Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-15), State Sen. Gustavo Rivera (S.D. 33), Assemblymember John Zaccaro Jr. (A.D. 80), and Council Member Eric Dinowitz (C.D. 11) partnered with HOT 97, WBLS and others for their Annual Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway at Tracey Towers on Thursday, Nov. 20, supporting Norwood and Bedford Park residents facing food insecurity ahead of Thanksgiving, which this year was Nov. 27. At the event, over 800 turkeys were distributed, along with dozens of fresh fruits and vegetables.

 

The 40-floor, Mitchell Lama housing complex at Tracey Towers, which opened in 1974 and has 871 units across two towers, provides affordable rental and cooperative housing to moderate-income and middle-income families.

 

Residents received free turkeys and holiday meal fixings to fill their tables for Thanksgiving and the giveaway was one of several turkey distribution events hosted during the holiday season by the borough president, other elected officials, and community partners.

 

“As the cost of food increases, and food assistance programs that alleviate hunger for families and children are being disrupted, we are seeing firsthand the effect it is having on our communities,” said Gibson. “Bronx residents should not have to choose between paying rent, accessing lifesaving medications, or putting a Thanksgiving meal on the table. Every Bronx family deserves a nourishing holiday meal this season.”

Amid disruptions in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), rising food prices, and long lines across the city at food pantries and food banks, Gibson’s office said the distribution came at a critical time. In The Bronx, more than 40% of people rely on SNAP, the highest proportion of any borough, and with such rising food costs, she said it was especially difficult when purchasing extra groceries during the holiday season.

 

Norwood News spoke to Gibson on the day of the event and in the spirit of the season of Thanksgiving, she said it was something she and elected officials did each year, as reported. “We are blessed to be a blessing to others,” the borough president said, adding that canned and non-perishable items were also distributed in addition to the turkeys. “In light of what has happened with the federal shutdown, the need is even more,” she said.

 

“I’m really grateful to our partners […] for the families here because we know there are many New Yorkers that are in need,” Gibson continued. Norwood News asked if her office had been receiving many calls about food assistance, and she said, “All the time,” adding that they had also helped SNAP residents accessing benefits with the new process where they have to reapply for their benefits which she said was very challenging.

 

“We’ve met with food service providers, we’ve given out health bucks at the farmers’ markets and the farmstands,” she said, adding that the week of Nov. 20, they had been at Poe Park, Parkchester, and in Morris Heights on University and Burnside Avenues. We also spoke to Gibson about her recent reelection win. Read more in our post-election coverage here and here.

Meanwhile, Kudjo Sogadzi, EVP of content & growth at MediaCo, said of the event, “HOT 97 has always been deeply connected to the heartbeat of New York. Coming together during the holidays gives us a chance to uplift our neighbors and make a real impact. Seeing families leave with a sense of relief and joy is why we continue to show up, give back, and stand strong with the Bronx community.”

 

For his part, JusNik, WBLS radio personality, said WBLS’s commitment to the community went far beyond the music. “Events like the Tracey Towers Turkey Giveaway remind us of the power of showing up for one another, especially during the holidays. We’re proud to stand with families across New York and help make this season a little brighter.”

 

Jean Hill, tenant association president at Tracey Towers, was also on hand on the day and was seen directing residents waiting in line. She said in part that both the Tracey Towers residents and those in the surrounding Norwood and Bedford Park community were blessed by the event organizers. “A lot of families are going to have a Happy Thanksgiving because they care and remember the everyday people,” she said.

 

Hill also told Norwood News, “We’re wishing everybody a very happy Thanksgiving. I know these are hard times for a lot of people so we’re trying to accommodate as much of our community as we humanly can and we want everybody and their family members to have a wonderful holiday.”

 

The turkey distribution highlighted what Gibson’s team also said was the critical role investment in programs like SNAP and community-based food distributions play in ensuring families can access everything they need to make a warm and memorable Thanksgiving meal for themselves and their loved ones.

