Please help to save St. George's Episcopal Church’s Food Pantry!

Every Saturday at 9am, low income families comes to the church to line up and receive food fully funded by the church and donations. However currently there are plans to shut down St. George's Episcopal Church’s Food Pantry which feeds about 400 families each week in the heart of Downtown Flushing.

They are planning for this Saturday August 31st to be the last day it opens its doors.

Why is the food pantry closing you ask?

The official reason is for “security.”

There was a recent vandalism inside the church and the cameras that they have do not work. Staff members changed the password yet nobody knows the new password.

The Truth:

The truth is they are closing the food pantry because the new father and some members of the church board do not believe that the people that they serve need help. Rather they believe that these families that wake up early to line up every Saturday to put food on their table are abusing the system.

 

However, a church is a place where people can go to if they are in need of help and comfort.

Even if someone may believe that someone is abusing the system, there will be 10x more people that are in need of this service. 

Many other members of the church wishes to keep the pantry open because they want to help the community and not turn their backs on people in need. They open their doors to anyone. They believe they can make a significant impact for the community by keeping the food pantry open in Flushing.

 

By shutting down this food pantry, it can lead to overcrowding of another nearby local food bank/pantry. Unfortunately it is first come first served for many places and that leaves more chances of families going home without the bare minimum of food to stay alive. 

Hunger is an issue in America and people are struggling to get enough to eat. 

 

Statistically wise:

• An estimated 1.4 million New York City residents rely on emergency food programs, including soup kitchens and food pantries, each year. Over 100,000 live in Flushing
• Approximately 339,000 New York City children, or approximately one out of every five (19 percent), rely on soup kitchens and food pantries. 20,000 children
• Approximately 604,770 New York City adult women, or approximately one out of every six (17 percent), rely on soup kitchens and food pantries. 70,000 in flushing
• Approximately 204,000 New York City seniors, or approximately one out of every five (20 percent), rely on soup kitchens and food pantries. 30,0000 in flushing
• Approximately 70,000 New York City veterans, or approximately three out of every ten (30 percent), rely on soup kitchens and food pantries. 5000 in flushing.
   

If you are a constituent of Flushing, please sign this petition to help us show the father and the board that this food pantry MUST not close. The more signatures, the better.

Help us petition to keep it open because they will hurt the community by closing the pantry even “temporary” which they claim to be doing.

1000's of families in Flushing will be affected.

 

For point of contact and more info.

Please reach out to 

 

Pedro Rodriguez

La Jornada

135-32 38th Ave,

 Flushing, NY 11354

917-880-5693

 

 

Thank you.