Sports legends, John Starks of the New York Rangers and Brian Patrick Mullen of the NY Knicks, joined students and faculty of P.S. 113-X on Wednesday, March 13, in the Williamsbridge section of The Bronx for a ribbon-cutting ceremony for one of three new school food pantry openings taking place across the five boroughs, thanks to The Garden of Dreams Foundation and New York Edge.

 

The Garden of Dreams Foundation is a nonprofit charity that operates in partnership with MSG Entertainment and MSG Sports, providing mentoring and educational opportunities to young people facing illness or financial challenges.

New York Edge, meanwhile, is the City’s largest provider of school-based afterschool and summer programming, providing services to more than 25,000 students at 100 locations citywide. Representatives of the organization said they were happy to support the renovation of the school’s pantry, thanks to a $135,000 donation by The Garden of Dreams Foundation. The grand opening took place at the school, located at 3710 Barnes Avenue.

 

Jahmal Yapp, deputy chief of staff to local Councilman Kevin Riley (C.D. 12), who represents much of the north center Bronx and who was unable to attend the event, told the crowd, “I stand before you today with pride and excitement as we celebrate the remarkable milestone in New York Edge’s journey, the establishment of a new food pantry.”

 

Officials said the P.S. 113-X pantry now has industrial-size refrigeration and storage space as well as a community space for students. They added that the pantry’s existence will ensure students and their families will have access to much-needed nutritional resources.

Yapp added, “The launch of this food pantry is testament to the collective effort and generosity that defines youth programming in the City of New York. This pantry will also be a beacon of hope and support for those in our community facing food insecurity.”

 

For her part, the Garden of Dreams vice president and executive director, Stacey-Ann Easy, recalled growing up on nearby Carpenter Avenue and White Plains Road, having to pretend her favorite lunch was a cheese sandwich because that’s all she ever had for lunch growing up.

Addressing the students, Easy told the students, “Now you guys, you’ll have more. You’ll have a selection of things from this pantry and for me, this is a full circle moment to be able to be at an organization like Madison Square Garden, and Garden of Dreams, and be able to go back to a community where I am from, so thank you!”

 

Mullen, 62, who grew up in Manhattan and played for both the New York Rangers and New York Islanders, retiring in 1993 after playing in 832 games, later addressed the crowd.

 

“It’s an honor to be up here, and an honor to be here with you, to be representing the New York Rangers, and John representing the Knicks,” he said. “The Garden of Dreams Foundation is near and dear to both of our hearts; it does so much good for the community.”

Meanwhile, Starks, 58, who was born in Tulsa, OK., played for the New York Knicks from 1990 to 1998, and who retired in 2002, said, “We are honored to celebrate this great collaboration between The Garden of Dreams, New York Edge and Council Member Kevin Riley.”

 

He added, “It takes a special person to believe in something that you do, and Council Member Riley believes in this, you know, to make sure that the food pantry stays stocked, and that’s very, very important.”

After the ceremonial ribbon-cutting formally opening the pantry, New York Edge students and their families tucked into a hot meal. The new pantry was also stocked with canned foods, books, shoes, and toys and is now available for any student who needs it.

Earlier this month, on Saturday, April 6, at the nearby Northeast Bronx YMCA, the YMCA of Greater New York, the New York Knicks, and New York City Department of Youth & Community Development (DYCD) hosted four free basketball clinics with former Knicks players and Jr. Knicks coaches. Read our story here.