On Saturday, Nov. 22, volunteers from the church distributed 100 turkeys. The group also distributed food to 40 families of military veterans and 40 people who are currently homeless. The following day, the Alpha & Omega Church held its 5th Annual Vets-Giving Event held at the corner of East 149th Street and Third Avenue.
Bishop Singletary said of the veterans’ event, “We will be donating food to veterans and their families, so they have a complete and proper Thanksgiving dinner.” On the day, volunteers distributed 144 meals that consisted of Halal chicken with rice, pork with vegetables and rice, or steak with rice and carrots, a box of stuffing, corn, onions and potatoes, as well as water and soda.
The bishop pointed out that many of the veterans in attendance are also homeless. At the same time, a block south of the Vets-Giving event, a smaller crowd gathered at the corner of East 148th Street and St. Ann’s Avenue also in Mott Haven, where Jasmine Pineda was with a handful of friends, family members, and volunteers busily distributing holiday meals and clothing to strangers.
Pineda told Norwood News, “I have been doing this for a few years now, I usually do this on 34th Street [in Manhattan]. I just print a flyer and ask people to donate trays of food and volunteer or send me money.” With the money, Pineda said she purchases more food and the volunteers help to distribute it.
