Roosevelt Island Community Volunteers Organize Weekly Friday RIDA Food Pantry For Neighbors Feeding Up To 200 Families - Delicious Dishes Prepared With Food Pantry Items

Roosevelt Island Disabled Association (RIDA) President Wendy Hersh reports; 

RIDA will be having our weekly Friday Roosevelt Island Free Food Panty tomorrow, September 18 at the Carter Burden RI Senior Center (546 Main Street) 4 - 6:30 pm. We'll have lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, milk and non-perishable items.

If you are in need of food, please feel free to come on Friday. Everyone who needs is welcome. You MUST wear a mask, bring ID and your own bag or cart. Line starts at 546 entrance way.

Last Friday, Roosevelt Island resident and NYC Emergency Management Department (NYCEM) Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteer Frank Farance gave a tour of the Food Pantry operation and explained the logistics involved in organizing the weekly food pantry.

 

After the tour, I spoke with RIDA President Wendy Hersh, the main organizer of the Roosevelt Island Food Pantry. Ms Hersh reported the Food Pantry serving as many as 200 families and described the Roosevelt Island Food Pantry volunteers as:

... just neighbors who want to help. Mostly old timers who have been here for a while. This is what community is all about...

 

Ms Hersh was very appreciative  and thankful for the assistance offered to the Roosevelt Island Food Pantry by: 

• Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Public Safety Department,
• C&C Management (Doryne Isely and Roosevelt Landings Buildings staff)
  
• Evangel Church in Long Island City who supplied most of the food, 
• Carter Burden RI Senior Center (Lisa Fernandez) 
• NYC Emergency Management  CERT Volunteers
  
• Dream Center Church of Bushwick 
• Roosevelt Island Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts as well as 
• Individual Roosevelt Island residents including Mary Coleman and Pat Rivera

and shares these pictures of dishes prepared with food from the Roosevelt Island Food Pantry.

If you are in need of food for yourself or your family, please stop by the Roosevelt Island Food Pantry at 546 Main Street on any Friday from 4:00 - 6:30 PM. If you would like to volunteer or help in any way, contact Ms Hersh.

UPDATE 9/21 - Roosevelt Island residents show their appreciation for RIDA Food Pantry