Staying on the theme of the elections, for his part, the councilman said he was happy with his own recent reelection win, garnering 82% of the vote in District 11, and he also congratulated Shirley Aldebol, newly elected Democratic councilwoman in the east Bronx District 13, saying it was a team effort by Democrats.

 

“We’re very thrilled that we all worked together,” Dinowitz said. “Shirley did a great job of course and the Ben Franklin [Reform Democratic] Club volunteered for her in the West Bronx, but we know that getting Democrats in office everywhere in The Bronx, in the City, and in the country is important, and that’s why we went out to support her with our time. And now, I’m looking forward to working with her in the City Council. She’s already been traversing the district, traversing The Bronx, getting up to speed on the issues that she’s worked so hard on for so many years (as an activist in the labor movement).

 

Of the turkey giveaway, the councilman said, “Tracey Towers is such an important part of the district so whether it’s Thanksgiving drives, toy drives, we have holiday celebrations, giving out over a thousand turkeys and meals is one way we’re able to support the community, but elected officials like Borough President Gibson, Assemblyman Zaccaro and myself, this is the type of work we do all year so we’re giving out over a thousand turkeys and meals in my district alone.”

 

He added, “That’s in addition to over $200,000 of funding we’ve secured for our local food pantries, and in addition to thousands of health bucks that we’ve handed out in the district.”

We asked, given the additional need for food in the community this year, where that funding had come from i.e. if other areas incurred a cut. “The Thanksgiving drives are the high-profile events but this is where the [inaudible] throughout the year so in the FY [Financial Year] 2026 budget, the city council allocated more funding for food and more funding specifically for high needs districts,” Dinowitz said.

 

“In addition, I, through my discretionary funding, allocated even more money in things like health bucks (vouchers people can use directly in supermarkets to buy healthy food),” he added in part. The councilman clarified that the FY 2026 budget started in July 2025 and that emergency funding had been set aside even before the federal government shutdown happened. He also referenced the additional funding made available and allocated by NYC Mayor Eric Adams and NY Gov. Kathy Hochul to cover food insecurity during the shutdown.

 

Dinowitz added, “During this time of these high-profile Thanksgiving events, I remember when I was first elected, one of the first things I did as an elected official, was to set up more food distribution sites in my district.” We asked if he was referring to those organized in conjunction with the late State Committeewoman for A.D. 80, Sandra Pabon, which he had referenced during her street co-naming. “Some with Sandra,” the former teacher said.

 

“Some pop-up, but some more permanent sites that now, month after month or biweekly, people are coming in to get food,” Dinowitz said. “That was based on what I saw in the classroom, what I heard from older adults, from my work in the council, so when it comes to food justice and food insecurity, it just reminds me that it was one of the first things that I did in office, and we continue that work to this day. There’s always more to do.”

Back from his recent post-election trip to the Somos political conference in Puerto Rico, we asked the councilman if he wanted to share some of the highlights. “I was on a panel about bridging divides between different communities,” he said adding that there were many other topics and panels. On the topic of bridging divides, we asked the councilman, who is Jewish, if he felt the appointment of Jessica Tisch as police commissioner in the upcoming Mamdani mayoral administration was a hopeful sign.

 

“I think some of the appointments he’s made so far are very good and assuage just some of my concerns about Mayor[-elect] Mamdani’s experience within the City, and so I think they’ve been very wise and responsible choices.” My concern is who he’s going to pick as schools chancellor. It’s a position that’s going to impact roughly a million kids.” Asked if he had a preferred candidate, he said he thought the current chancellor, Melissa Aviles-Ramos, a Bronx native, was doing a “fantastic job.”

 

“She’s spectacular in every aspect, whether it’s as a manager or understanding the day-to-day goings on in the class room, she’s the one to keep,” the councilman said. Given former Congressman Jamaal Bowman (NY-16), a former teacher, campaigned heavily for the mayor-elect, it’s possible he might be a contender for the role.

