Though the weather is getting warmer, the lazy days of summer are still a long way off for us! In addition to several upcoming events including Midsummer Night Drinks, the Heritage of Pride March and Blackout Box assembly, we are also expanding both our kitting and CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) shifts. Since we have such incredibly dedicated volunteers, many of our shifts have been at capacity lately so it has been really nice having the opportunity to welcome some new faces from our waiting list to God’s Love!

We started our very first kitting shift last year, in response to the increasing number of frozen meals we are preparing and delivering and it’s amazing to see how the shift has changed in just a year! From a 3-person shift once a week, it is now 5 days a week and the shift headcount continues to grow. Recently, we expanded our frozen delivery routes to include ALL of Queens, which means that the amount of meal kits has doubled. This, coupled with the recent Memorial Day closing, made for a week of particularly long shifts. Much gratitude goes out to everyone who came in early and stayed late to make sure our clients got their meals!

We have also expanded our Tuesday evening CSA shift. Last year, we started a partnership with the Tribeca CSA, using their delicious fresh produce for our Grocery Bag Program for clients that are transitioning off our program. This year, in addition to the leftovers, God’s Love has purchased 7 shares so we have even more healthy fruits and vegetables for our clients. To handle the extra workload, we have recruited 4 new volunteers in addition to 3 veterans from last season who will be responsible for picking up the groceries, sorting and packaging the clients’ bags. We are so happy to have everyone back and can’t wait to welcome the new folks to God’s Love!