You are reading

Turkey Day saved by dedicated crew of City Harvest workers

Nov. 22, 2012 By Bill Parry

Thousands of New Yorkers will sit down to Thanksgiving dinner thanks to a crew of dedicated workers at the City Harvest warehouse located at 55-01 2nd St. in Long Island City.

The organization, known for distributing food to the poor, was able to salvage 10,000 turkeys after its warehouse was hit hard by Hurricane Sandy and its fleet of trucks and its refrigeration units were wiped out.

Flooding from Newtown Creek inundated the parking lot and loading dock the night of storm, and when compressors for the refrigeration units were knocked out of commission, managers had to find a way to save the frozen turkeys from thawing out and spoiling.

“We lost our entire fleet of 18 trucks to the flood,” said Miguel Bido, Director of Transportation and Warehousing. They had to rent three trailer trucks to transport 67 pallets of frozen turkeys to other warehouses in the Bronx and Brooklyn.

The morning after the storm, the staff showed up early knowing there would be a huge amount of work to do, such as cleaning up the warehouse and assessing the damage. While many carpooled because of the gasoline shortage, one supervisor rode his bicycle from the Bronx.

“I made it here at 5:30am that Tuesday,” said Bido. “We were on our own for three days before any City or State agencies checked in on us. We were our own cavalry.”

Bido started at City Harvest just three months ago. “Talk about a trial by fire,” he said, “At the end of the day it’s been very rewarding. For the people that work here, it’s not just a job.  They care about getting food to the people that need it.”

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Finding Room to Grow: NYC Apartment Buildings Designed with Families in Mind

Jul. 29, 2025 By Tara Lustberg

Finding family-friendly housing in NYC can be a challenge, especially with the average rent of a two-bedroom apartment in NYC averaging over $5,400 per month, according to apartments.com. According to reports, this is significantly higher (148%) than the national average and has increased by 7% since December 2023. But some properties offer thoughtful amenities for families, making city living seem more manageable.

Borough President recommends approval of One LIC Neighborhood Plan with conditions

Queens Borough President Donovan Richards announced on Monday a long list of recommendations to approve the city’s One LIC Neighborhood Plan with conditions.

The sweeping proposal entered the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) in April, following certification by the City Planning Commission, and aims to transform a large portion of Long Island City with new zoning rules that would create nearly 14,700 housing units—including 4,300 affordable homes—alongside 14,400 jobs, over 3.5 million square feet of commercial and industrial space and expanded access to the East River waterfront.

Cool off this summer with margaritas in Queens

Jul. 25, 2025 By Paulina Albarracin

The summer season ushers in outdoor adventures, extended daylight hours and sweltering heat, making it the perfect time to kick back at a local restaurant or bar and order a refreshing margarita. Sipping on this tequila-infused cocktail is one of the best ways to beat the heat and revel with margarita connoisseurs in your neighborhood.