 

Meanwhile, Norwood News also spoke to some other attendees on the day, including Steven, a Tracey Towers resident, who said, “This is my first year volunteering (at a stand distributing the food) for Ms. Hill. I also teach the ladies here every Thursday night at Mahjong. I teach here and at the [Riverdale] Y.  I teach at both places.” Steven said people were also very excited about the turkey giveaway, adding, “From what I understand, they needed it the most.”

 

We also spoke to a representative of Good Neighbor, who, speaking in Spanish, said, “We’re here participating in the donations. We’re coming here on behalf of the association, ‘Good Neighbor,’ accompanying all the people so that they have their turkeys and packages that we’re donating so that in this Thanksgiving, they will be happy. On behalf of Good Neighbor and Ellen Marker, we salute everyone in New Jersey, New York, and its surrounding areas.”

The ASG Good Neighbor program is a community engagement initiative by Associated Supermarket Group (ASG) where independent grocers are encouraged to sponsor local events and support their neighborhoods. Later, we spoke to a representative from Michael “The Bull” Lamonsoff, an attorney, who also had a stand at the event. “So, Michael ‘The Bull’ Lamonsoff, follow us at Michaelthebull.com, and MLS legal, and on Instagram,” the rep said. “We’re giving back to our community, the community we serve.”

 

Leslie, a Tracey Towers resident, told us about another Tracey Towers resident who is a young, emerging recording artist who goes by “Butta,” who also participated in the event by donating, coffee, orange juice, and donuts.

 

“This is just for everybody involved to give thanks to them for supporting our community,” Leslie said. “She does a lot of things in the community. She’s given pizza giveaways. She’s part of the book bag giveaway. She’s given smoothie giveaways to promote healthy nutrition so she does a lot of things in the Bronx to give back to her community for supporting her.” We asked how Butta funded the various initiatives and Leslie shrugged and said, “She’s a young, emerging artist and she’s just giving back.”

 

We also spoke to some people waiting in line about food insecurity generally. “People cannot feed their people,” one 82-year-old woman who lives on Burnside Avenue and Tremont Avenue told us. “The price went up. Everything went up.” Asked if she received adequate help during the shutdown, she said, “I don’t get nothin’. I’m retired. I live by myself, but if I find some help, they will help me but they don’t give me no help.”

 

Later, Norwood News spoke to a male Tracey Towers resident of more than 30 years who declined to be identified and asked if the event had been worthwhile. “It’s a very good idea that they hold the event and help out the community because, you know, people need food with the foot shortages, and people can’t get the food stamps and other stuff, and so this helps a whole lot the community, and keeps everybody happy because you can’t let anybody starve,” he said.

“This is a lovely event,” he added. “They should do this more often.” Asked if he had been personally impacted by food insecurity during the shutdown, the resident said, “Well, no, but it helps when.. I’m not really desperate for food but it helps in so far as food is so expensive, to survive.”

Another attendee and older adult, Lee Pointer, “like The Pointer Sisters,” who was accompanied by his wife, said, “This is a blessing for the grandkids and the kids because the way the government… I wasn’t working, so now I’m going back.” Asked if he had received help during the shutdown, Pointer said, “Oh yes ma’am, ’cause we had other people helping out, my family, stuff like that.” Asked if he also got help finding work again, he said, “Yeah, but I was kinda good as we had a little bit saved. We just had to get used to budgeting more.”

Pointer continued, “‘Cause my wife’s retired now. She retired so we were good. My sons, they were looking out so. Everybody works, so we were good. Just had to cut back a little bit just over these last couple of months.” We asked if he was starting a new job soon and he said, “No, it’s the same job. I was just hurtin’ for a little. It was just a little tight. I’m getting ready to retire in another couple of years and my wife just retired this year, so I was out to get everything right. We had to make sure we were downsizing. I had some savings. I was just had to cut back a little bit.”

Asked if he received help from local politicians where he lived, Pointer said, “No, no. We had our family and everything. We was good. We had a little something saved. We’re pretty good. We just came here because a friend told us about it, so I said ok. When you got family coming over, it does help. It costs a lot.”