On a bustling Saturday, Nov. 18, the streets of Inwood, Manhattan have been lined with a whole lot of households eagerly awaiting Thanksgiving turkeys. Whereas the occasion marked a festive event, the Inwood and Highbridge Meals Pantries have been lifelines, providing sustenance and family necessities to households recurrently, transcending vacation seasons.
Initially serving round 100 households weekly, the Inwood Meals Pantry has witnessed a considerable surge, now supporting over 400 households. Ismael Trinidad, managing the Inwood pantry, emphasised its pivotal function as a neighborhood help system, drawing households not simply from the native space but in addition from the Bronx, Queens, and past.
These important providers are sustained via the backing of the Group Housing Enchancment Program (CHIP). Comprising native property house owners and managers devoted to offering inexpensive, high-quality housing, CHIP members actively contribute to funding these essential meals banks.
Amidst pandemic-induced challenges amplifying the price of requirements, CHIP’s steadfast help has been instrumental in sustaining the biweekly operations of the Inwood and Highbridge meals pantries. Collaborating with Metropolis Harvest and aided by transportation supplied by a CHIP member, pantry director Ismael Trinidad, together with volunteers mobilized by the Worldwide Missionary Motion Church, ensures the supply of canned items, contemporary produce, poultry, and important dwelling gadgets.
The alliance entails 17 property managers dedicated to sustaining these important pantries, actively searching for extra help and volunteers. For these interested by contributing or volunteering, contact Ismael at 646-545-7696 for the Inwood Pantry or 347-490-1704 for the Highbridge Pantry, and change into part of this impactful neighborhood initiative.
