Roosevelt Island Girl Scouts Distribute Food At RIDA Food Pantry And Deliver To Neighbors Who Can't Leave Their Apartments - RIDA Food Pantry Will Soon Need A New Roosevelt Island Home

Last Friday May 14, Roosevelt Island Troop 3001 Girl Scouts volunteered at the Roosevelt Island Disabled Association (RIDA) Food Panty 

currently located in the Carter Burden Roosevelt Island Senior Center (546 Main Street).

According to Roosevelt Island Girl Scout Troop 3001 Co-Leader Aiesha Eleusizov:

The Girl Scout cookies we donated on Friday to the RIDA Food Panty is through the Girl Scouts of Greater New York’s Gift of Caring program, which enables Girl Scout Cookies to be purchased for donation to service organizations – a great way for people to support Girl Scouts’ entrepreneurial efforts while spreading joy to those in need. This year, all donated cookies—about 250,000 boxes—will be distributed to food pantries in NYC, recognizing the rising food insecurity caused by the economic effects of the pandemic. 9 Million Reasons - the organization that provides the food for Roosevelt Island's pantry - received 30 palettes of Gift of Caring donated Girl Scout cookies - who then distributed them to pantries all over NYC, including the ones we received here on Roosevelt Island.

On Saturday, May 8, girls from Troop 3001 also volunteered handing out Girl Scout cookies 

at the 9 Million Reasons pantry in Queens. 

The Roosevelt Island Girl Scouts distributed food in the Roosevelt Island Food Pantry

 and made deliveries for those unable to leave their homes. 

I spoke with RIDA Food Pantry organizer Wendy Hersh, Girl Scout Troop 3001 Co-Leader Yitza Martinez and Girl Scout Emily Eleusizov last Friday. Here's what they had to say.

 

Ms Hersh reported that the Senior Center will soon be re-opening so the Food Pantry will have to vacate the Senior Center space it has been using since the Coronavirus Pandemic began. 

Will the Roosevelt Island Food Pantry be able to continue operating and serving the community? According to Ms. Hersh:

... We're looking for some spot that we can move into to keep the Pantry going...

Ms Hersh added that they are also looking for some strong volunteers to help with loading and unloading boxes of food. If you're interested in volunteering at the Roosevelt Island Food Pantry, please contact Ms Hersh.

Yitza Martinez shares more photos of the Roosevelt Island Girl Scouts volunteering at the Evangel 9 Million Reasons Food Pantry and RIDA Food Pantry.

Ms Hersh adds: 

Great Pantry Day ...having the girl scouts assist us this evening was such a blessing.

and:

Thanks to Maria Carrante for her generous donations today of bread and pastry from Martha's Country Bakery on Ditmars Blvd in Astoria. 

What a treat!!!