Monthly Report of the Committee on Food Insecurity

As per a meeting of Monday, February 3, 2020, the Committee on Food Insecurity established the following hours for Spring, 2020, supplied by members of the Committee, and three generous faculty volunteers: Ms. King Fung-Shelly (CUNYStart); Dr. Vicki Terrile (Schmeller Library); Dr. Howard Sporn (Department of Mathematics and Computer Science):

MONDAY, 2.30-3.30 P.M.

TUESDAY, 11 AM-Noon

WEDNESDAY, 11 AM-Noon; 5-6 PM

THURSDAY, 10-11 AM; 3-4 PM

FRIDAY, 10-11AM; 1-2 PM

Appointments may be scheduled at other times by emailing Emily S. Tai, Chair, Committee on Food Insecurity, etai@qcc.cuny.edu

Following the imposition of the Chancellor’s Pause in order to move to online learning, the last formal Queensborough Pantry Hours were offered by Professor Tai  and Dr. Dorith Brodbar on Thursday, March 12, 2020.  Thereafter, as per an action plan agreed upon by members of the Committee in a meeting of Monday, March 9, 2020, the Queensborough Food Pantry began serving students by appointment, with the assistance of members of the Committee and Pantry volunteers who were still on campus (Dr. Brodbar, Dr. Terrile, and Ms. Fung-Shelly) with the assistance of the office of Vice-President Kerr, and the office of Single Stop, under the director of Ms. Amawati Gonesh. 

After these Committee members were also compelled to leave campus by New York State requirements, the pantry became available by appointment with Queensborough’s Office of Public Safety, publicsafety@qcc.cuny.edu or telephone: 718.631.6320, which remains the situation as of this writing.  The members of the Committee on Food Insecurity would like to thank Mr. John Triolo, Director of Public Safety, and the members of his staff, for their assistance, and Mr. David Moretti, Academic Senate Technology Officer, for disseminating this information

Although the committee has not, to date, met formally since our last meeting of March 9, members of the Committee on Food Insecurity have been in regular email contact, as they have collaborated with Steering Committee designee Dr. Jonathan Cornick, who led this initiative, and Ms. Claire Lynch, Director of Queensborough’s NYPIRG program, to create a list of off-campus recources for students, available at Google docs.  In addition to the link to this document, to which we continue to add information (and suggestions from members of the Academic Senate for links to add would be gratefully accepted), the list below notes the resources that have been compiled on this document, as of this writing:

1. CUNY continuity for students
2. Internet/Wifi Services:

Altice Optimum (free for 60 days)   (please note that Altice will also not cut off anyone’s cable or mobile service if they request it.

Broadband data caps lifted

 T-Mobile makes data plans unlimited for 60 days.

3. Public Libraries (WiFi access and digital resources)
   • Queens Public Library (closed 
   • Brooklyn Public Library (closed) https://www.bklynlibrary.org/locations
   • New York Public Library (closed) https://www.nypl.org/

• Additional access to textbooks: https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/

 

4. Healthcare
   • Support and services from NYC:

• Food and Housing insecurity
• Food Bank of New York
• A number of Resources for students impacted by COVID-19 are available at the website of the Hope Center, directed by Sarah Goldrick-Rab at Temple University
• Secure the Student. A national nonprofit that helps college students with access to food and housing security. They are focused specifically on helping students in community colleges.
• Student Relief Fund. A joint collaboration to support students with information and resources. It's run by organizations I've been following for a while and trust very much.
• Employment 
  • NYC Sick Leave Law:
  • CARES Act - (Unemployment Benefits)
• Support for foster youth
  • Housing - contact: info@togetherwerise.org
• The Astoria Mutual Aid Network is offering vulnerable New Yorkers assistance with picking up prescriptions, offering car rides, and buying groceries. 646-397-8383 or AstoriaMutualAid@gmail.com.

 

Finally, although the “Spring Ahead” Food Drive for the Queensborough Food Pantry, and the Spring “Fruit and Study Event” were also cancelled due to the COVID-19 Campus Closing, the Committee would like to close by thanking all the anonymous donors to the Pantry Food Drive, and to thank the following members of the Campus Community who contributed food and/or effort, to the Drive:

President Timothy Lynch

Vice-President of Student Affairs, Dr. Brian Kerr

Vice-President of Institutional Advancement, Ms. Rosemary Zins

Vice-President Stephen Di Dio

Ms. Ronnie Weprin

Ms. Emily Al-Halouni

Mr. Anthony Gamino

Mr. Reynald Pierre-Charles

Mr. David Moretti

Chair Nidhi Gadura and the faculty and staff of  Department of Biology and Geological Sciences

Chair Mercedes Franco and the faculty and staff of the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science

Chair Andrea Salis, Dr. Lana Zinger, Professor Joy Condello, and the members of the faculty of the Department of Health, Physical Education and Dance

Ms. Amawati Gonesh and the staff of Single Stop

Dr. Fung-Shelley King and the faculty and staff of CUNYStart

Ms. Gisela Rivera

Mr. Raymond Volel

Ms. Debra Rosenwasser

Dr. Paris Svoronos and the members of the Chemistry Club

Father Edward Doran and the members of the Newman Club

Dr. Jun Shin and the Members of Korean Student Association

Dr. Tawde Mangala and the members of the Environmental Sustainability Club

Dr. Anissa Moody and the members of the Psychology Club

Ms. Camille McMenamin and Ms. Isabel Hocevar, and the members of the Student Health Club

Ms. Sandra Strauss and staff in the Career Services Office

Dr. Trikartikaningsih Byas and the members of the Muslim Student Association

Director Jeannie Galvin and the Faculty of Schmeller Library

Dr. Margot Edlin

Dr. Kitty Bateman

Ms. Claire Lynch, Director, Queensborough NYPRIG

And the following amazing students:

Ms. Jacquelin Apostolo (Vice-President of Part-Time Students, Queensborough Student Association)

Ms. Billung Chen (Lambda Sigma President. Phi Theta Kappa)

Ms. Sophia How (Lambda Sigma Vice-President, Phi Theta Kappa)

Ms. YingYing Zhang (Lambda Sigma Senator, Phi Theta Kappa

Ms. Julia Lew

Ms. Pamela Joy Tabaquin

Ms. Alexandra Kavalos

A special thanks, as well, to the faculty members of the Food Insecurity Committee: Dr. Kathleen Alves (Secretary); Professor Jun Shin; Professor Ashlee Klepper; Dr. Dorith Brodbar; Dr. Amy Traver; Dr. Christopher Roblodowski; Dr. Jonathan Cornick (Steering Committee Designee), and faculty volunteers Ms. King Fung-Shelly, Dr. Vicki Terrile, and Dr. Howard Sporn.

Respectfully submitted,

Emily S. Tai

Chair, Committee on Food Insecurity