Annual Report for 2023- 2024

Cupelli, Lorraine, Professor (Nursing; Chair)
Gmuca, Angela, Ms. (Faculty and Staff;)Thank you for the posted recipes, and for contacting food vendor Compass and Farmer’s Fridge
Klepper, Ashlie, Professor (Speech and Theatre) (thank you for securing donations for feminine products for the food pantry and for mentoring as a new chair)
Tai, Emily, Dr. (History) recruiting PTK students
Sara Danzi Engoran, Dr. (Biology & Geology, Secretary;)Thank you for the concise minutes and orientation to Cascade
Philip Nelan, Dr. (Nursing)   Thank you for attempting to laminate the food pantry sign
Howard Sporn, Dr.(Mathematics & Computer Science)
Weier Ye, Dr.(English)-Thank you for sharing the Thursday pantry hour for the spring semester
Bianca Sosnovski (Mathematics & Computer Science-informed that has been on maternity leave)

Acknowledgment: Liaisons: The CFI has worked collaboratively with key QCC staff for their input, idea,s and strategies to promote advocacy and awareness of food insecurity and assistance with food availability and  distribution

Gonesh, Amawati, Ms., Director of Queensborough’s Advocacy Resource Center.

Mitra, Brian, Dr. Vice President of Student Affairs and Presidential Designee

Weprin, Ronni, Ms. (Special Events Coordinator, Strategic Initiatives and Advancement)

 

Acknowledgment: Thank you to the committee members for your collaborative spirit and for the members' time and energy in our collective efforts to enhance the student’s well-being by promoting the food pantry services and reducing food insecurity.

New Committee Members – newly elected Chair and Secretary

Leah Anderst	English	2027
Lorraine Cupelli	Nursing (chair)	2027
Emily Tai	History	2027
Philip Nelan	Nursing	2026
Howard Sporn	Mathematics & Computer Science	2026
Weier Ye	English	2026
Sara Danzi-Engoron	Biology & Geology (secretary)	2025
Ashlie Klepper	Communication, Theatre, & Media Production	2025
Bianca Sosnovski	Mathematics & Computer Science	2025 (no longer able to participate)

 

 

Lorraine Cupelli (Chair)

Dr. sara Danzi Engoran (Secretary)

The Committee on Food Insecurity met twice during the fall, 2023 semester, on Wednesday, Sept 20^th, and November 1, 2023. The Committee then met twice during the Spring, 2024 semester on Wednesday, February 21^st, and May 8^th, 2024.

1.  With the Food Pantry becoming a part of Queensborough Community College and receiving grant funding and donations from the QCC fund, the pantry is no longer independent of the college. Members of the Food Insecurity Committee will work with administration in an advisory capacity on policy making issues and in the running of the food pantry. This change to the bylaws seeks to reflect this reality, and establish the advisory nature of the academic senate committee. Reducing the size of the Committee on Food Insecurity to nine (9) members (seven (7) faculty members, one (1) HEA/HEO and one (1) student) will better reflect the scope of the Committee's work and will alleviate scheduling challenges. The addition of a HEA/HEO representative to the Committee acknowledges HEA/HEO participation in the Food Pantry and incorporates their additional input. The committee remains willing to continue volunteering to keep the food pantry open in partnership with the administration.

• Administration of Pantry Hours, 2023-2024 academic year:
• Fall 2023 semester*
  • Monday: 11:00 am to 5:00 p.m.
  • Tuesday: 9:00 am to 4:00 p.m.
  • Wednesday: 9:00 am to 2:00 pm; 3:00-4:00 PM
  • Thursday: 10:00 to 2:00 p.m.; 4:00-5:00 pm.
  • Friday: 1:00-2:00 p.m.
• Spring 2024 semester*
  • Monday: 12:00 - 5:00 pm
  • Tuesday: 8:00 am–9:00 am, 11:30-12:30 pm, 12:00-5:00 pm
  • Wednesday: 9;00 am-4:00 pm
  • Thursday: 10:00-11:00 am, 12:00-3;00 pm
  • Friday: 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm

*In the fall of the 2023 semester, the pantry had 1909 student visitors. In the spring of 2024, the pantry had 2804 visitors. In total, we had 4713 visitors.

