BROOKLYN & QUEENS, NY – On Friday, April 17 and Monday, April 20, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens celebrated dedicated food pantry volunteers in honor of April’s Volunteer Appreciation Month.
The Office of Mission’s Volunteer Services hosted two luncheons— one in Brooklyn and one in Queens— to celebrate all the incredible volunteers across the two boroughs. Over 150 food pantry volunteers attended the Volunteer Appreciation luncheons.
Dedicated volunteers gathered at the Catholic Charities Msgr. Pfeiffer Resource Center in Howard Beach, Queens, for an afternoon of gratitude, celebration, and community, enjoying a delicious catered meal and fun raffles.
At Church of Sts. Simon and Jude Parish in Brooklyn, volunteers joined together to connect over a meal and reflect on their shared commitment to service.
“We extend our deepest thanks to our network of more than 400 volunteers, whose dedication helps provide over 5 million meals each year through our food pantry programs and affiliates,” said Debbie Hampson, Senior Director of Community and Mobile Outreach Services at Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens.
The luncheons included a heartfelt tribute to longtime volunteers Nilda and Rosa Torado of St. Michael’s Pantry in Flushing, recognized for their remarkable 26 years of faithful service. Organizers also held a moment of silence in memory of beloved pantry volunteer Lourdes LaPolla, who passed away this year.
In Brooklyn, Carol Tolano of the Church of the Holy Spirit, was honored for her ongoing commitment and service, which continues to leave a lasting impact.
Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens operate and support a network of 60 community-based and parish-based emergency food pantries across Brooklyn and Queens. These pantries provide a wide range of items, from shelf-stable essentials like canned goods and grains to fresh meats and vegetables. Thanks to generous volunteers and staff, last year, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens distributed almost 5 million meals to over 277,000 unique individuals across our food pantry network. In 2025, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens network food pantries provided an estimated 778,970 pounds of food and affiliate food pantries provided an estimated 211,500 pounds.
Visit https://www.ccbq.org/volunteer/ to learn more about Catholic Charites Brooklyn and Queens and its volunteer opportunities.
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- In Brooklyn, food pantry volunteers were recognized for their dedicated service in honor of Volunteer Appreciation Month.
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- Volunteers and staff gather for a Volunteer Appreciation luncheon in Howard Beach, Queens.
Media Coverage:
Catholic Charities fetes its food service volunteers, Brooklyn Daily Eagle