NICE gave hot food to families of Queens this Thanksgiving. Photo courtesy
New Immigrant Community Empowerment (NICE) is proud to announce the successful conclusion of its 5th Annual Turkey Distribution event, held on Friday, November 22, 2024, at St. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Jackson Heights, NY. In partnership with MetroPlus Health, Gotham Health, Mint Homes, GrubHub, and the Restaurant Bar & Lounge NYS Latino Association, this year’s event provided not only turkeys for families in need, but also a festive celebration complete with hot meals, pastries, music, face painting, and essential resources for immigrants in the community—all made possible by our generous sponsors.
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, NICE aimed to create a warm and welcoming environment for immigrant families—many of whom are celebrating their first Thanksgiving in the United States. The event distributed over 500 turkeys, served 300 Thanksgiving meals from the restaurant Bocaito for shelter residents who lack access to a kitchen, and offered valuable health and community resources to ensure attendees had access to essential services during the holiday season and beyond.
“At NICE, we are very proud to have stood in solidarity with our local immigrant community through our 5th Annual Turkey Distribution and hot meal event for Thanksgiving,” said Nilbia Coyote, Executive Director NICE. Today more than ever, we are showing that immigrants are no longer invisible, we are here to empower ourselves, organize, and support one another. I want to acknowledge our great sponsors, political allies, staff and our incredible membership and volunteers who made this event a success. Our membership, made up of long-time immigrant New Yorkers and newly arrived individuals, shows us that hand in hand, we can build community as we empower our members to thrive both at work and in life and face challenges in unity.
As a founding Board Member of New Immigrant Community Empowerment (NICE), I am incredibly proud of the work this organization continues to do to build power in our immigrant community. This holiday season, with the support of NICE and our partners, hundreds of families will enjoy a Thanksgiving meal. However, a holiday meal alone isn’t enough to sustain a family. Now more than ever, thousands of New Yorkers are in dire need of basic necessities like food. According to a recent report, one in three adults and 44% of families in New York City face food insecurity. We are at a critical juncture in our history, and we have an opportunity to address the growing gap between the haves and have-nots. Every New Yorker, regardless of immigration status, deserves access to food. Food security is a human right, and no one should go hungry in this city. We have the resources to make this a reality. As we enjoy the holiday season, let’s commit to continuing the fight for food security for all our neighbors,” said Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas, founding Board Member of NICE.
The event’s success highlights NICE’s ongoing mission to ensure that immigrant families not only have access to food and basic necessities but also feel empowered and included in the broader community. This event is a reflection of NICE’s broader program initiatives, including the Pre-Apprenticeship for Life and Work program, designed for each immigrant to reach their maximum potential by developing skills for life and work, so they can prosper in their personal and professional lives.
NICE extends its heartfelt gratitude to the volunteers, donors, and partners who made this event possible and looks forward to continuing to serve the immigrant community with future initiatives. For more information about NICE’s programs and upcoming events, visit Nynice.org.
