United for Brownsville Partners with Riverdale Avenue Community School and Brighter Bites to Establish Brownsville Community Food & PPE Distribution

United for Brownsville (UB) has partnered with Riverdale Avenue Community School and Brighter Bites to organize fresh produce and PPE distribution for approximately 600 families a week in Brownsville, Brooklyn. There are no requirements for recipients, whoever asks for help is welcome to receive goods. UB Family Advisory Board members help to organize and distribute goods on a weekly basis.

United for Brownsville and its partners promote the distribution through a number of Brownsville-based networks, including UB’s own Provider Action Team and Family Advisory Board. Families in the Brownsville area are welcome to stop by for items and are not asked to make prior appointments or provide any documents – it is simply a distribution effort available to the entire Brownsville community.

Fresh produce is supplied by the USDA and City Harvest through Brighter Bites, free of charge. Face masks, hand sanitizer, diapers and other items are sourced by UB and purchased using funds secured through emergency assistance grants from Robin Hood Foundation.

Demand has been overwhelming. To date, over 148,000 lbs. of produce, 16,000 face masks, 9,000 bottles of hand sanitizer, and diapers for more than 900 families have been distributed. UB is also in the process of distributing approximately 50 pallets of clothes, toys and household goods from Burlington made available through their generous donation.

Anyone in the Brownsville area is invited to stop by for fresh produce and PPE every Thursday between 9 am-12 pm at 76 Riverdale Ave (on Herzl St. between Newport St. and Riverdale Ave, on the side of the school.)

There are currently plans to continue weekly distribution as long as supplies last. To learn more, visit this link with more information on the UB website.

To learn about additional resources and support across NYC, check out UB’s new Family Wellbeing Checklist Tool that helps service providers and residents alike check in on their clients and neighbors with helpful questions tied to vetted resources.