[[link removed]]Dear John,



We’ve faced Thanksgiving in dark times before. After Superstorm Sandy in 2012, 500 frail elderly were still our guests in cots on the floor of the Park Slope Armory, and our city was shaken by devastation and vulnerability. In 2016, after the election of Donald Trump, we worried (and with good reason, sadly) for our immigrant neighbors, for women’s rights, for our democracy. But we knew that gratitude, service, and love -- the core values we find in Thanksgiving -- remained urgent and essential.

This year, stripped of the ability to be together with our loved ones, it’s even harder. We’ve already missed so many special moments together. Planning for holidays apart this winter is not where any of us wanted to be this year. It’s not fun to cook a turkey without a crowd. No one will walk inside to remark on the lingering smell of latkes in the kitchen. And it’s too tempting to be home without a crew to help finish off the Thanksgiving pies.

But those core elements of gratitude, service, and love remain urgent and essential. They are carrying us through these dark days.

It is not hard to find things to be grateful for this year -- as so many of you have remarked to me, even when I’ve asked about the challenges and suffering you’re facing. For the essential workers who have cared for us and loved ones, kept our grocery stores stocked, delivered supplies, and taught our children. For the technology that has enabled us to stay in touch even when we are distanced. For the parks and nature around us that have given us space to breathe and reconnect.

We’re putting together some messages of gratitude for Thanksgiving, share with us someone or something you are grateful for this year. [[link removed]]

And the forms of service and solidarity we’ve seen in every corner of our city have been extraordinary. This week I attended an amazing zoom peer learning exchange (sponsored by our friends at NOCD-NY [[link removed]] ) of mutual aid in every borough. I stopped by Masbia, where they’re still supplying food staples to thousands of people every week, but they’ve eliminated long lines with a new reservation system.

Even service is harder when you can’t be together, of course. I know that many of your families have a Thanksgiving tradition of serving food together at big banquets, one more thing we can’t do now. If one of your traditions has been serving food to those who are hungry on Thanksgiving Day, consider volunteering at an emergency food provider or donating this holiday season. Without federal assistance, millions of New Yorkers are sinking deeper into debt, and more than 30% report [[link removed]] worrying about not having enough food. Whether you can make a Thanksgiving donation, or sign up for a regular food distribution shift, local providers desperately need the help.

Here are some local suggestions:

*
Masbia
Soup
Kitchen
needs
regular
volunteers
to
help
with
their
food
distribution
(they
are
operating
nearly
24
hours
a
day
now
to
package
and
distribute
groceries
that
people
schedule
to
pick
up
and
don’t
need
to
wait
in
line).
Sign
up
here.
[[link removed]]


*
Brooklyn
Relief
Kitchen
needs
donations
so
they
can
expand
their
bulk
purchasing.
Food
donations
are
welcome
at
the
tent
between
10
and
2
pm,
Tuesday
through
Saturday.
More
details
here
[[link removed]]
.



*
People
in
Need
in
Kensington
is
accepting
food
donations
for
Thanksgiving
through
11/21,
bring
canned
foods
and
other
non-perishable
items
to
964
Coney
Island
Avenue
between
2:30
and
4:30.
More
details
here
[[link removed]]
.


*
CHiPS
Soup
Kitchen
has
met
their
Thanksgiving
donation
needs,
but
are
raising
money
for
ongoing
programs
and
looking
for
regular
volunteers
to
cook
meals,
package
food
for
distribution
and
staff
the
reception
desk.
Learn
more
here
[[link removed]]
.


*
Camp
Friendship
’s
community
food
pantry
is
in
need
of
donations
(esp.
pasta,
tomato
sauce,
cereal,
beans,
canned
veggies
and
fruit,
rice,
tuna,
and
granola
bars)
dropped
off
Saturdays
from
10
am
to
3
pm,
as
well
as
volunteers.
Learn
more
here
[[link removed]]
.



Love, fortunately, shines through even in the darkest times, and even across Zoom. Our new normal of Zoom holidays will not last forever. Vaccine development continues promisingly, and I have confidence our next presidential administration will scale up distribution to make sure everyone gets access. One thing I’ll be thankful for at this year’s small, quieter Thanksgiving table with just the four of us: the joy in imagining next year’s (keinohora) loud, crowded, hug-filled Thanksgiving .

For this year, the sacrifice we make by staying home and apart will save lives, and make it possible to enjoy holidays together in the future. And that is most deeply in the spirit of gratitude, service, and love.

Many of us are missing loved ones this year too, taken too soon by this pandemic. Sending love and strength to your families as you remember them and feel their absence during these holidays.

Please let us know what you’re grateful for [[link removed]] .

Brad

Updates and Resources

*
Latest
Virus
Data:
In
NYC,
there
were
1255
new
cases
today.
We
have
lost
24,167
people
in
NYC
from
the
virus,
including
sadly
18
in
the
last
day,
and
293,592
total
cases
have
been
identified
in
the
city
since
the
start
of
the
pandemic.
The
citywide
7-day
rolling
average
of
positive
test
rates
is
3.02%,
with
a
daily
rate
of
2.36%
today.


*
Get
A
COVID-19
Test:
We’ve
been
hearing
about
long
lines
at
City
MD
sites,
but
lines
are
shorter
at
walk-in
NYC
Health
and
Hospitals
sites
[[link removed]]
and
if
you
can
get
an
appointment
online
[[link removed]]
it's
really
in
and
out
in
15
or
20
minutes
(though
you
might
have
to
check
the
website
frequently
to
find
an
available
appointment).


*
Free
Thanksgiving
Meals:
The
DOE
will
be
doing
a
Thanksgiving
meal
distribution
--
a
frozen
turkey
dinner
plus
the
fixings
that
can
be
cooked
at
home.
These
meals
will
be
distributed
during
the
regular
DOE
grab
and
go
meal
distribution
hours
on
11/23,
11/24,
and
11/25:
9
am-12
pm
for
students
and
3-5
pm
for
adult
community
members.
Find
a
distribution
site
here
[[link removed]]
.


*
Mental
Health
Support:
The
holidays
are
a
hard
time
for
many,
and
this
year
will
be
harder
than
others.
New
Yorkers
can
call
the
State's
mental
health
hotline
at
1-844-863-9314
for
free
emotional
support,
consultations
&
referrals
to
a
provider
or
visit
the
Office
of
Mental
Health
for
resources.


*
Donate
a
Coat:
New
York
Cares
is
conducting
their
annual
coat
drive,
learn
more
about
how
to
donate
funds
or
gently
used
coats
here
[[link removed]]
.


*
Grab-and-Go
Meals:
All
families
and
students
can
continue
to
go
to
any
school
building
between
9:00
a.m.
and
noon
on
weekdays
to
pick
up
three
free
grab-and-go
meals.
From
3-5
p.m.,
New
Yorkers
of
all
ages
can
pick
up
free
meals
at
260
Community
Meals
sites
across
the
city.
For
a
list
of
sites,
please
visit
schools.nyc.gov/freemeals
[[link removed]]
.



456 Fifth Avenue, 3rd Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11215
718-499-1090
[email protected]

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