Hungry borough residents can enjoy 2,000 delicious meals from four local food entrepreneurs, thanks to a unique collaboration between the Queens Economic Development Corporation (QEDC) and the Queens Night Market (QNM).
Every year, QNM has to suspend operations for three weeks in late August and early September because the U.S. Open Grand Slam, which takes place nearby at the USTA Billie Jean King Jr. National Tennis Center, commandeers QNM’s site for parking and security efforts.
Looking to give vendors additional work opportunities in light of the upcoming hiatus while also feeding families in need, QEDC Executive Director Seth Bornstein and QNM Founder John Wang developed a first-time ever voucher program. With funding from the U.S. Small Business Administration and private grants, QEDC donated 1,000 vouchers (worth $5,000) to Love Wins and another 1,000 vouchers (with the same value) to La Jornada last week. (In total, that’s 2,000 vouchers with a value of $10,000.)
These two Queens-based nonprofits, which are renowned for their tireless work battling food insecurity in the borough, will distribute the vouchers to their food pantry users, who will then be able to redeem them for dishes with the following QNM food purveyors: La Carnada; Tacos El Guero; Hong Kong Street Food; and El Pernil Ecuatoriano.
“We’ve been partnering with QEDC, Love Wins, and La Jornada for a long time now, and they run fantastic and impactful programs with a local focus,” stated Wang. “It’s always an honor to collaborate with them while also employing hard-working chefs to do what they love: feed people.”
Added Bornstein: “I hate to use a cliché, but this is a win-win-win situation. Jobs, meals for those in need, full stomachs, and economic stimulus! I’m extremely grateful to Queens Night Market and extremely happy to work with Love Wins and La Jornada to add our grain of salt.”
QEDC and QNM spearheaded a similar program, Fuel the Frontlines, that raised money to hire local chefs to prepare thousands of ready-to-go meals for health care professionals and other front-line workers during the COVID pandemic in 2020 and 2021.
Images: Sharon Medina