A communal refrigerator with free meals to people in need in Queens during the COVID-19 pandemic has been destroyed.
The full-size refrigerator was set up in October for Senator Jessica Ramos’ district office in East Elmhurst. staffed by dozens of volunteers to provide free meals to the poor.
But when The Post came to visit on Saturday morning, food containers and spilled rice were lying on the floor, and the refrigerator doors and rear power grid “destroyed,” said Ramos, calling it “an act of hatred.” “
“It was really awful to hear that someone would do this with a real lifeline in our community,” Ramos told The Post. “At the height of the pandemic, we were the epicenter. Most of our neighbors here, especially in this block and in this neighborhood, have not received any economic stimulus and are not eligible for unemployment insurance. ”
Ramos said her office is trying to collect video footage to see what happened. The NYPD has not been contacted so far, she said.
Volunteers fill the refrigerator with meals, fruits and vegetables donated by local businesses throughout the day, she said, adding that “hundreds of people” use the refrigerator to feed their families.
Ramos said she is appealing to the community for donations so that the food can continue to be distributed. “I am grateful to everyone for the abundance of support and donations we have received to replace the refrigerator and keep it stocked for several more weeks,” she said.
“So many of our neighbors have already reached out,” she said. “We are going to replace the refrigerator, we will keep it fully stocked. No one is going to mess with our neighbors. “