Fresh Direct, Food Pantry Distribute 400 Holiday Turkeys

(L. to r.): City Councilmember-Elect Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside), East River Development Alliance CEO Bishop Mitchell G. Taylor, Assemblymember Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria) and Fresh Direct Senior Vice President of Business Affairs Jim Moore pose with bags of food to be distributed at the Bread of Life Food Pantry in Long Island City. Jason D. Antos Despite the cold, hundreds of people lined up as local officials handed out 400 turkeys and side dishes to needy families at the Bread of Life Food Pantry in Long Island City on December 23.

People cheered as a truck bearing the Fresh Direct logo and a load of turkeys arrived in what is the company’s first collaboration with the food pantry and the East River Development Alliance (ERDA).

Assemblymember Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria), joined by ERDA CEO Bishop Mitchell G. Taylor, Councilmember-Elect Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside) and Senior Vice-President of Business Affairs for Fresh Direct Jim Moore were on hand to help unload and pass out the holiday meal, with the food pantry supplying the trimmings and Fresh Direct the turkeys.

“Long Island City is a great community,” Gianaris said. “There is no better time to help than right now during the holidays.”

Fresh Direct, the Long Island City-based company that donated the turkeys, has been working with local food pantries and City Harvest to help provide meals for low-income families and those in need.

“Fresh Direct is honored to be helping people in our community in need,” Moore said. “ We are always eager to lend a hand to help feed hunger, which is a serious problem for New York City.”

According to the U.S. Census, 1.5 million New Yorkers currently live in poverty and struggle to put food on their tables.

The Bread of Life Food Pantry, operated by the Center of Hope International, is located at 38-49 12th St. and operates from noon to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. More than 100 people receive meals from the pantry on its open days.

The long line of people threatened to rival Thanksgiving’s turnout. “I am honored to be here,” Van Bramer said. “To be able to give food to so many people of our community is something I have looked forward to.”

Food distribution is up 30 percent this year according to Taylor. As a result of the economy, the pantry has become a supplement to people’s food budgets.

“During these difficult economic times, more people than ever need a helping hand,” Taylor said. “The fact that we are able to assist hundreds of local families enjoy a traditional, home-cooked meal this holiday season is wonderful.”

There was barely any room to stand inside the packed food pantry as another truck from City Harvest arrived. “We’re running out of room,” a pantry worker said happily.

This scene is not typical. As demand for food increases, the fear is that the supply will not be able to keep up.

“Queensbridge and Long Island City has such a huge population of people,” Taylor said. “We are fortunate that with the help of local companies like Fresh Direct, we can provide for them. What can be better than that?”

Bread of Life Food Pantry is on track to serve 25,000 people by the end of December.