6 OCTOBER 14, 2021 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
NYC’s #1 Source for Political & Election News
Dem. Holden endorsed by GOP in bid for reelection
BY JULIA MORO
EDITORIAL@QNS.COM
@QNS
Councilman Robert Holden has
been endorsed by the Queens
County Republican Party for his
re-election campaign to the New York
City Council representing District 30,
which will take place on Nov. 2.
Holden ran against progressive
candidate Juan Ardila during the
Democratic primary election in June,
beating Ardila by 926 votes. John Spataro
was running on the Republican
ticket but dropped out of the race
shortly aft er the primary. Spataro is
now running for election for judge
of the New York Supreme Court 11th
Judicial District.
Now that there is no candidate running
against Holden, he will appear
on the ballot on the Republican and
Democratic lines, as well the third
party Conservative and Save Our
City lines.
“I am very proud to be endorsed by
the Queens County Republican Party
and honored to have my name on the
Republican ballot line in November,”
Holden said. “My priorities have
City Councilman Robert Holden QNS fi le photo
always been the issues that unite most
New Yorkers, like public safety, clean
parks and quality education. I’ve
always thought of the people of the
district as my party because they’re
who I serve. Bringing voters of diff erent
parties together is a great opportunity,
especially as we come together
to recover from the pandemic.”
Queens County Republican Party
Chair Joann Ariola, who is also running
on the GOP line for City Council
District 32, said Holden’s record is
“unmatched” as he fi ghts for the quality
of life in his district.
“Standing up for our police and putting
meaningful solutions that work
for everyone above party politics
makes him an elected offi cial whose
values appeal to the vast majority of
Queens residents,” Ariola said in a
statement. “The district and the city
need Holden’s continued voice of reason.
We are proud to support him in
the general election.”
Holden was elected into offi ce in
2017, beating incumbent Elizabeth
Crowley by a slim margin of 0.64% of
the vote. Holden entered that race as
a Democrat but lost the Democratic
primary to Crowley by 27.62% of the
vote. He then ran on the Republican,
GOP and other conservative lines in
the general election, where he beat
out Crowley.
Kevin Ryan, a spokesperson for
Holden, said the councilman has
been a registered Democrat his
whole life.
Senator recognizes local eff orts to help food-insecure areas during pandemic
BY JULIA MORO
EDITORIAL@QNS.COM
@QNS
State Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris
recognized community leaders for their service
during the pandemic at the Astoria Houses Tenants
Association annual family day celebration.
During the event, Gianaris awarded the nonprofi t
Urban Upbound and its leader Bishop Mitchell Taylor
with an award for serving nearly 100,000 foodinsecure
people during the pandemic.
Taylor is also the senior pastor for the Center of
Hope International ministry in Long Island City. The
two organizations partnered to provide relief and
recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic through
the ministry’s food pantry, Bread of Life.
“Every one of our clients, in one way or another,
had been touched by the pandemic,” Taylor said.
“We wanted to fi gure out what we could do to make
sure the people we served every year would have
relief.”
Urban Upbound made sure that communities
between northwestern Queens and Far Rockaway
would have food. The organization operated out of
a 10,000-square-foot warehouse in Long Island City.
Taylor said about 50 volunteers came together to
distribute food to 39 destinations in Queens.
“We were getting 200,000 pounds of food per week
that was coming into our facility then going out to
the 39 locations around the Queens area,” Taylor
said.
Urban Upbound started delivering food as soon
as the state shut down in mid-March amid the pandemic.
Just recently, relief eff orts have ceased, and
Urban Upbound has shift ed their eff orts toward
recovery.
“We closed the warehouse down, but Urban
Upbound now is strictly focusing on recovery, resilience,
helping local businesses and helping folks
get back to work,” Taylor said.
The Center of Hope International’s Bread of Life
pantry is still operating three days a week.
Taylor said when he started pasturing in 1987 he
wanted to make sure he made a diff erence.
“I set out my life and my work focused on breaking
cycles of poverty, giving people the resources they
need to make their lives better,” Taylor said. “When
the pandemic hit, it wasn’t out of order for me, or us,
to jump into service. I’m not the person to talk about
it — I’m the person to be about it.”
Gianaris also recognized Claudia Coger from
the Tenants Association for also providing food
assistance to Queens residents.
“I look forward to attending the Astoria Houses
Family Day each year because of the spirit of community
it fosters among neighbors,” Gianaris said. “I
was pleased to recognize Coger and Taylor for their
ongoing good works in our community.”
State Senator Michael Gianaris (third from r.)
presents awards Bishop Mitchell Taylor and
Claudia Coger. Courtesy of Gianaris’ offi ce
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