Acknowledgment: The committee would like to thank the following non-committee faculty volunteers for enabling us to serve all food pantry visitors:

Nicole McClam (Health, Physical Education and Dance)

Dr. Sushma Teegala (Biological Sciences and Geology)

Arthur Adair (Speech Communication and Theatre Arts)

Manny Martinez (English)

Dr. Leah Anderst (English)

Dr. Amy Traver (Social Sciences)

Renee Rhodd (Director of Office of Transfer Resource Center)

Barbara Frary (Business)

Gina Capozzoli (Counseling)

Natasha Thomas (Library, The Kurt R. Schmeller)

Quintis Pindar (Library, The Kurt R. Schmeller)

Lourdes December (Title IX Office)

Kate Howie (Biological Sciences and Geology)

King Fung-Shelley (CUNY Start Program)

Rezan Akpinar (Health, Physical Education and Dance)

Jackeline Solares (Grants/Sponsored Programs)

Dorine Touwsma (Rise program)

Emily El Halouani (Strategic Initiatives and Advancement)

Liz Di Giorgio (Art and Design)

Kwai Chiu (Mathematics and Computer Science)

Valentina Yefroyev (CUNY Start Instructor)

Dr. Wendy Ford (Business)

Dr. Gissette Forte (Finance and Administration, Office of)

Dr. Mangala Tawde (Biology)

Dr. Chris Leary (English)

Dr. Agnieszka Tuszynska (English)

Mrs. Anna Edick (Administrative Assistant to the Chair of the Department of History)

Viveen Murray (Adviser, CunyStart@QCC)

Bonnie Flaherty (Director CUNY START)_
Monalisa Gomes (CUNY Start and Math Adviser)    

Karen Alleyne (Office of New Student Engagement)

Valentina Yefroyev (CUNY Start Instructor)

A new pantry sign created by student Katherine Chen is in the pantry, and many thanks for the collaborative efforts of Liz Di Giorgio, Kathleen Wentrack, the art & design dept chair, and Richard Damato from printing.

Susan Agin- Thank you to Ms. Agin for the consideration of bagel donations on Friday afternoons however unable to preserve the freshness of bagels for Monday distribution.

Buildings and grounds dept. for always attending to cleaning and removing all the empty cartons

 

Acknowledgment: Student Volunteers for Food Pantry, Pantry Donations, Food Distribution Events, and unpacking food supplies and organizing on shelves.

 

Arielle Rivera (food pantry volunteer and food donation)

John Mercure

Jael Puruncajas Pauta

Joselyn Ojeda

Aisha Frampton-Clerk

Raquel Francis

Valeria Martinez

Sedial Mitchell

Natalie Reynolds

Marguerita Tiburzi

Regina Medina Vilar (Lambda Sigma Chapter Senator)

Isaih Wells

Ethan Whinston

Sharon Whinston

Davia Willis (Queensborough Student Association President)

Whitney Yeung

Nahla Shaif (Lambda Sigma Chapter President

Karprice Scott-McDowell

Yosra Agouray

Rawan Aslam

Amandeep Kaur

Sumaya Muhammad

Amándote Kaur

Sukhjot Kaur

Jaskaran Singh

Tabitha Ortiz

 

 

 

Continued Services at the Library outside food pantry open hours:
 Thanks to the help of Mi Seon Kim, Associate Professor & Interim Chief Librarian who has been a liaison with Natasha Thomas and Professor Pinder have maintained prepackaged bags available behind the reference desk at the library. This served as a convenient way for students to get pantry items when the pantry was closed or when classes were not in session, but the school was still open.

 

Acknowledgement: Organizations’ Contributions to Food Pantry

The Liberty Partnerships Program Project PRIZE, Yicel Nota; Director _Food Donation (Project PRIZE is a Liberty Partnerships Program (LPP) funded by the New York State Education Department.)

Ronni Weprin Report, Special Events Coordinator for Strategic Initiatives and Advancement Department:

Petri Foundation provides $20,000 per year. Petrie

Stop and Shop donated $7500 - Contributed $10,000.00 in supermarket vouchers

Lucille A. Bova endowment of $50,000 provides $1600 per year for personal hygiene products.

