St. John’s Episcopal Hospital Provides More than 80 Families with Food Items for Thanksgiving as Food Insecurity Rates Rise During COVID-19 Pandemic

Far Rockaway, New York, November 23, 2021 — St. John’s Episcopal Hospital provided more than 80 patients and their families with food items to help ensure a well-nourished Thanksgiving. The food items were donated by the hospital’s staff, and included turkey, chicken, ham, potatoes, rice, vegetables, stuffing mix, gravy, macaroni and cheese, dinner rolls, cranberry sauce, desserts, and utensils.

The hospital’s staff prepared and decorated baskets for each food recipient, and setup a large heated tent on its campus for use as a food grab-and-go distribution center.

“It brings us great joy to know that we were able to help make this year’s Thanksgiving both enjoyable and nourishing for more than 80 families,” said Sharika Gordon, Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer. “We care deeply about our patients and community members, and the hospital’s staff wanted to do all that they could to make sure that no person is left hungry this Thanksgiving.”

The nonprofit group Feeding America estimates more than 50 million people experienced hunger in 2020 including 17 million children. Even before COVID-19, more than 35 million Americans were considered food insecure. The pandemic has exacerbated the problem. An estimated one in six people in the U.S. were projected to be hungry in 2020. [Source: nationalgeographic.com].

“For us, it is not only about providing excellent health care strictly within the confines of our hospital and community medical practices. We take great pride in providing needed resources within the community itself, which is what this food initiative is all about,” said Renee Hastick-Motes, Vice President of External Affairs.