Jan 19, 2021 2 min read Announcements

The Brooklyn Nets Campus Food Pantry Opens in Bed-Stuy

The Brooklyn Nets Food Pantry at PS/IS 308 presented by HSS. (Photo by Michelle Farsi)

A public school in Bed Stuy is getting a campus food pantry, thanks to the generosity of the Brooklyn Nets and the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS).

P.S. / I.S. 308, Clara Cardwell School, is a Title 1 school, which means that the great majority of its students come from low-income households. Low-income households have been among the hardest hit by the economic impacts of the pandemic that has left one in four neighbors food insecure in Brooklyn, according to the Food Bank for New York City.

The campus pantry is stocked with non-perishable food. (Photo by Michelle Farsi)

The Brooklyn Nets pantry will be stocked with non-perishable food items, and food distributions will occur on a schedule set by the school administration.

Students and their families will be able to select items completely free of charge, to meet the needs of each individual family.

The Brooklyn Nets Food Pantry at PS/IS 308 (Photo by Michelle Farsi)

“We realize the importance of serving the community always, and especially during this time,” said Louis A. Shapiro, president, and CEO at HSS. “Our efforts have expanded beyond the walls of our institution, and addressing the food insecurities right in our backyard is something we feel strongly about. By teaming up with the Brooklyn Nets, our goal is to have the food pantry serve as an essential resource for
those who need it most.”

To make it more fun and educational, each month, the Nets and HSS will release recipe cards containing the ingredients and steps to prepare a Nets player’s favorite recipe, along with healthy snack pairings from HSS nutritionists and a physical activity suggestion from HSS physical trainers.

Additionally, one student from P.S. 308 will get to participate in a virtual cooking class with a Nets player using ingredients from the food pantry to prepare his favorite recipe.

Guide on how to pick and pack a balanced pantry bag at the Brooklyn Nets Food Pantry. (Photo by Michelle Farsi)

“We are committed to addressing immediate needs that disproportionately impact communities in Brooklyn,” said John Abbamondi, CEO of BSE Global. “We are proud to work alongside HSS to help alleviate food insecurity for Brooklynites in-need, and to provide healthy meal options for our neighbors where they live and work.”