The local 83rd precinct is teaming up with local officials and small buisnesses for their annual Thanksgiving turkey drive.
The yearly drive is held throughout the city (and also in Yonkers) to help families in need get food for the upcoming holiday. Bushwick is a neighborhood were more than a quarter of residents live below the poverty line. This is particularly stressful for those families since housing costs are at an all time high, and a number of residents don’t have steady access to healthy food.
In an email to Bushwick Daily, Salvatore B. Polizzi of Tony’s Pizzeria & Restaurant had this to say about the importance of the drive:
“Countless organizations, businesses and individuals have donated to this amazing cause and joined forces with Assemblymember Davila, our NYPD 83 Police Precinct and our NYPD Community Council President Barbara Smith,” he said. “Bushwick business leader Willie Miranda and his group of friends and associates were able to secure funds for 5500 Turkeys and an estimated 10,000 lbs of produce for the NYC area.”
About 200 of those turkeys and few hundred pounds of produce will be distributed to families in Bushwick. Local officials including Assemblymember Maritza Davila have aided in the efforts to help residents in the area.
William Miranda, an organizer of the turkey drive said in an email to Bushwick Daily that securing the food wouldn’t have been possible without the help of PCNY or and The Garden of Eden Foundation.
“We will also be cooking about 6 turkeys for Thursday morning for the potluck at Maria Hernandez park along side tent ministries and Jason Ayala,” he said.
If any readers have information on upcoming drives (for food, winter clothing or other winter resources) please reach out to Bushwick Daily.
Cover photo courtesy of Gabriel Garcia Marengo