You are reading

32 Pallets of Essential Items Arrive in Ukraine Stemming From Queens Supply Drive

The items collected as part of the Queens supply drive (Photo courtesy of Council Member Robert Holden’s office)

April 5, 2022 By Czarinna Andres

More than 32 pallets of essential items collected by a number of Queens elected officials, businesses and non-profits have arrived in Ukraine.

The goods were gathered during a supply drive spearheaded by Council Members Robert Holden and  James Gennaro that were originally going to be shipped to Rzeszow, a Polish city near the Ukrainian border.

However, with the assistance of the Polish Consul General, the president of Rzeszow and Kiev Mayor—and former heavyweight boxer—Vitali Klitschkothe, organizers of the drive were able to ship the goods directly to Kiev.

“It’s great to hear that these supplies arrived directly and safely where they’re needed most: the Ukrainian capital of Kiev,” Holden said in a statement. “While just a drop in the bucket of all the aid being sent from around the world, it’s a testament to the generosity and determination of the people of Queens. I thank all who donated and got this done.”

More than half of the borough’s Council delegation participated in the drive. Holden and Gennaro got the help of Council Members Vickie Paladino, Selvena Brooks-Powers, Linda Lee, Nantasha Williams, Sandra Ung and Francisco Moya.

They all helped collect donations of canned food, clothing, sealed pet food, toiletries, first-aid kits, children’s toys and other items.

Meanwhile, Associazione Culturale Italiana Di New York covered the costs of shipping the items. Tony Di Piazza of Federazione Italo-Americana Di Brooklyn and Queens also sponsored the drive.

“It was an honor to help organize this drive, which yielded many useful donations to the people of Ukraine,” Gennaro said in a statement. “This was a large-scale, joint effort that could not happen without the help of our partners. I’d like to thank Council Member Holden for helping us coordinate the drive, the Queens Delegation, Tony Di Piazza, as well as the several groups and individuals who have turned this vision into a reality. I would also like to thank the many people who came out to donate to this great cause.”

There was a total of 25 sponsors for the drive, assisting with logistics ranging from transport to outreach to financial assistance. The long list of sponsors also included the ECS Globe Air, WAW Humanitarian Goods, Fucsia Fitzgerald Nissoli, Ficalora Family Foundation, the CHAZAQ Organization, Chaverim of Queens, New York Community Bank, Maspeth Federal Savings Bank, Cross County Savings Bank, Webster Bank, Richmond County Savings Foundation, Seka Moving Company and Comm. Joseph Ficalora.

email the author: [email protected]
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Long Island ‘predator’ indicted on sex trafficking charges for forcing two victims into prostitution using violence, tattoos to intimidate them: DA

Mar. 29, 2023 By Bill Parry

A Long Island man was indicted on sex trafficking charges and faces up to 50 years in prison for allegedly forcing two women to engage in prostitution and assaulting and robbing them while weaponizing personalized tattoos as a twisted form of branding his victims, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced on March 29.

Met Council leader warns of ‘catastrophe’ for low-income families in Queens due to lack of pandemic-era federal food aid

Mar. 28, 2023 By Bill Parry

As an accomplished legislator, law professor and media personality with broad experience in government and not-for-profit organizations, Met Council CEO and executive director David Greenfield is well aware of the power of words. With Passover arriving on Wednesday, April 5, and with federal pandemic food assistance no longer available to low-income families in Queens, the leader of the nation’s largest Jewish charity organization warned of a coming “catastrophe” and called for the city to step up to provide $13 million in emergency funding for pantries to help New Yorkers facing food insecurity and elevated costs of living in the borough.