OPERATION HOMEFRONT
Queens, New York
United States
Veterans Rebuilding Life revised its mission to respond to Covid-19, which paralyzed the United States and the world. Based out of Queens, NY, VRL was at the epicenter of the pandemic.
Within the first 3 months VRL raised more than $10,000 in cash in addition to pro-bono services and distributed over 50,000 PPE items including masks, latex gloves and hand sanitizer to essential workers on the frontline across the five boroughs.
Years later the impact of the pandemic still resonates in lower income communities and working families, many of whom lost their jobs as the result of the pandemic.
Among those is a grassroots charity in Jamaica, Queens jita.org brought to VRL’s attention by one of its supporters, a frontline worker with the NYC Fire Dept.
"The most difficult thing we experienced was a food shortage, we'd never experienced anything like that."
–Danette Rivera, Founder, JITA.ORG
The charity provides local and refugee families free food and essential items including baby diapers and formula, cleaning products, clothes and school supplies. It relies on private donations and the NYC Food Bank.
Veterans Rebuilding Life made an assessment of what Ms. Rivera needed to meet the demand from her community.
VRL rallied and raised $2,000 to purchase appliances to store and prepare food including a microwave, a fridge and a freezer and a year’s supply of baby formula, wipes and diapers in addition to PPE.
‘I’m just thankful that we’re able to open our doors as long as we have, and hope to be able to keep them open,’ said Rivera.