Nov. 21, 2023 By Iryna Shkurhan
Council Member Linda Lee’s team distributed kosher turkeys and halal chickens outside of Lee’s district office in Oakland Gardens on Tuesday, Nov. 21 ahead of Thanksgiving.
This was the first time that the council member, who represents a chunk of far eastern Queens, distributed poultry for the holiday. And it proved popular among community members who swiftly reserved their choice on Monday.
Fifty kosher turkeys were reserved by local community members. Photo by Iryna Shkurhan
By the time the pickups began at noon, all the turkeys and chickens were reserved by locals and ready to be taken home.
The distribution was in partnership with the Met Council on Jewish Poverty and Progressive American Community Empowerment, also known as PACE. Met Council donated 50 kosher turkeys, while PACE provided 50 halal chickens to be distributed.
“We also thought that this is one way to bridge the divide and create harmony between the faith groups,” said Syed Adnan Bukhari, a PACE volunteer who delivered the halal chickens to Lee’s office.
Volunteers from PACE delivered the halal chickens to the council member’s office in Oakland Gardens. Photo by Iryna Shkurhan
Both PACE and Met Council are heavily involved in combating food insecurity in their communities. The organizations used their own funds to purchase the meat for families to enjoy during the holiday.
“Unfortunately, there is a big demand for halal products that are not easily accessible,” added Bukhari. “We have seen and observed that Muslim families sacrifice a lot, and they don’t have access to good protein. But most Muslims will eat Kosher if Halal is not available”