Addabbo hosts St. Patrick's Day food drive with St. Camillus Church in Rockaway Park

This St. Patrick’s Day, State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. will be hosting a food drive to benefit the food pantry at St. Camillus Church in Rockaway Park.

After a successful Valentine’s Day food drive, where Addabbo delivered several bags of food to the Sacred Heart food pantry in Glendale and the Our Lady of Grace food pantry in Howard Beach, Addabbo wanted to bring a food drive to the Rockaways.

Addabbo has partnered with and Lew M. Simon to help promote the food drive, and has coordinated with St. Camillus Church located at 99-15 Rockaway Beach Boulevard, and Last Stop Gourmet Shop, located at 222 Beach 116th Street in Far Rockaway, to be drop off locations for this drive. When the drive concludes, Addabbo will bring the donated food to the St. Camillus Church food pantry, practicing all safety measures.

“The need for food does not end when the holidays are over, and we must be aware of that throughout the whole year,” Addabbo said. “With the COVID-19 pandemic still affecting many peoples’ ability to work and put food on the table, our local food pantries are more important than ever.”

Non-perishable items that are needed include:

• Canned vegetables and fruit;
• Cereals;
• Crackers and snacks;
• Pasta and rice;
• Soups, stews and chili;
• Cooking oil;
• Dried herbs and spices; and
• Additional non-perishable foods.

“We are urging all our friends and neighbors to assist us in filling the cupboards of the Saint Camillus pantry,” Lew M. Simon said. “During these rough times we are in need of many non-perishable items. The pandemic has really caused a big food insecurity in our community. Please let’s make this happen by working together.”

“I would like to thank St. Camillus Church, Lew Simon and Last Stop Gourmet Shop for their partnership in helping to feed the food insecure,” Addabbo added. “Together we can end hunger, and the work starts in our own neighborhoods.”

For more information on the food drive, contact Addabbo’s office at 718-738-1111.