Queens Farm To Launch Annual Food Drive With Queens College

LITTLE NECK, QUEENS — The Queens County Farm Museum is trying to support CUNY students and their families who are facing food insecurity.

On Friday the museum will kick off its now-annual food drive, and start accepting packaged, shelf-stable donations through Dec. 31.

The food drive comes as CUNY students continue to struggle to put food on their tables amid the pandemic: one study, published in April, found that 50 percent of CUNY students reported often or sometimes worrying about running out of food before being able to afford more this year, and 27 percent often or sometimes skipped meals because they couldn't afford food.

“The hunger to learn should be the only hunger in [CUNY students'] life,” said Jennifer Walden Weprin, executive director of the Queens County Farm Museum, in a statement about the food drive.

“Last year we received record donations from the community and we are so thankful for their support," she added, urging community members to pick up an extra non-perishable item when they go shopping.

Queens College President Frank H. Wu echoed his gratitude to community members and the Queens County Farm Museum, adding that the food drive gives students "the support they need to focus on their academic studies and goals."

The museum encouraged food donations to be "as diverse as the borough of Queens," citing canned fish, nut butters, dried rice, packaged fruit and vegetables, and shelf stable milk and oils as examples of what can be donated. While a variety of shelf-stable options can be donated, expired food will not be accepted, the museum said.

Anyone interested in donating to support the food drive can stop by the Queens Farm’s Farm Store, located on museum grounds, during regular hours between Nov. 5 and Dec. 31. The store is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Mondays through Sundays, with a 2:00 p.m. closure on Dec. 24 and a full-day closure on Christmas Day.

Daily admission is free and the site is accessible.