FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM MAY 14, 2020 • THE QUEENS COURIER 9
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GatewayJFK sends meals to frontline workers in southeast Queens
BY BILL PARRY
bparry@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
GatewayJFK, the business improvement
district in southeast Queens, recently
sent 745 meals from neighborhood
restaurants to frontline workers at Jamaica
Hospital, the MTA, the Department of
Sanitation, Wildcat Sanitation Services,
the NYPD and the Port Authority Police
Department.
In addition to donating meals as a way
to say “thank you” to the frontline workers,
GatewayJFK launched the eff ort as
a way to help local restaurants open and
keep their staff working.
To provide the meals, GatewayJFK
partnered with fi ve anchor restaurants
in their neighborhood” Rockaway Plaza
Delicatessen, New Castle Deli & Grocery,
Boulevard Deli & Grill, Patriots Deli &
Grill, and Jamaica FlavorsRestaurant and
Bakery.
“Before COVID-19 our neighborhood
had 8,000 workers, but with the stay-athome
orders in eff ect, we became concerned
that our restaurants would have
trouble staying in business until things got
back to normal,” GatewayJFK Executive
Director Scott Grimm-Lyon said. “Having
great places to go for lunch is key to
attracting businesses to the area, and an
important amenity for building a community
for both residents and workers.”
GatewayJFK got the idea aft er they saw
similar eff orts by the Sunnyside Shines
BID last month. GatewayJFK is a public/
private partnership that is dedicated to
making a 215-acre commercial and industrial
district along Rockaway Boulevard
a clean and safe space to live in, work in
and invest in.
“Donating meals seemed like a great
way to make sure our local restaurants
stayed in the black, and to off er gratitude
to people putting their health at risk and
working very hard through this crisis,”
Grimm-Lyon said.
More than 400 meals went to workers
at Jamaica Hospital. In addition to hospital
workers, GatewayJFK made a special
eff ort to say thank you and donate
meals to frontline workers who have not
taken center stage during the coronavirus
pandemic.
“Our workers signed up to help the
city, and we’re proud to serve so thanks
are not necessary, but it’s nice to be seen
and appreciated,” DSNY Queens 13
Superintendent John Addeo said. PAPD
Lt. John Ryan also said his staff was happy
to be included on the list of frontline
workers, and John Hein of the MTA JFK
bus depot thanked the BID for remembering
and recognizing them. In addition
to sending meals to frontline workers,
GatewayJFK has provided direct outreach
to more than 350 businesses in their district
and off ered assistance in navigating
government grants and assistance programs.
If you are a business owner in
southeast Queens and require assistance,
visit https://www.gatewayjfk .org/.
Courtesy GatewayJFK
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