Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens hosted a pop-up food distribution in Corona, Queens, one of the hardest hit areas of the COVID-19 pandemic at Our Lady of Sorrows Roman Catholic Church on Friday, June 26, 2020.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Catholic Charities has seen an over 1,000 percent increase in need at our local food pantries. Seeing the great need, Catholic Charities plans to expand their efforts of providing much-needed food packages and services at the 20 Catholic Charities parish-based food pantries located throughout Brooklyn and Queens.
In an expression of gratitude, Catholic Charities also thanked essential volunteers at the emergency pop-up, where, since the beginning of the pandemic, they have helped Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens to distribute thousands of bags of food. Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens, in partnership with parishes in the Diocese of Brooklyn, has provided over 300,000 meals through our food pantry network, emergency pop-up food distributions, and home delivered meals programs.
On Friday, June 26th, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens distributed a total of nearly 22,000 meals while serving 2,000 individuals who received 3 bags of food consisting of 11 meals total. Bags contained staple goods including pasta, dry beans, cereal, tomato sauce, rice, canned chicken, canned salmon, mixed vegetables, and fresh chicken. Fresh produce to be distributed includes corn on the cob, oranges, carrots, onions, celery, cucumbers, lime, garlic, plantain, cauliflower or broccoli, and peppers. Individuals will also receive 12-inch tortillas, juices, and a recipe.
Individuals received access to supportive services via our call center and behavioral health services via telehealth; a coping with stress flyer; a Catholic Charities Food Pantry Network flyer; and additional resources.
In addition, the Agency, which is a NYC Census 2020’s Complete Count Fund award recipient, partnered with the campaign, the nation’s largest, to ensure that volunteers on site provided direct, one-on-one support to those seeking food assistance in completing the 2020 Census in real time. Hovering just over 40 percent, Corona, North Corona, and East Elmhurst have among the lowest self-response rates in the city, which has an overall self-response rate of 52.6 percent as of June 25, 2020.
Participating essential volunteers included the Knights of Columbus, Business Relocation Services (BRS), New York District Council of Carpenters, EJ Electric – Local 3, International Union of Operating Engineers – Local 15, Mike Arena – Arena Concrete, Graybeards of Rockaway, Xaverian High School Volleyball Team, Lady of Charity, Little Flower Alumni, East Coast Mechanical, Ancient Order of Hibernians, WATCH GUARD 24/7, RDS Delivery Services, NYPD Queens Tow, St. Borromeo in Brooklyn Heights and local parish volunteers from each host community at Catholic Charities Therese Cervini Early Childhood Development Center in Corona, St. Michael – St. Malachy in East New York, St. Bartholomew in Elmhurst, St. Michael in Sunset Park, St. Finbar in Bensonhurst, St. Therese of Lisieux in East Flatbush, Sacred Heart of Jesus in Cambria Heights, Our Lady of Victory Church of St. Martin de Porres in Bedford-Stuyvesant and Our Lady of Sorrows in Corona.
The Emergency Pop-Up Food Distribution is organized and funded by Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens as a direct response to our neighbors in need.
To continue to serve the surrounding neighborhoods, Catholic Charities will double their efforts to transition and refocus its energy on the 20 parish-based food pantries operated throughout both boroughs. Families will be able to find a Catholic Charities pantry in their own neighborhood. At the food pantries, families will be able to access Catholic Charities’ wide array of services, such as case management, and mental health services.
To help, donate to Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens at www.ccbq.org.
Footage Courtesy of WNBC-TV (New York, NY)
Pop Up Food Pantry in Queens
Media Coverage
Opinion: To Be Hungry in the Middle of the Pandemic, Saturday, July 4, 2020, New York Times
Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens continues to serve families impacted by COVID-19, Friday, July 3, 2020, QNS
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About Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens: For 120 years, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens has been providing quality social services to the neighborhoods of Brooklyn and Queens, and currently offers 160-plus programs and services for children, youth, adults, older adults, and those struggling with mental illness. As one of the largest faith-based developers of affordable housing in the country, Catholic Charities provides 4,330 units of housing for low-income seniors, families, veterans, the formerly homeless, those with HIV and those struggling with mental illness. For additional information, visit our website at www.ccbq.org.