8 THE QUEENS COURIER • MAY 21, 2020 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
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Rosedale American Legion volunteers
distribute food to hundreds in need
BY TODD MAISEL
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
Th e line to the American Legion Post
483 in Rosedale, snaked around the block
along Brookville Boulevard on May 13.
Th ose waiting were asked to keep distance
between each other, and wear
masks. But it was worth the few hours’
wait to get much-needed food provided
by a multitude of agencies to help people
during this COVID-19 and the associated
economic crisis.
“My husband lost his job, and we are
just trying to get by. But even grocery
prices have gone through the roof; I spend
$500 a month and it just keeps getting
more expensive,” said Marlene Hurley, a
resident of Rosedale. “Getting this food is
so important to my family and look how
many people are here. It really helps.”
Th is food distribution pantry is one
of four American Legion pantries and
one soup kitchen in the south Queens
area. Th ey each serve 300 to 400 people
each week, Legion offi cials say. Th e
American Legion post is made up of veterans
of all branches of the military, led by
its Commander, Lee Blackmon, Vietnam
Veteran going back to 1969 combat duty.
But Blackmon realizes that he is now in
another war with “an enemy that we can’t
see.”
“A lot of people are
out of work this time,
so we’re doing our
most important work
here in the pantry,”
Blackmon
said.
“We are
helping the
pantry to distribute the food — we cannot
be a veterans organization without
being here for the community.”
Blackmon, whose post has been working
the food pantry for six years even
before COVID-19, said they are down
many volunteers because of “fear of coronavirus.”
“Th ere is not a lot of volunteering
because of the fear, so the people who
are coming out during this pandemic are
some of the most brave people I have ever
met,” he said. “Even though we are a veterans
organization, we are warriors and
a lot of warriors have died — that these
volunteers have come out to give food for
people who don’t have is the best thing.”
He continued, “I’ve been to Vietnam
and I’ve seen the wars but I’ve never seen
nothing like this. People are putting their
lives on the line. People are dying and
getting sick, but the volunteers are coming
out here. Th ere couldn’t be anything
better.”
Much of the food is supplied from a
variety of sources including City Harvest,
the Food Bank Senior Program, and from
Bishop Adrian Beaumont of Church
of God in Christ at Blake Avenue in
Brooklyn, who brought a van loaded with
bread.
“We are here to do our part to help
our fellow man,” Bishop Beaumont said.
“We must all help each other in this diffi
cult time.”
Major Sharon Sweeting-Lindsey, vice
commander of post 483
and director for the food pantry, led
a prayer service with volunteers before
opening the doors to the long line of people
in need. She was proud that despite
two food deliveries b e ing
canceled, they had
plenty for the community.
And like a
true military
commander, the
discipline of
her troops
Photos by Todd Maisel
and those she’s serving are important.
Vets marked the ground outside for social
distancing.
Commander Blackmon and other
vets patrolled the line, everyone wearing
masks. Tables were set up inside the
100-year-old building, a former public
school, where each person was given a
choice of what food they needed. Bags
were also put together for delivery
to home-bound seniors.
“As a retired major and dietician
I’ve always been in the
area of foodservice, so when
I retired, I make sure all of
our military posts engage
in selfl ess service to the
community,” Lindsey said.
“Th e challenge is people
who have never visited a
food pantry are now coming
to our pantry. We’ve seen
exponential growth in terms
of how many people are coming.
Some come with a little bit
of shame because they never visited
a pantry before. We try to
take the indignity out of it. We
make them feel welcome, feel that
we are here to help them. We greet
them, and make sure they get all the
food they need. We try to make it a
welcoming experience.”
HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY
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