QUEENS, N.Y. (PIX11)—In Long Island City, people have access to nutritious food at an affordable price, sometimes even for free.
"I come every week, I get my box," says Irene McAllister, one of the hundreds of families benefiting from low-cost or free fresh produce boxes distributed weekly in Long Island City.
In 2023, she signed up for the Lifeline Grocery programs run by the local non-profit organization Connected Chef, which is in partnership with activist Lashawn "Suga Ray" Marston.
She says a trip to the grocery store is not cheap. "Because fruits and vegetables are expensive, and they are not good quality, so I'm happy with what I'm getting here."
Liz Alvarez, the program's director at Connected Chef, adds, "Family-size boxes average between 20 -24 lbs. of food, and then the individual boxes are smaller, between 18-20 lbs. of food."
The boxes can range from zero dollars up to $75.
About 125 boxes are distributed weekly, and 60% of the boxes reach consumers at no cost.
But that's not all. Another program called the sliding-scale urban farmstand lets shoppers pay on a sliding scale. "They can ask for 25 % off or 50% off," adds Alvarez.
The juice and play event occurs once a month. Fresh juice is given away for free while the community gathers to play games.
"Not only is juice and food but also community. Your relationships play a part in your mental and emotional well-being that ultimately affects your physical health," says Lashawn "Suga Ray" Marston, a community activist.
Liz and Lashawn also say that bringing the boxes and farmstands to the neighborhood is cost-effective for senior citizens and people without transportation.
"This connected chef initiative is a small thing, but it's so impactful; it's really transforming lives," adds Marston.