Grub Hub has said they will continue their support -2024 was the second year they supported our Give Thanks Give Back Food distribution.  I hope their support will continue.

Amazon just donated $25,000 to the pantry for this year.

“Swipe Out Hunger” which has an additional $6,000 available. I am not sure what this is?

 

Food Distribution Events:

 The college hosted several successful food events during the year where students could pick up pre-packed bags in front of the Administration building. These were orchestrated by Ms. Ronni Weprin from the Office of Institutional Advancement.

 

○ Thanksgiving food distribution on Tuesday, November 21, 2023, 11 am – 1 pm.

• Served approximately 350 students who received food bags and/or supermarket vouchers.
• There were 200 turkeys and 250 bags available for students. Fresh food was added to bags including specialty items that were given out such as frozen turkeys, pies, stuffing mix, root vegetables, etc.
• There was a partnership with Bethpage Bank - I applied for a grant from Bethpage Federal Credit Union and Queensborough was awarded $10,000.00.
• Elected officials and the CUNY Chancellor were invited to participate.

 

 

Finals Week Ms. Weprin collaborated with Student Affairs to participate in a hot breakfast distribution Drive.

Fall Food Drive for Queensborough's Lucille A Bova Food Pantry coordinated by Dr. Emily Tai and sponsored by the Lambda Sigma Chapter, in concert with the Student Government Association, the Ally LBGTQ+ Club, the Biology Club, the Environmental Sustainability Club, the CUNY Coalition for Students with Disabilities, the Muslim Student Association, Queensborough's Health Services, the Women in Science Club, the Caribbean Students Association, and the Newman Center.

• Recognition for promoting the food drive event.
  • Debra Rosenwasser; CUNY Office Assistant/Web Coordinator; Office of Student Activities/SGA
  • Student Union, Lower Level as well as thanks to President Mangino and these colleagues:
  • Kathleen Wentrack, the Department of Art and Photography, and student intern Ms. Katherine Chen
  • Beth Counihan and the members of the Faculty Executive Committee
  • Margot Edlin, Professor Alisa Cercone, and the members of the Department of English
  • Steven Dahlke and the members of the Steering Committee of the Academic Senate
  • Vice-President Di Dio, Mr. Tony Gamino, and Ms. Emily El Halouani, for their assistance with posters and promotion

 

 Spring Ahead" Food Drive coordinated by Dr. Tai began on March 27 advocated by the FEC, Chair Beth Counihan, and FEC committee; an email was sent by the Chair of CFI, Professor Cupelli to faculty and staff for donations.

 

Fresh Food Bag program began in mid-March and ended in May coordinated by Ms. Amawati Gonesh Advocacy Resource Center (formerly Single Stop)

• The distribution was outside the Food Pantry. Students would visit the food pantry after picking up the fresh food bag on Tuesday resulting in recruiting an additional volunteer on Tuesdays from 11:30-12:30
• Students who needed more help than the pantry could provide were referred to the Advocacy Resource Center (formerly Single Stop) directed by Ms. Amawati Gonesh. Amawati and Ronni coordinated gift cards for students to use as well.

 

Spring Student Celebration Fair: April 17th, 2024. The project involved aligning course objectives to facilitate student-driven initiatives addressing essential needs such as food and housing security, mental health, academic support, and community engagement. The campus event aims to foster interdisciplinary collaboration, empower student advocacy, and facilitate a platform for dialogue, awareness, and meaningful learning through a multifaceted approach to address essential needs and social justice.

• 12 Faculty, approx. 90 students presenting and over 150 students attending.
• 10-12 on and off campus dept. & organizations for student services
• Vendor: Farmers Fridge via the coordination of CFI member, Angela Gmuca donated multiple healthy food items that were distributed to attendees/students and student presenters.
• Vendor: Compass Group for donating the 3 cases of chips for the event.
• Student presenters from approx. 15 faculty participants who educated the attendees on healing and the human connection through poetry, zines for mental health, public service announcements related to food insecurity,  stress reduction, exercise, food insecurity, college students drinking and the effects on the brain, the effects of sleep-in college students, Food insecurity, Contributions to wellbeing, stress reduction, benefits of yoga and exercise, vaping and its effects on the college environment, social media use and mental health, magnesium intake for wellness in college students, recycling and climate change, brain Health and memory- for academic success, stress reduction- discuss various teas with this benefit and tea tasting, and Maci our therapy dog.

