GRAVESEND — A FREE FOOD GIVEAWAY helped about 350 constituents of Assemblymember William Colton, who hosted the event outside his district office last Thursday.
Colton and the not-for-profit organization ARISE NYC distributed fruits and vegetables such as bananas, cauliflower and carrots, and nonperishable staples like beans. The July 23 distribution was the most recent in a series of food giveaways that Colton has organized over the past several months. All are flagged on the Bensonhurst Food Giveaway Facebook page, which Colton’s office launched in 2025 to spread the word about impending and often short-notice distributions. Residents wishing to be notified of upcoming free food giveaways may call the assemblymember’s office at 718-236-1598 and ask to be added to the email list.
“Food insecurity doesn’t announce itself — it shows up quietly, in families who are one bad week away from an empty refrigerator,” said Lara Diab, founder and executive director of ARISE NYC. “Providing food isn’t charity in the abstract; it’s a direct investment in the stability and dignity of our community.”
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