Queens Borough President Partners With Stop & Shop to Donate 1000 Easter Hams to Local Queens Organizations

Queens Borough President Melinda Katz and Stop & Shop, with help from students of I.S. 93Q, today unloaded 1,000 Easter hams off an 18-wheeler in front of Borough Hall, donated in time for preparations for the upcoming holiday to five local Queens organizations: Catholic Charities Queens North Community Center of Astoria, Chinese-American Planning Council’s Nan Shan Senior Center of Flushing, Hour Children of Long Island City, Korean Community Services Senior Centers of Corona and Flushing, and Queensbridge/Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement Senior Center of Long Island City. Each organization received hundreds of hams today to prepare meals or distribute to Queens families. The substantial donation is part of Stop & Shop’s continuing commitment to help local communities fight hunger and seeks to provide some relief to those in need this Easter.

“As families prepare for the upcoming holiday, Queens is delighted to partner with Stop & Shop and several local service organizations dedicated to the well-being of residents all ages,” said Queens Borough President MELINDA KATZ. “Queens thanks Stop & Shop for extending such generosity to our communities that make up the Borough of Families.”

“We are proud to partner with Queens Borough President Melinda Katz and her office to help fight hunger in local Queens communities and provide some relief to those in need this Easter,” said CINDY CARRASQUILLA, Manager of Community and Public Relations, Stop & Shop - New York Metro. “This donation is part of Stop & Shop’s continued commitment to partner with organizations in our local communities and provide support to worthy causes that can ultimately make a difference in someone's life.”

"We are so grateful to Stop & Shop and the Queens Borough President for their generous contribution of hams for 100 of our families," said RICHARD SLIZESKI, Vice President of Mission at Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens. "Especially around the holidays, our network of 22 food pantries see hundreds of families struggling. This distribution effort will help offset the cost for many families eager to have a beautiful ham as part of their Easter meal."

"We would like to take this opportunity to thank our Borough President Melinda Katz and Stop & Shop for their continued support in providing our seniors with Easter hams," said WAYNE HO, President and CEO of the Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC). "The generous support of individuals like you makes it possible for our organization to provide the needed support of our seniors and make our community a great place to live."

“We thank you for including Hour Children in this opportunity,” said SISTER TESA FITZGERALD, Executive Director of Hour Children. “Although we have often been able to distribute turkeys at Thanksgiving, this is the first time we have been able to distribute fresh hams. They will be a big hit with many members of the community. Food pantries like ours generally rely on non-perishable foods. We’re often able to have fresh produce, as well. It’s much less often that we have fresh meat available. We great appreciate the Borough President and Stop & Shop for making this possible!”

"On behalf of KCS, we wanted to express our utmost gratitude to Melinda Katz, the Queens Borough President, and Stop & Shop, for their generous donation of Easter hams to our seniors,” said LINDA LEE, Executive Director of Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York (KCS). “This donation will allow the seniors to have a special holiday meal to celebrate Easter and emphasizes the spirit of giving, which is at the heart of KCS' mission. KCS' senior centers and homebound meals programs were initiated many years ago from seed funding that was given through the Queens Borough President's Office, and we are always so humbled and honored by generous donations such as this that remind us how important our immigrant communities are to this City and Borough. We are very grateful for the opportunity to share this meal with our community."

“Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement is extremely grateful to Queens Borough President Melinda Katz and Stop & Shop for facilitating the generous donation of Easter hams to the families of Queensbridge Houses,” said CHRIS HANWAY, Executive Director of Queensbridge/Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement Senior Center. “This kind gesture will go a long way to ensuring that the community members we serve have a wonderful Easter holiday, and for that we are thankful."