 

• Our organizations: QCC Office of Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (OEIB), Womankind, Safe Horizon, St Mary’s for Children, Career Services, Center for Tutoring and Academic Support, Rise program, Nursing Wellness Corner, Public Safety, Lucille A. Bova Food Pantry, Committee of Food insecurity (CFI) members, Advocacy Resource Center, NYPIRG

 

• Volunteers: Phi Theta Kappa student arranged by Dr. Tai: Tabitha Ortiz; Sharon Whinston
• Behind the scenes:
• Marketing dept.: Susan Fung: design for banner and sandwich boards
• Public safety: placing sandwich boards throughout campus.
• Media/Music set up: Jesse Pena
• Officer Macon: called B&G for an additional table.
• Buildings and Ground Dept: Vivi Tsarouhas and Susan Manel for coordination of floor plan in QUAD and staff that set up and removed table and chair set.
• Nursing Dept staff: Nicole Koumas: facilitating work orders for B&G
• Printing Dept.: Richard Damato_ all sandwich boards, banners, QR codes
• Farmers Fridge: Food Donation arranged by Angela Gmuca, CFI member.
• All our professors participated and guided the students.
• All the organizations that promoted the event!

 

 

New additions to the food pantry:

The food pantry sign was designed by student Kathen Chen, coordinated by Professor Elizabeth DiGiorgio and chair Kathleen Wentrack, and posted; Dr, Nelan attempted to laminate but the sign is too large.

QR codes posted on pantry windows on each website: List of Food Pantry in NYC and LGBTQ Food Assistance in NYC

Recipe posting using food items in the pantry.

Recipe distribution (focus is on healthy nutrition)

Personal item donations are encouraged.

Adopt a planter: three planters contain various herbs and tomato plants behind the administration building. Two planters have been adopted by Angela Gmuca and Sara Danzi Engoron. Creating a farm-to-table experience by planting tomatoes and/or herbs in planters. These would be available for distribution to students or picking herbs as desired.

 

 

• Ideas for Fall 2024: One-stop shopping: ARC, Food Pantry, Health Services, Counseling, nutrition service-learning projects, etc., electronic looping of student public service announcements on qcc website/marketing screens from students in Professor Cercone
• Encourage faculty to share the services of the food pantry in the syllabus and on the first day of class.
• Contact the service-learning department to enlist faculty/students related to public health, nursing, sociology, and nutrition for food insecurity issues and determinants of health.
• Obtain a bulletin board to place various nutrition-related information and various cultural recipes.
• To the extent that the current model of a faculty/administrative partnership may continue, it is recommended that any service to the pantry---whether in the form of donated time (Pantry hours) or donations in kind (Pantry supplies) be noted either as college service or in Committee reports to the Academic Senate, out of respect to faculty and staff members who make these donations, and in the same spirit that financial contributions to the Queensborough Community Fund receive acknowledgment for tax purposes
• Continue to support and promote campus-sponsored food drives.
• Continue to have 1 major food distribution event a semester (thanksgiving in the fall and one in the spring)
• Continue to work closely with the Advocacy Resource Center (ARC) to help students who need more help than the food pantry alone can provide.

• Acknowledgments

  • President Christine Mangino for all her support
  • Ronni Weprin for her support, strong advocacy of reducing food insecurity securing donations for QCC students, and completing all the orders so that the Food Pantry remains stocked.
  • Stop & Shop, Amazon, Grub Hub, Bethpage Bank, and Petrie Foundation for their donation.
  • Former President Diane Call for the generous donation she provided on behalf of her late mother Lucille A. Bova
  • Vice-President Stephen Di Dio, Susan Fung, and the marketing team for promoting Food drive events.
  • Student Volunteers: THE CFI is grateful to Dr. Emily Tai and Queensborough's Lambda Sigma Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa students for their hard work volunteering at the pantry.
  • Pantry Volunteers: We are grateful for all those not on our committee who worked hours at the pantry, helped with the unpacking, and helped us prepare for our large food distribution events.

   

   

Lorraine Cupelli, Chair