Volunteers Give Out Free Meals and Gifts at Educational Alliance’s Holiday Pantry
| 15 Dec 2021 | 03:07
Alan van Capelle (right) with EA staff and volunteers. Photo courtesy of Educational Alliance
Council Member-Elect Christopher Marte Distributing Meals at the Manny Cantor Center. Photo courtesy of Educational Alliance
Melanie Diaz in ReLoved Boutique. Photo courtesy of Educational Alliance
EA Holiday Pantry. Photo courtesy of Educational Alliance
On Wednesday, Educational Alliance brought the holiday spirit to dozens of families on Manhattan’s Lower East Side with a day of service at Manny Cantor Center (MCC).
The event tapped into the spirit of giving with a Pop-Up Holiday Pantry where volunteers provided free meal kits from Trader Joe’s and extended hours at Educational Alliance’s ReLoved Boutique, a free thrift store where families of all incomes can get children’s apparel, books, furniture, and other goods.
“On the Lower East Side, there are a lot of families who live on the margins of crisis,” said Alan van Capelle, President and CEO of Educational Alliance. “The Holiday Pantry is a great way to make families’ holidays less stressful and a lot happier.”
Over the course of the day, Educational Alliance volunteers distributed 190 free meal kits, which included fresh greens, a coupon for a turkey or ham, and various holiday side dishes.
“As a mom I like to give back to the community and be really engaged in the community,” said Melanie Diaz, a parent volunteer at the ReLoved Boutique. “ReLoved is the most amazing thing because I know there are a lot of parents right now who are struggling to provide the bare minimum. It’s just amazing that, as a parent, you can come in here and shop and not have to spend a penny.”
“In this community, the two biggest issues are housing insecurity and food insecurity,” said City Council Member-elect Christopher Marte, who volunteered at the event. “Being able to provide healthy meals for families is a game changer.”