Brooklyn nonprofit RiseBoro awarded $2 million to maintain food pantry
A portion of the grant was also directed to be used to purchase the food from minority-owned farmers and small businesses.
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Riseboro Community Partnership in Bushwick was awarded $2 million by the governor's office to keep up their food pantry and to continue supplying fresh food to New Yorkers.
A portion of the grant was also directed to be used to purchase the food from minority-owned farmers and small businesses.
"It's very significant and will have an extraordinary amount of impact on both the farmers and producers we buy from and the pantry clients we can give this food too," said Bianca Bockman, director of Our Food at RiseBoro Community Partnership.
While the nonprofit serves tens of thousands of food clients each year, they too are just barely making ends meet.
"You see people struggling. Food prices have increased dramatically. So, they're already struggling with their rent and now their food," said Estefani Rodriguez, a member of RiseBoro Community Partnership.
The grant will help them with their mission of providing fresh produce to all those in need while also awarding large contracts to local farmers.
"Most of this money is going directly to farmers and producers – and that couldn't give me more joy to see these businesses scale and to see a real economic transformation begin to happen in the food system here," said Bockman.
Staff say they are looking for volunteers to help them with their mission this holiday season. To learn more, head to RiseBoro.
