The Open Hand Association food pantry at 821 Lydig Ave. in Pelham Parkway is asking for the community’s help in upgrading its air conditioning and refrigeration systems to allow it to keep serving about 2,000 families per week.
The pantry has no problem with its food supply these days — but having only one commercial refrigerator and two small freezers makes everyone’s job more difficult, founder Alex Nilaj told the Bronx Times.
When perishable items like milk, cheese and meat arrive, volunteers have nowhere to store it and have to give it away as quickly as possible. This makes it impossible to organize and sort items and ration out the supply, said Nilaj. Also, he and his team of about 25 volunteers have to work longer, later hours to distribute the food.
“It’s very stressful,” Nilaj said.
With demand showing no signs of slowing down, Nilaj and his crew are looking to upgrade the air conditioning in the 5,000-square-foot facility they expanded into last year and to buy six or seven more commercial refrigerators and three or four more freezers. The appliances don’t have to be new as long as they’re in working order, Nilaj said.
This is not the first time the pantry has fallen on hard times. In January, the pantry was in danger of running out of food, and Rep. Ritchie Torres donated $5,000 to keep it afloat.
The pantry’s struggle is further highlighted by the Bronx’s battle with food insecurity.
According to a recent report by the state Department of Health, 40% of Bronx adults experience food insecurity, a rate that is much higher than the overall citywide estimate of 14% of New Yorkers experiencing uncertainty and stress about their next meal. Demand in the Bronx has been so strong that several pantries have expanded into schools, including at P.S. 113X in the North Bronx and the Charles Drew Campus schools in the South Bronx.
At this point, Nilaj said the supply of high-quality food at the Open Hand Association pantry is strong — and proper refrigeration will only help his organization serve more Bronx families.Readers can donate to the pantry’s GoFundMe page, which aims to raise $100,000 for the necessary upgrades.
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
