Congratulations Roosevelt Island Senior Center Food Pantry Volunteers - Received NYC Mayoral Service Recognition 2020 Resilience Rising Award For Efforts Helping To Feed Community Members In Need During Covid 19 Pandemic

Though there are countless ways New Yorkers took action in 2020, we’d like to thank the volunteers, AmeriCorps members, and community partners who shared their experiences with us.

#NYCResilienceRising #NYCVolunteersCounthttps://t.co/DxyRhqQHKY

— NYC Service (@NYCService) April 30, 2021

The Roosevelt Island Senior Center and a group of Roosevelt Island Food Panty volunteers were among those recognized for their efforts helping others during the Covid 19 Pandemic.

Roosevelt Island Food Panty Volunteer and NYC Emergency Management Department (NYCEM) Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) member Frank Farance shares these photos

and reports:

Roosevelt Island Food Pantry was an awardee in the NYC Mayoral Volunteer Service Recognition on Thursday, which awarded New Yorkers with significant volunteer efforts (note: NYCEM CERTs were another organization who were awarded, too).

Please find some photos from yesterday's food pantry - it was extremely busy!

• CERTs doing food deliveries (that's Paul) to people who are infirm or have mobility issues - still about a dozen deliveries a week
• Paul Curiale, Tricia Shimamura (holding Fresh Direct bag), Frank Farance - Trish is currently Vice Chair of Manhattan Community Board 8 (Upper East Side and Roosevelt Island) and candidate for City Council Member (Ben Kallos's seat), and she's a regular weekly volunteer
  
• Paul Curiale, Dimaura Cole, Frank Farance in the Senior Center garden - Dimuara is a Girl Scout Troop Leader (Girl Scouts also support the food pantry), and she's already entered for CERT training and awaiting her slot
• Paul Curiale, Millie Reyes, Mary Coleman, Wendy Hersh, Frank Farance - Wendy and Mary run RIDA (Roosevelt Island Disabled Association) who run the food pantry, and Millie is a volunteer who knows all the families and does check-in for the food pantry
• Public Safety is at the door, managing the crowds in the lobby, and the crowds outside
• A couple photos showing the excellent food and the main food pantry departments (yes, they have departments!):
• meat
• dairy
• cereals
• pasta and sauce
• rice and beans
• baking goods
• and the far room has
• fresh fruits and vegetables
• canned goods
• breads

• Trish is helping set up the food display for the photo
• Paul is delivering to a client - she is unable to get food, she uses a walker (photo is redacted / de-identified)
  
• Frank delivering in Eastwood/RL, excellent groceries visible in the box - for these home-bound clients,Mary and Wendy shop for them according to their requests, and then CERTs, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, etc. make deliveries to their homes (no-contact, social-distancing, and other health guidelines in use)
  
• 556 Courtyard: the photo doesn't capture how beautiful, relaxing, and lush this place is - a wonderful gem in the heart of Roosevelt Island

Again, a really great volunteer event!

Roosevelt Island Disabled Association (RIDA) President Wendy Hersh organized the Roosevelt Island Food Pantry with the help of many volunteers. I spoke with her last February about the Roosevelt Island Food Pantry.

Mr Farance gave us a tour of the Food Pantry operations last Saptember.

More info about the Roosevelt Island Food Pantry at this prior post.

Congrats to the Roosevelt Island Food Pantry volunteers on their award and thank you for all your efforts serving the Roosevelt Island community.