The Grand Street Business Improvement District (BID) is hosting its third annual holiday food drive from now until December 19.
Thirteen participating small businesses located on Grand Street in East Williamsburg will have collection boxes for non-perishable food items to be donated to families in the St. John the Evangelist food pantry program.
Items that are accepted include: canned vegetables, breakfast cereals, peanut butter, oatmeal, rice, beans, canned fish, baby formula and baby food, raisins and dried fruit. Pre-cooked meals or foods that can be eaten without much heating are also accepted.
“Grand Street businesses were quick to join in, as always, when asked to participate this year,” said Erin Piscopink, executive director of Grand Street BID. “We have countless small business owners here that care deeply about our community, and it always shows most when we have events like this.”
The food will be used to help the 150 to 200 weekly recipients of St. John the Evangelist’s hot meal program, as well as their food pantry, which serves 20 to 30 local families.
Typical beneficiaries are senior citizens on fixed incomes and working families whose combined incomes don’t allow for full meals by the end of the month.
Residents and customers can donate by stopping by any of the 13 participating restaurants and dropping food items in the holiday wrapped collection box.
Perishable and pre-cooked foods will also be collected by the Grand Street BID at 246 Graham Avenue.