After three weeks closed by holidays and a COVID surge, Roosevelt Island’s reopened food pantry drew a long appreciative line on Main Street.
by David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News

Pre-bagged groceries were lined up a half-hour before Roosevelt Islanders began filing in for pickups. Waiting lines under the shelter of Roosevelt Landings’s covered sidewalk soon extended past Pup Culture and down the MSTDA alley. Dogs in a play area inside found it entertaining.

New Additions: Face Masks and Test Kits
After handing out face masks in Good Shepherd Plaza, last week, City Council Member Julie Menin’s team moved inside, working with the reopened food pantry organizers.

Supplies were limited, but Menin was able to also snag some at-home test kits from Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine.
The future of the reopened food pantry…
RIDA president Wendy Hersh launched the free food pantry when COVID’s first huge wave shutdown New York City. Many were desperate. Through one wave after another, she’s kept supplies flowing in and relieved residents flowing out with fresh food. She will keep that going, as long as the need persists.
Also from the Roosevelt Island Daily
- How Queens News Impacts Daily Life on Roosevelt IslandHow Queens news impacts daily life on Roosevelt Island, from public safety updates to neighborhood festivals and health care developments. Discover the ripple effects of our neighboring borough.
- This Week’s Roosevelt Island Community Updates Beyond the TramDiscover this week’s Roosevelt Island community updates beyond the tram, from public safety and hospital news to festival highlights and neighborly stories.
- How Queens News Impacts Roosevelt Island Routines and Community LifeExplore how queens news impacts Roosevelt Island routines and community life, from public safety updates and election changes to housing assistance and local celebrations.
- What’s New Across Western Queens: Safety, Community, and Spring at Our DoorstepExplore what’s new across Western Queens this week, including safety updates, casino developments, real estate, and local dining—news that shapes Roosevelt Island life.
- A Full Week Across the River: How Roosevelt Island and Queens Lives IntersectA full week across the river shows how life on Roosevelt Island connects with Queens—covering public safety, legal updates, G train disruptions, and neighborhood events.
I Take the Tram Because I Have To
There are people on this Island you learn to recognize long before you ever learn their names. Like the real estate man with the blue goatee, the one whose name I keep forgetting, though I could pick him out of a lineup any time of day.











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