Gov. Kathy Hochul and Cardinal Timothy Dolan hosted a particular Thanksgiving turkey distribution occasion in Harlem on Tuesday to assist households in want this vacation week.
Picture by Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York
Gov. Kathy Hochul and Cardinal Timothy Dolan hosted a particular Thanksgiving turkey distribution occasion in Harlem on Tuesday to assist households in want this vacation week.
Different spiritual leaders from Catholic Charities of New York and native elected officers additionally attended the occasion at Lt. Joseph P. Kennedy Group Heart on Nov. 25.
Hochul highlighted the significance of the meals distribution occasion, which adopted the latest menace of cuts to SNAP advantages.
“Today we’re helping some of our brothers and sisters, and life is sometimes hard for people and we have to make sure that we never forget them, not just during the holidays my friends, but year round,” she mentioned. “And it is a shame, it’s a shame the stress that our people were under over the last month when their SNAP benefits, their food benefits were being held as political collateral damage, to hurt people and make them suffer enough.”
After spiritual leaders and politicians made their remarks, Cardinal Dolan blessed the meals, which was then distributed to greater than 500 NYC households to assist guarantee they’ve sufficient on the desk for a Thanksgiving meal.
“This is a special day, you bet. But Catholic Charities does this every day. Every day,” His Eminence mentioned. “When I visited with some of the people in line, and they’ve been here since early early morning, they said we love coming to Catholic Charities. They know us, they know our names, they know our families, they remember what we need. They ask about our kids and our grandparents.”
US Rep. Adriano Espaillat, Gov. Kathy Hochul and Cardinal Timothy Dolan at Harlem meals distribution eventSusan Watts/Workplace of Governor Kathy Hochul 
L-R: Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Gov. Kathy Hochul, CEO, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York Antonio Fernandez.Picture by Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York
The Cardinal mentioned the expertise is a “personal” one.
“It’s personal. People have a name,” he mentioned. “That’s how Jesus was, remember. Jesus fed those who were hungry. We try to do what Jesus did.”
Through the occasion, households obtained a turkey and all the standard facet dishes, together with cornbread, cranberry sauce, rice, yams, muffin combine, milk, and eggs, to assist them put together a full Thanksgiving meal.
“It’s personal. People have a name,” Cardinal Timothy Dolan mentioned on the meals distribution occasion in Harlem on Nov. 25, 2025. “That’s how Jesus was, remember. Jesus fed those who were hungry. We try to do what Jesus did.” Susan Watts/Workplace of Governor Kathy Hochul
“This is time to be with your family, your friends, your loved ones, and I am so blessed to be here today with Catholic Charities supporting so many hundreds of families who need something to eat,” mentioned Antonio Fernández, CEO, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York. “Day by day, each week, Catholic Charities gives meals to the individuals in want, not simply this week.
However this week alone, over 3,000 households will obtain meals from Catholic Charities and its companies, Fernandez mentioned.
“And we do it with love and respect, and we do it because we are blessed,” he mentioned. “It is even more blessed to us to give than receive.”
Talking of giving, the festive occasion happened the identical day Hochul introduced that the state mailed out greater than 8 million inflation refund checks earlier than the Thanksgiving vacation.
“Today marks the day that over 8.2 million inflation refund checks have been mailed out, putting money back into the pockets of individuals across the state,” Hochul mentioned. “We followed through on our commitment to deliver meaningful relief to hard-working New Yorkers, and will continue, every day, to look for additional opportunities to deal with the nation’s ongoing affordability challenge.”
For the earlier two months, the state has been mailing out the checks, every one as much as $400, to New Yorkers who meet eligibility necessities, together with in the event that they filed kind IT-201, NYS Resident Revenue Tax Return for tax yr 2023. Extra details about the checks is accessible at tax.ny.gov.
