Workers’ rights coalition delivers food to families in Jackson Heights

Organizers from the New Immigrant Community Empowerment and LABOR UNIONS COALITION, TAKE IT BACK gathered in Jackson Heights Wednesday to distribute food to families in need. Photo By Michael Nigro

By David Brand

A Jackson Heights immigrants rights groups teamed up with labor unions and local elected officials Wednesday to deliver food to nearly 100 noncitizen families facing food insecurity during the COVID-19 crisis.

Organizers from the New Immigrant Community Empowerment and members of multiple construction labor unions gathered at Roosevelt Avenue to distribute the food to families in the epicenter of the pandemic. Many of the families have been particularly hard-hit by the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Undocumented construction workers are facing an unprecedented crisis, said Diana Moreno, director of worker rights at NICE. “This pandemic has pushed us to the brink of a humanitarian crisis of poverty, hunger, and coronavirus- related illness and death.”

A handful of trade unions also participated in the initiative, including union members from the coalition Take It Back — NY State Laborers Organizing Fund, DC-16 Cement and Concrete Workers District Council, Local 1010, Laborers Local 79, Bricklayers- Local 1; Tile, Marble and Terrazzo- Local 7, and Local 12- Insulators. They joined State Sen. Jessica Ramos, Councilmember Francisco Moya, Acting Borough President Sharon Lee, and Zachariah Boyer, Queens Borough Liaison at the Office of the Public Advocate, to deliver the boxes of food.

Working class New Yorkers, including many immigrants, “make up the foundation of our economy,” Ramos said. 

“The least we can do in these difficult times is make sure to provide fresh food so that they can stay healthy,” she added.