Taking Care and Giving Thanks
Thanksgiving is about being thankful for what we have and sharing resources with our community. Experiencing a stressful year is all the more reason to be more thankful and giving, taking care of those in need during the holiday season.
NYCHA, resident associations, businesses and community organizations, and elected officials provided NYCHA residents across the city with donations of turkeys, groceries, and prepared meals to ensure a delicious Thanksgiving meal at home for all.
NYCHA hired eight food businesses operated by NYCHA residents to prepare and deliver Thanksgiving meals to residents experiencing gas outages.
The entrepreneurs are graduates of the Food Business Pathways program (FBP), a business accelerator program operated by NYCHA’s Office of Resident Economic Empowerment & Sustainability (REES), which provided free food business training to help NYCHA residents and Section 8 voucher holders reach their dreams of starting or growing their own businesses.
On November 25, the FBP entrepreneurs had a busy day delivering 1,619 meals to 44 developments in all five boroughs.
Forest Houses resident Cornel Robinson, owner of Cornel’s Catering, prepared and delivered 392 meals to residents of Bronx River Houses, Eagle Avenue-163rd Street, Forest Houses, Gun Hill Houses, McKinley Houses, Melrose Houses, Throggs Neck Houses, and Castle Hill Houses.
“It’s a great feeling, despite the experience of our country, to be able to help those who need it and it feels great to give back to my community,” Mr. Robinson said. “Working with NYCHA has helped bring in some income for my business, so it’s a blessing both ways.”
Van Dyke Houses resident Niani Taylor, owner of Munch Hours, provided 163 traditional Thanksgiving dinners, including turkey, greens, dressing, sweet potatoes, and macaroni and cheese. She also partnered with another NYCHA business owner to provide delicious desserts, including dulce de leche-filled cupcakes. She and her team delivered to residents of Borinquen Plaza, Brevoort Houses, Kingsborough Houses, Ocean Hill Houses, Sumner Houses, Unity Plaza, Van Dyke Houses 1, Wyckoff Houses, East New York City Line, and Tompkins Houses.
“It feels like I’m helping the community that I’ve grown in,” Ms. Taylor said. “It makes me feel proud that I’m a business owner that came up in NYCHA and now I’m supplying food to people who live at NYCHA – I’m one of them.”
The other six resident business owners who provided meals are Ebonie Shelley; Bernadette Alvelo-Miller of Bernadette’s Place; Jonathan Alexander of L’BOE Catering; Sandra Matthis of Grace Kelli Cupcakes; Brandi Covington of Cooking with Corey; and Cristiana Franco of Sabor Restaurant.
On November 19 and 23, residents of Claremont Consolidation in the Bronx received turkeys, produce, and food vouchers courtesy of Assembly Member Latoya Joyner, Council Member Vanessa Gibson, Senator Luis Sepulveda, and Congressman-elect Ritchie Torres. Joining elected officials in making the deliveries were Resident Association President Maria Forbes (Clay Avenue) and NYCHA staff.
In November, Council Member Rafael Salamanca Jr. held many turkey distribution events, including handing out turkeys and produce at the Melrose Classic Community Center and a turkey giveaway at St. Mary’s Park Community Center to benefit resident of Morrisania Air Rights, Jackson Houses, Melrose Houses, Adams Houses, and St. Mary’s Park Houses.
