Dear Neighbor,

Happy Thanksgiving! I wish you and your loved ones a joyous, peaceful, and healthy holiday. As we enter the holiday season, my office has received many calls asking about Thanksgiving-specific meal programs. Please see the resources below for this Tuesday, November 21st - Thursday, November 23rd. Not all of these locations are in the district, but are accessible via public transportation.

If you are wondering how to reduce the risk of COVID-19, flu, RSV, and other respiratory illnesses being spread during holiday gatherings, Dr. Katelyn Jetelina has compiled helpful information and tips. Please click here to view Dr. Jetelina's Your Local Epidemiologist newsletter on navigating viruses during the holiday season.

Also, please note that starting today, households may order an additional four free COVID-19 at-home rapid tests from the federal government. Please click here to order the free tests, or you can call 1-800-232-0233.

Finally, see below for information about an important public forum that Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital will be holding on November 28th to discuss the closure plan it has submitted for its 16th Street campus.

Best,

Liz Krueger

State Senator

Tuesday, November 21st:

• The Urban Outreach Center will be preparing a grab-and-go Thanksgiving dinner from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm at 1745 1st Avenue (between 90th and 91st Sts). You can contact them at (212) 288-6743 or email at [email protected]. https://www.uocnyc.org/programs 

• Hudson Guild and the Manhattan Borough President will be hosting a hot meal giveaway starting at 6:00 pm while supplies last at 119 9th Avenue (between 17th and 18th Sts). You can reach them at (212) 760-9800. https://www.manhattanbp.nyc.gov/events/hot-meal-giveaway-hudson-guild/ 

Wednesday, November 22nd:

• New York Common Pantry (NYCP) will hold a restaurant-style hot Thanksgiving lunch from 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm at 8 East 109th Street (between 5th and Madison). NYCP is accessible via the M1 bus on Madison Avenue going North and 5th Avenue going South. You can contact them at (917) 720-9700.

• Church of the Epiphany has a sit-down or grab-and-go Thanksgiving dinner from 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm located at 351 East 74th Street (between 2nd and 1st Aves). You can contact them at (212) 737-2720 or email at [email protected]. 

Thursday, November 23rd: 

• The Bowery Mission offers a traditional Thanksgiving meal with festivities and live music for breakfast and lunch. Breakfast will be served from 8:00 am - 9:00 am and lunch will be served from 11:30 am - 4:00 pm at 227 Bowery (between Rivergton and Stanton Sts). Indoor and outdoor seating will be available. You can contact them at (212) 674-3456. https://www.bowery.org/updates/2023/10/thanksgiving-2023/ 

• Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen provides a hot and nutritious grab-and-go meal every weekday, including on Thanksgiving, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. You can contact them at (212) 924-0167. https://holyapostlesnyc.org/soup-kitchen-and-pantry/daily-meal-service/ 

• Metro Baptist Church is hosting a sit-down Thanksgiving lunch from 11:30 am - 1:30 pm or grab-and-go from 12:15 pm - 1:30 pm at 410 West 40th Street (between 9th and 10th Sts). You can contact them at (212) 594-4464. https://mbcnyc.org/events/2017/11/23/community-thanksgiving-meal 

• Goddard Riverside has a sit-down Thanksgiving meal from 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm located at 593 Columbus Ave (between 88th and 89th Sts). The line opens at 11:00 am. You can contact them at (212) 873-6600.  https://goddard.org/holiday/