BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP NOVEMBER 17 - NOVEMBER 23, 2017 31
Grandma's Love gearing up for Thanksgiving
BY JAIME DEJESUS
JDEJESUS@BROOKLYNREPORTER.COM
Grandma’s Love is living up to its
name in time for the holidays.
The organization, founded
in 2015, is dedicated to distributing
food, books and other items to children
in area schools who are in need.
“It’s a weekly food program that
gives backpacks of staples to families
that are in need whose children show
up in school Monday not functioning
well,” said Theresa Monforte-Caraballo,
the organization's founder.
“Some kids show up with no lunch
or ask to share lunches. Sometimes
there’s not enough food in the household
which causes this.”
School social workers talk to teachers
and then they refer the families
to the program, which runs every
week from September to June. “We
make sure they have enough food
for weeks they have off from school,"
Monforte-Caraballo said.
“Thanksgiving is a time for being
grateful and spending time with friends
and family,” she said. “Sadly, that’s not
always possible for everyone. Last year,
we teamed up with St. Joseph's College
and they run a food drive for us along
with our own food drives here in Bay
Ridge to be able to get the foods that are
normal for Thanksgiving like stuffing,
cranberries, vegetables and turkey
and we put together a food bag for each
family we serve."
Monforte-Caraballo, a former classroom
155 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11217 718-640-7000
www.nargisbarandgrill.com
Nargis Bar & Grill is a second
location of the famous Brooklyn's restaurant
created by Chef Big B (Boris Bangiyev) -
Nargis Cafe. Nargis has quickly
become a well-known international escape
for New Yorkers and visitors alike. Since it
rst opened its doors in 2007 Nargis
provides a gateway into Uzbek cuisine and its best
traditions. Our authentic décor and cozy ambiance
imbue every experience with a taste and feel of
Central Asian cuisine and culture.
Our menu includes a variety of items, each representing
a rework of culinary fantasy. The main
dishes are prepared with only the highest quality meats, and our homemade
“Manti” is a staple that has turned rst-time customers into regular visitors.
Stop in for a uniquely spiced salad, adorned with mixed green, yogurt, cucumbers,
and radishes. Or try our “Bojon” salad, a fascinating delicacy served
with eggplant puree and fresh garlic.
teacher, said she saw how kids
would be negatively impacted by not
having a Thanksgiving meal.
“When the children come back from
the Thanksgiving break, some of them
say, ‘Oh I went to my aunt’s house, we
had turkey and did all these things,’ and
children sometimes make up a story to
fit in,” she explained. “We try to avoid
that. We try to give them what most
families have at Thanksgiving so kids
can celebrate the holiday with friends
and family, and come back on Monday to
our classrooms and say they had turkey.”
Along with distributing 78 bags of
food, up from 40 in 2015 and 50 last
year, Grandma’s Love has added a new
element for the noble cause.
“With the turkey drive, we also
started a pen pal program with the
students at St. Joseph College this
year,” Monforte-Caraballo said. “The
college students are making cards and
activity books to be included in each of
the bags with a letter from the student
to an elementary school student. And
the elementary school student will
respond after Thanksgiving. We hope
to get writing going back and forth
between the two. Our students will
know there’s another kid out there
that thinks about them.”
Grandma’s Love's members and
volunteers get a great sense of satisfaction
from helping the community.
“When you see the families come to
pick up the turkey and their bag with
the toddlers, I can’t even describe
it,” Monforte-Caraballo said. “It just
makes me happy that we can do this
for them. No kid should ever be put in
a position where they have to tell a fib.”
On Monday, November 20, families
from the program will be able to pick
up their bags at P.S. 503, P.S. 506 and
P.S. 264.
“I want to bring the realization that
hunger exists whether you’re in the
best or worst of neighborhoods,” Monforte
Caraballo added. “Situations
arise and if we can just be more aware
of what is going on around us, that
would be a great Thanksgiving wish.”
To make a donation, visit www.
grandmasloveinc.org/donate.
Photo courtesy of Theresa Monforte-Caraballo
Grandma's Love is giving Thanksgiving meals to over 70 local
families this year.