Love In Time Of Coronavirus: Neighbors Deliver Food To Neighbors

GREENPORT, NY — As coronavirus fears escalate and a growing number of North Fork residents are deciding to isolate at home or are facing mandatory quarantine, others are joining hands and hearts to deliver food to the homebound, leaving care packages on their front steps.

Greenport's Penelope Rudder, the philanthropic force between Our Little Free Pantry and "Sharing Sundays" in the village, has sparked a movement for giving, with residents donating food, produce, bagels, baked goods and even art supplies to nurture their neighbors.

Now, as the number of coronavirus cases in Southold Town reached 11 Friday, Rudder came up with a way to deliver food right to the front doors of neighbors isolated in their homes.

"I feel really excited about this," she said. Last week, when Rudder heard Pat Mundus was in self-quarantine after a trip to Italy, she said she "wanted to help her and let her feel cared for."

Rudder brought her some bagels from Goldberg's, bread from the Blue Duck Bakery and some of Ira Haspel's biodynamic greens from KK's The Farm.

"Those are the greens and produce that I eat every day because of their superb taste and nutritional value — key with me," Rudder said. "The bread and bagels are of the same quality —fresh, really wholesome and made with care. Food is care and medicine and I wanted to gather those same energies up and share them."

Rudder said she has lots of freshly picked greens today to give to others. "So fresh they are still growing," she said. She brought took some to Mundus and another friend Friday, leaving the care packages on the front steps of those in isolation.

Tomorrow, Rudder said, "I am meeting with another friend to maybe develop this further. There is need and we can figure this out."

First off, Rudder said she needs a list of people to help so things can evolve.

"This virus has the capacity to show us who we are, what we are made of, and share our best."

Those who want to contact Rudder can do so at the Our Little Free Pantry Facebook page or her personal Facebook page.

"I look at everything as an opportunity and this virus is one that pulls at my core of dreams," she said. "How to share food, how to prevent the waste of food, health and human spirit and how to strengthen our bonds with each other. I hope what also goes viral is our compassion and common humanity."

Rudder said she is hoping to "provide health and cheer to anyone in this very stressful — but, I feel, meaningful and defining — time. I think this virus has the capacity to show us who we are and what we are made of, and share our best," she said. "And because so much is cancelled or postponed, it is time to create with new opportunities. It's an ever-evolving 'field of dreams' around here."

Rudder said Sonia Spar of the Southold Anti-Bias Task Force reached out and the two made up 50 "comfort snack packs" for Our Little Free Pantry that were gone in a heartbeat.

Free grocery deliveries

Rudder isn't the only Greenport resident who finds fulfillment in giving back.

Lucas Natali has offered to go to the supermarket for residents who find themselves in self-quarantine or self-isolating due to coronavirus — and he said he feels he's just doing his part.

Residents can call him with a list and pay for the groceries, but the delivery, Natali said, is on him.

"I’m just a local guy. A lot of my family lives in Italy, where I was born _ and I’m getting really bad reports," he said.

When Natali worked at Jernick Moving & Storage in Greenport, he said he noticed that there are many homebound elderly on the North Fork who need a hand.

"I’m concerned about people who may be either crippled physically or even crippled mentally by the crisis," he said, adding that he had a job cancel on him Friday because of fears.

Those wishing to have their groceries delivered can call Natali at 1-631-506-9490 or reach out to him on his website, Natali Fine Art Services. "I'm happy to deliver on the North Fork," he said.