Brooklynites are joining forces more than ever this holiday season to help community members facing food insecurity, a problem worsened by the food affordability crisis and a recent freeze in SNAP benefits during the federal government shutdown.
At Brooklyn Borough Hall, Borough President Antonio Reynoso and his staff hosted a Thanksgiving food distribution on Nov. 21, handing out more than 60,000 pounds of goods, including turkeys, fresh produce such as sweet potatoes, corn, apples, and onions, and nonperishable items like pasta and rice. The food was distributed to more than 125 organizations addressing food insecurity and homelessness across the borough, including houses of worship, community kitchens, nonprofits, and other community-based groups.
Reynoso said that, with support from Borough Hall’s special partner UA3, as well as National Grid, Optimum, Ponce Bank, Citizens, Met Council, Macerich, Food Bazaar, and the Hispanic Federation, the office raised more money than in previous years.
Organizations had to pre-register for the event, and Reynoso emphasized the importance of distributing the food throughout the borough.
“[The distribution event] just comes at a time when food insecurity is high. The national government and the Trump administration are being very clear about wanting to cut SNAP benefits,” Reynoso said, noting that his administration is prepared to support Brooklyn families in need should the benefits be reduced.
“We’re ready, we’ll keep doing this type of work, and we need to do it every week to make sure that people are fed,” Reynoso said. “I hope that there’s a level of confidence in these families to know, ‘Look, maybe the national government is not there for us, but the local government is showing up.’ So today is about family. It’s about being grateful, being thankful, but also being confident. We got your back. Brooklyn is going to take care of Brooklyn!”
A slew of volunteers, including Borough Hall staff and other organizations, efficiently packed trolleys with holiday staples from a sea of pallets of food before loading them into cars and vans lined up along a well-organized assembly line in Borough Hall Plaza.
Joyce French, president of the Community Education Council 19, told Brooklyn Paper that her organization would distribute the food to about 100 families, noting that families were struggling as she waited in line to have her car loaded.
“We definitely need to have the events, because a lot of our families are not wealthy,” French said. “The struggle is a little bit worse than it was before because not a lot of money is coming in, and people are really struggling. So this is such a big asset.”
New York Liberty guards Natasha Cloud and Rebekah Gardner were among the volunteers loading holiday goods onto vehicles.
Cloud, who said she is not “big on holiday stuff” but is “huge” on family gatherings, told Brooklyn Paper that it is important to remember one’s blessings.
“I always appreciate when a full family can get together and just truly be present in the moment of what they are thankful for, especially with the chaos that is happening around us all the time,” Cloud said. “I think it is still very important to prioritize and remind ourselves how blessed we truly are.”
She gave a shoutout to the Brooklyn Borough Hall team, particularly Deputy Borough President Kim Council, whom Cloud has gotten to know as a caring person.
“The ability to pull something like this off, where you know you are going to feed thousands and thousands of mouths over a holiday season, where families didn’t know where else it was going to come from like that, truly is [remarkable],” Cloud said. “We need more politicians like her who truly do care. And it’s really a blessing for me to be a part of it as well.”
Gardner said Thanksgiving is her favorite holiday because gratitude is a “huge” part of her life.
“It’s awesome that there’s a day to recognize it, where you get to spend time with your family and do things like [volunteering] and give back,” Gardner said, hoping more communities will host events to help people in need.
Mel Quan and his friend Kemori, with “Save The Next Generation,” were part of the “Brownsville In Violence Out” (BIVO) volunteer group.
“I like to give back. I like to do for others,” Quan told Brooklyn Paper. “I just like to be a better version of myself every day.”
Kemori added that they would be busy giving out turkeys in their community in the days leading up to Thanksgiving.
While volunteers spread holiday cheer, newlyweds Patrick and Kelly paused to take some obligatory wedding photos on the steps of Brooklyn Borough Hall and stopped for a bit to help.
“It’s tough times right now, so this is definitely great,” the groom told Brooklyn Paper.
