Roosevelt Island Disabled Association Asks For Your Help Donating Warm Winter Clothes To Nine Million Reasons Long Island City Homeless Outreach Program

As previously reported, the Long Island City based Evangel Church 9 Million Reasons Food Pantry program has been supplying the Roosevelt Island Disabled Association (RIDA) food pantry. RIDA President Wendy Hersh reports:

I think it is important to let the community know how hard it was for us at RIDA to find an agency willing to come to Roosevelt Island to supply us with food to give out. They have been supplying us with food since the beginning of the Coronavirus Pandemic, enough to feed 220 families each week. 

I am so appreciative and thankful for them.  I continue to give back in every way that I can. I donate to them personally and if people have a donation for RIDA, I have asked them to donate it to 9 Million Reasons. 

                                                       Image Of RIDA, Evangel and NYC CERT Members Prior To Delivering Food Saturday May 2 

In addition to supplying the Roosevelt Island food pantry, as well as other NYC food pantries, the 9 Million Reasons program also provides clothing for homeless people in Long Island City shelters. If you are able to donate warm winter coats, gloves, scarves and hats in good and clean conditions to 9 Million Reasons, Ms Hersh asks you to bring the clothing to the Senior Center outdoor garden (546 Main Street) on Wednesday or Friday mornings.

According to Evangel Church 9 Million Reasons Program:

A Need for warm winter clothes, among other essentials

9 Million Reasons runs the largest community food pantry in New York City. When our organization was founded in 2016 to serve local neighborhoods, we ran a Saturday-only food pantry as one of the many programs offered. When New York City went into shut down in March 2020, we extended our food pantry program to a daily operation to meet the urgent challenge of rising food insecurity during the pandemic. With this expansion, 9 Million Reasons is able to serve over 70,000 clients weekly via three avenues: walk-in pantry, home delivery, and, since participating in the USDA Farmers to Families program, bulk distribution to a network of 257 smaller food pantries, community organizations, mutual aid groups, and housing projects. The Roosevelt Island Disabled Association, which serves the elderly, the disabled, veterans, and other vulnerable community members, is one such partners, receiving supplies of essential groceries, canned goods, and personal care items twice per week. These deliveries have been consistent since the beginning of the pandemic in April.

Since the start of the pandemic, 9 Million Reasons has helped 512,863 families or 1,641,131 people (which equals 15,385,890 pounds of food, or 12,821,575 meals) furnish their dinner tables and relieve some pressure from their much burdened lives, in New York City, Yonkers, Long Island and parts of New Jersey.

In addition to fighting against food insecurity, 9 Million Reasons actively cares for those struggling with another urgent matter in our neighborhood, homelessness, as most hotels in Long Island City have been turned into shelters. 9 Million Reasons’ homeless outreach program includes providing people in need with warm winter clothes, among other essentials. 9 Million Reasons cannot achieve these great milestones without the support from generous individuals and organizations - so, we kindly ask you, within your domain, to join our mission. One way you can support our mission is by donating winter garments in good condition, such as scarves, coats, sweaters, hats, gloves, and winter boots. To make a donation, please drop off your donated items with the Roosevelt Island Disabled Association. If you’d like to make a monetary donation to 9 Million Reasons, please visit our gofundme page to donate. Should you desire to join our effort through volunteering, please visit or Eventbrite page. We are forever grateful for your continued generosity, especially during these trying times.

Last May, I spoke with RIDA's Wendy Hersh and Evangel's Carolyn Marko about their collaboration to help feed needy Roosevelt Island residents.

If you have any winter clothing to donate, please consider dropping it off at the Senior Center outdoor garden (546 Main Street) on Wednesday and Friday mornings for the 9 Million Reasons homeless ourtreach program.