MAYOR BLOOMBERG ANNOUNCES COORDINATION OF OVER 26,500 THANKSGIVING MEALS FOR NEW YORKERS IN AREAS IMPACTED BY HURRICANE SANDY
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced today that the Mayor’s Office is coordinating the distribution of more than 26,500 Thanksgiving meals at 30 sites for residents most affected by Hurricane Sandy. Special turkey dinners will be available at the City’s prepared food distribution sites from 11 AM – 3 PM on Thursday afternoon and, in partnership with local elected officials, community organizations, culinary groups, religious organizations, and local supermarkets, the Mayor’s Office is coordinating additional Thanksgiving dinners with support from the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City. In addition, the City distributed over 2,400 turkeys and 3,000 side dishes to elected officials and community organizations that are serving holiday meals. Generous supporters of these Thanksgiving efforts include Campus Coach Bus, Empire Force Events, Fairway Market, Fresh Direct, Great Performances, Gristedes, the Mannix Family of ShopRite, RCano Events, the Siller Foundation and the Stiller Foundation.
“As we continue to recover and rebuild from the devastating impact of Hurricane Sandy, our City will do everything we can to bring some of the comforts and traditions of Thanksgiving to families in our hardest hit communities,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “We are grateful for the many generous community and corporate partners for their commitment to helping our City get back on its feet during this holiday season.”
NYC Food Distribution Sites
Through a partnership with the Red Cross and a contract the City entered into with Whitson’s Culinary Group earlier this month, prepared lunches and hot meals have been available in the hardest hit sections of Queens and Brooklyn. The expansion to providing on-site prepared foods, including hot dinners, consolidated the massive food distribution effort that had been in operation in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. To date, the City, working with FEMA, has distributed more than 2.7 million meals and close to 700,000 bottles of water to those impacted by Hurricane Sandy.
Over 17,500 Thanksgiving meals prepared by Whitson’s will be distributed at the following sites from 11 AM – 3 PM on Thursday:
Brooklyn
MCU Park (Coney Island) (Parking Lot): 1904 Surf Avenue (@ West 19th Street)
Fine Fare Supermarket (Coney Island) (Parking Lot): 2901 Mermaid Avenue (@W29th)
Searise Houses (Coney Island) (Courtyard): Neptune Avenue and 37th Streets
Queens (Rockaways):
Waldbaum’s (Parking Lot): 112-15 Beach Channel Drive (@ Beach 112 Street)
Thriftway Mall (Parking Lot): 20-52 Mott Street (btw. 20th & 21st Streets)
Key Food (Parking Lot): 87-15 Rockaway Beach Blvd. (btw. Beach 87th & 88th Streets)
Additional Holiday Dinners
The Mayor’s Office is working with community organizations in impacted areas to host Thanksgiving dinners, with support from the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City at the following locations:
Wednesday Dinners
Brooklyn – Miccio Community Center in Red Hook with a food donation from Fairway Market
Staten Island – The Vanderbilt at South Beach in partnership with Borough President James Molinaro and with support from the Stephen Siller Foundation and the Mannix Family of ShopRite
Staten Island – The Excelsior Grand in partnership with Borough President James Molinaro and with support from the Stephen Siller Foundation and the Mannix Family of ShopRite
Staten Island – The Grand Oaks Country Club in partnership with Borough President Molinaro and with support from the Stephen Siller Foundation and the Mannix Family of ShopRite
Thursday Dinners
Brooklyn – El Caribe in Mill Basin on Thursday evening in partnership with Councilman Dominic Recchia. Transportation will be provided from the MCU parking lot in Coney Island.
Brooklyn – Miccio Community Center in Red Hook with a food donation from Feeding NYC
Queens – Beach 41st Street Community Center with a food donation from Fairway Market
Queens – IS 53 in Far Rockaway in partnership with Councilman James Sanders
Queens – St. Francis de Sales Parish in Belle Harbor with support from the Stiller Foundation
The City is also providing assistance and support for additional Thanksgiving dinners at the following locations:
Wednesday Evening
Queens – Hammel Houses in Rockaway Beach
Thursday Evening
Queens – St. Francis de Sales Parish in Belle Harbor
Queens – St. Helen’s Church in Howard Beach
Queens – Ocean Bay Community Center in Far Rockaway
Queens – Redfern Community Center in Far Rockaway
Staten Island – New Dorp High School
Staten Island – Pepper Jack Grill for Evacuees at the Mt. Manresa shelter
Staten Island – Baily Seaton Hospital Shelter
Over 2,400 turkeys and over 3,000 Thanksgiving sides sponsored by the Mayor’s Fund, Gristedes and Fresh Direct, were distributed to elected officials and religious and community organizations including the Alive Ministries, the Beth Abraham Nursing Home, the Calvary Baptist Church, the Coney Island Gospel Assembly, Congregation White Shul, the Cooper Square Committee, the Hamilton Madison House, the Miccio Community Center, and the Visitation Rectory. In addition, through a partnership with the Department of Homeless Services and the Department of Housing, Preservation and Development, the Red Cross is providing targeted food assistance to families that evacuated through the City’s emergency shelter system and have been placed in hotels in every borough.
