As New York City contends with a stark rise in food insecurity, community groups have mobilized to ensure residents have something to be thankful for this holiday season.
According to abc7 New York, in Harlem, The Children's Village braved an autumn drizzle to distribute a record 900 turkeys and produce, feeding around 1,500 people in need of a Thanksgiving meal. Tashana Pace, program director of The Children's Village, said, "I can't even explain the happiness inside my heart - and I'm not going to cry."
With food pantry usage at double pre-pandemic levels and one in four children in the city struggling with food access, the initiatives signal a dire need for assistance, as highlighted by New York State Senator Cordell Cleare, who mentioned to abc7 New York, "We have seen that people that didn't necessarily fit the profile as a family that lacked are now fitting that profile."
Simultaneously, in East Harlem, a job fair not only supported job seekers with resume editing, interview prep, and professional headshots but also offered free turkeys courtesy of the collaboration between Bandana, a job platform, and Youth Action YouthBuild. An event that Cocotazo’s head chef sweetened with complimentary food. For those interested in the job fair details, PIX11 provided the location and timing: 206 E. 118th St., from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
