Community Rallies in Queens to Support Hungry Families This Holiday
By MOHAMED FARGHALY
mfarghaly@queensledger.com
As grocery prices climb and food insecurity affects more households, community members across Queens are turning to neighbors and strangers for help this Thanksgiving. Local organizations and residents are launching GoFundMe campaigns to ensure families in need can still enjoy a holiday meal.
One of the city’s longstanding efforts comes from Keller Williams Landmark II in Jackson Heights, whose annual “Basket Brigade” provides Thanksgiving baskets to families facing hardship. This year, organizers hope to raise $20,000 to serve even more households than the 250 families they helped last year.
Seema Kothari, a Forest Hills real estate agent with Keller Williams Landmark II, said the campaign is a deeply personal effort for her and her colleagues. “At my office, every year they have a fundraiser called Basket Brigade,” Kothari said. “It’s for people who are facing food insecurity. We raise funds and provide recipients with a full Thanksgiving grocery bundle — turkey, vegetables, fruit — everything they need to have a warm meal with their family.”
The initiative has grown over the years from a small office project into a larger community effort. Kothari said it began before she joined the office in 2021, but she became actively involved this year, helping to organize donations and spread awareness. “It’s really different getting out there and talking to people in the neighborhood about it,” she said. “Just last weekend, someone I went to junior high with donated $50 after hearing about it. Another donor gave $1,000. It’s really heartwarming to see the community come together.”
Kothari said the need has increased this year amid recent SNAP benefit cuts, which have left some households struggling to put food on the table. “We really want to make sure that every family who signs up for a basket has everything they need for Thanksgiving,” she said.
Volunteers will gather at the Keller Williams office on Nov. 25 to assemble and distribute the boxes, which are then hand-delivered to families or made available for pick-up. Kothari described the work as “more than just handing out groceries — it’s building a sense of community, showing people they’re not alone, and giving them a reason to smile during the holidays.”
Donations can be made through the campaign’s GoFundMe page, and local residents can also volunteer to help pack and deliver baskets. Each contribution, organizers say, ensures that a family in Queens can enjoy a proper Thanksgiving meal despite the financial pressures of the season.
Readers can donate by visiting tinyurl.com/kellerturkey or sign up to volunteer at tinyurl.com/kellerform.
Building on community-led initiatives across Queens, Quadrant Engineering’s Construct a Dream Initiative (CADi) is teaming up with the Astoria Food Pantry to help families celebrate Thanksgiving with a full meal. The initiative seeks to help those facing food insecurity amid rising grocery prices and cuts to government assistance programs.
Rafiqul Chowdhury, founder of Quadrant Engineering and CADi, said the partnership grew out of a desire to expand the company’s philanthropic efforts. “Giving back is important to us,” Chowdhury said. “We’ve been doing book bag drives for years, giving kids school supplies and free haircuts so they can start the school year confident. This Thanksgiving initiative felt like a natural next step to support families with food scarcity.”
The program will distribute meal packages that include a $40 turkey voucher and assorted canned and boxed goods, with an initial goal of assisting 30 to 35 families. “We would love to do more,” Chowdhury said. “Turkeys are expensive, and with the support of more sponsors and donors, we can help even more families. Everything goes directly to the families in need.”
Community members interested in contributing can donate food items at Supreme HeadcutterZ Barbershop, 222-17 Braddock Ave. in Queens Village, or make a monetary contribution via the QR code provided by the initiative. The distribution will take place on November 25 at the Astoria Food Pantry.
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Astoria Food Pantry serves as a hub for distributing food, clothing, hygiene products, books, and other essentials, while also supporting community-led events. The partnership with CADi provides a ready-made venue and trusted network, allowing organizers to move quickly and reach families in need.
Chowdhury said he hopes the Thanksgiving initiative will become an annual tradition. “This is part of our philanthropic DNA,” he said. “If we can create a small gesture of support that brings comfort and sustenance to families, that’s what matters most. Next year, we hope to grow this even bigger.”
Readers can donate to this campaign or get involved by visiting tinyurl.com/queensharvest.
