Don’t Forget Our Food Pantries

Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for what we have and reach out to those in need but this year, many New Yorkers did not wait to give. Our neighborhood has galvanized these past few weeks. For example, Team Stroller Patrol delivered and still is delivering hundreds of hot meals to neighborhoods in need.

Besides hurricane victims, we have immediate neighbors who are without food and need our help. Donating to or volunteering at food pantries is an excellent way to continually support our neighbors.

Flatbush Reformed Church
890 Flatbush Avenue, Reverend Dan Ramm, Flatbushrefch@aol.com
Many of our churches work together. Father Michael Perry of Our Lady of Refuge encouraged Thanksgiving donations to be made to Flatbush Reformed at the corner of Flatbush and Church. “More than help – the old women who bag the food and distribute it have their system down pat,” said Father Perry, “we can always use non-perishable food.”

For a Thanksgiving specific job, Flatbush Reformed is looking for volunteers to work in the soup kitchen on Friday, November 16 and Saturday November 17 as part of the Church Avenue BID program. If you can’t volunteer, they still need baked goods! Bring baked donations today until 4pm to the BID, 884 Flatbush Ave. off Church Avenue, 2nd Floor. Call 718-282-2500, x63234 for more info.

Our Lady of Refuge
2020 Foster Avenue, olrefuge@aol.com
As selfless as Father Perry is, Our Lady of Refuge also runs a food pantry and needs volunteers on Tuesdays from 1 to 3:30pm to prepare packages for delivery. Deliveries are made on Wednesdays from 9:30am to 1pm. Our Lady recently reopened their shelter and needs a continuous supply of volunteers.

Flatbush-Tompkins
424 East 19th Street, 718-282-5353, gets a weekly supply of fresh vegetables left over from the Ditmas Park CSA for their food pantry.  You can donate non-perishable items during the CSA pickup on Wednesdays between 4pm and 8pm. For additional times, contact the church.

Immaculate Heart of Mary
2805 Fort Hamilton Parkway at E 5th St, 718-871-1310
Their food pantry is in need of non-perishable items (canned fruit, peanut butter, jelly, crackers, canned vegetables, boxes of rice), as well as coffee, baby shampoo, toilet paper and paper towels. You can leave donations in the baskets at the E 4th and E 5th street doors of the church.

Holy Name
245 Prospect Park West, 718-768-3071
The Windsor Terrace church will be hosting a Thanksgiving Meal (as well as accepting donations for churches in the Rockaways). Contact Fr. Jim at frjimholyname@aol.com to see exactly how you can help.

Catholic Charities
A number of Catholic churches in the neighborhood send volunteers to Catholic Charities, an umbrella volunteer organization for Catholic churches. You can specify short- or long-term work as well as the kind of volunteer work you can provide.

Masbia of Flatbush
1372 Coney Island Avenue, 718-718-972-4446, email@masbiaflatbush.org
Masbia of Flatbush offers one-time and on-going volunteer opportunities are available for individuals, groups, children, and adults. They also accept food donations, but have some restrictions. You can also make monetary donations online.

CAMBA
1720 Church Ave, 718-287-2600
CAMBA’s Beyond Hunger Emergency Food Pantry serves an average of 3,400 individuals each month. Their fall food drive continues, and you can drop off non-perishable items locally at 1720 Church Avenue, 2nd Floor, or 885 Flatbush Avenue, Room 202. You can also help out by making a monetary donation online.

• A Place At The Table is a Facebook initiative matching people with spare room at their table to people who need a place to eat Thanksgiving dinner. Both parties fill out a short questionnaire explaining who you are and where you live. A Place At The Table will make a match.

• In the “Miscellaneous Notes” section of the Occupy Sandy volunteer form, write that you want to help with Thanksgiving Day.

• Red Hook Initiative is operating on a day-to-day basis. If you’d like to volunteer or provide hot meals on or around Thanksgiving Day, fill out the linked forms.

• The Park Slope Armory is still looking for volunteers. Contact Amy Glosser at nightshiftatthearmory@gmail.com and include name, address, phone number, and availability.

I’m proud to be a part of a community committed to helping neighbors. Happy Thanksgiving, Ditmas Park.

Photo by CAMBA