FDNY firefighters, local NYC radio station hand out 200 turkeys to those in need
New York City firefighters and local radio station 77 WABC handed out around 200 turkeys as part of a statewide effort to get the birds into the hands of 10,000 people in need.
77 WABC radio, partnering with AARP, hosted the turkey handout at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Midtown, where around two dozen FDNY firefighters volunteered to hand them out.
John Catsimatidis, the owner of WABC, was spotted handing out some birds to people alongside his wife Margo.
“Feeding the hungry during the Thanksgiving holiday reminds us that not everybody is as well off as us, and that’s what it’s about,” the billionaire told The Post Wednesday.
The turkeys were handed out at the Midtown church and the goal is to feed around 10,000 homeless and needy residents throughout the holiday season.
The birds were donated by Gristedes & D’Agostino’s supermarkets, which are owned by Catsimatidis.
Several fire stations loaned their ladder-men for the event, with Engine 1, Ladder 24, Engine 34, and Ladder 21 — all located in Midtown — being represented at the event.
Uniformed Fire Officers Association President James Brosi told The Post: “The Fire Department has a very unique perspective from any other agency to go in and out of people’s homes for a variety of reasons, and we do get to see the poverty up close.”
“When you get inside people’s homes, you really see the depths in which they’re struggling and the conditions in which they’re living, either from high rents or from the rapidly rising inflation.”
Brosi said it was nice to see firefighters getting to engage with the community outside of the “worst conditions” they usually encounter them in during emergencies.
It is estimated that around 1.2 million New Yorkers faced food insecurity last year, according to City Council.
