18 THE QUEENS COURIER • APRIL 30, 2020 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
gratitude
Fresh Meadows restaurant brings meals and smiles to essential workers
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
For 43 years, Fillmore’s Tavern in Fresh
Meadows has been an establishment that
the community can rely on for freshly
cooked meals, delicious drinks, friendly
service and a place to call home.
Although the tavern, located at 166th
Street and 65th Avenue, was forced to
Photos courtesy of Fillmore’s Tavern
close its doors to the public over a month
ago due to the coronavirus pandemic,
some loyal employees, chefs and management
Real estate fi rms help LIC Relief feed western Queens NYCHA residents
BY BILL PARRY
bparry@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
More than 25 New York City real estate
fi rms have joined together in an eff ort to
support healthcare workers, small businesses
and their employees, and people
experiencing food insecurity due to the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Th e “Real Estate Has Your Back” campaign
has already provided 3,000 meals
to healthcare workers and residents of
NYCHA housing with thousands more
in the way. Th ey recently provided 250
hot lunches at the Queensbridge Houses,
building on the work of LIC Relief, which
has been serving the community since the
outbreak began.
It will continue to fund meals to the
Ravenswood, Woodside and Astoria
Houses, as well.
“We’re just getting started,” Real Estate
Has Your Back Founder Seth Weissman
said. “In addition to sending meals to
people on the front lines, we are focused
on supporting small business tenants and
their employees to keep as many people
employed as possible during this crisis.
Th e goal is to help communities impacted
by this crisis by delivering food to those
in need while supporting local restaurant
businesses and their employees hardest
hit by the quarantine.”
Th e eff orts of Long Island City community
leaders have been critical to the success
of the program, particularly Bishop
Mitchell Taylor, the co-founder and CEO
of Urban Upbound, and Kelly Craig and
Patrick Th ompson, the co-founders of
LIC Relief. Th ey were joined by community
leader and candidate for New York
State Senate Iggy Terranova of Astoria.
“As we work to combat the COVID-19
outbreak, it’s more important than ever
that we come out and help our neighbors,”
Terranova said. “When I heard about the
need for greater food distribution, I knew
I had to act. I’m proud to have partnered
with our local leaders and businesses to
fi nd a solution to this issue and deliver for
our community when they need it most.”
Th e hot lunches were prepared by
Neuman’s Kitchen Events and Catering
(NK), a New York City and Philadelphiabased
catering company with a presence
in Long Island City.
“Th e coronavirus hit the catering
industry like a tsunami. Overnight, companies
like NK went from employing
hundreds of people to employing virtually
no one,” NK Chief Inspiration Offi cer
Paul Neuman said. “Our goals are to provide
healthy and nutritious food to communities
in need, provide employment
for our employees, and say thanks to the
people who make NYC and Philadelphia
great places to live and work. We’re trying
to bring a fl icker of light to the darkness.”
Rob Basch, a member of the bard of
LIC Relief and president of the Hunters
Point Parks Conservancy, said, “As a longtime
resident of Long Island City, it is very
rewarding to me that we both can provide
hot delicious meals to our neighbors in
need and support many of our great local
restaurants.”
Weissman’s #RHasYourBack has set up
a GoFundMe account to encourage further
fi nancial support from the real estate
community to ensure this important outreach
lasts as long as possible.
NewYork-
Presbyterian
Queens
Hospital
receives meals
delivered from
Fillmore’s Tavern
have still been wo r k -
ing in order to contin- u e
their takeout business.
Th ey have also been
continuing to serve the
community by operating
a “marketplace”
at their front
entrance where
people can
p u r c h a s e
c a n n e d
g o o d s ,
b u t c h -
e r e d
m e a t s ,
p a p e r
goods and aff ordable grab-and-go meals.
Aft er opening the marketplace and running
the takeout business, Adam Tortora,
owner of Fillmore’s Tavern, realized he
wanted to do more to assist other essential
workers.
Community members, customers and
more started sending him donations to
sponsor meals for neighboring
businesses that
were deemed
essential.
“St ay ing
healthy is
our main
goal and
if we
can do
s o m e
good for at-risk essential
employees and
keep people working
during this time, we
will do
whatever we can,”
Tortora said. Currently,
they have raised approximately
$6,000 and have sent
meals to the local police precincts,
fi rehouses and emergency
rooms.
Monica Rogan, a physician
assistant in the emergency room
at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens,
was working another long shift
when the donation of
meals arrived from
Fillmore’s Tavern.
“I can’t begin to say
how thankful myself
and my colleagues were
to receive these meals
during our shift ,” Rogan
said. “Sometimes I am
so caught up with caring for people that
I forget to eat — it was a much-needed
meal. Th ank you to Fillmore’s Tavern
and to those that have sponsored these
meals so far.”
As Fillmore Tavern receives more meal
sponsorships, they are able to continue
sending free meals to more essential
workers to thank them for their dedication
and tireless eff orts to keep the community
going.
“It’s important that we remember those
that are risking their lives every day,”
Tortora said. Packaged meals were also
delivered to healthcare professionals at
Queens Hospital Center and Flushing
Hospital Medical Center. A GoFundMe
page has been created where people can
contribute while also supporting a local
business.
Courtesy of Real Estate Has Your Back
Owner of Fillmore’s
Tavern, Adam
Tortora.
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