I am humbled to be a
part of honoring Madeline’s
life in this lasting way.”
Sershen’s sister Olivia
Sershen and cousin Skyler
Nenadich delivered
remarks at the ceremony,
which was followed by a
candlelight vigil and the
street sign unveiling. Sershen
was a native Queens
resident and a senior at St.
Francis Prep at the time of
her death.
“Today, as we are gathered
here, I remind you
of that intelligent, loving,
fierce being: the daughter,
sister, aunt, granddaughter,
niece, cousin, friend,
student, classmate and role
model she forever will be to
each one of us,” said Olivia
Sershen. “Today, we unveil
this tribute to her, which
won’t bring her back, but
will honor her forever. For
that, my family and I thank
you, Councilman Vallone.
But I ask you all to remember
Maddie and keep her alive
not just here in this moment
today, and not just here on
Madeline Sershen Way, but
at every crosswalk you pass,
every red light you stop at,
with every pedestrian you
see walking. I hope you are
reminded of her in all the
ordinary moments your life
has to offer and in all your
special ones.”
Continued from Page 1
From l. to r.: Councilman Paul
Vallone, Madeline Sershen’s
aunt Rita Barravecchio
and Senator John Liu.
Courtesy of Rita Barravecchio
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