The Oyate Group, a Bronx-based nonprofit on a mission to alleviate poverty across New York City, distributed 2,000 turkeys on Nov. 29 for its fourth annual turkey drive to supply undernourished households in the Bronx, Harlem and Washington Heights.
Partnering with a coalition of 13 organizations, agencies and institutions, the Oyate Group ensured that New Yorkers who are historically marginalized by food deserts had access to a fresh and bountiful Thanksgiving dinner. According to research from Personal Capital last year, one in four Americans contemplated skipping Thanksgiving to save money amidst skyrocketing inflation.
“We are incredibly grateful to our partners, friends and local leaders for helping us organize our largest Thanksgiving turkey drive to date,” said Tomas Ramos, the CEO and founder of the Oyate Group. “Our goal is to provide respite to families that lack adequate access to affordable and fresh food by mobilizing our community to take action against food insecurity. If one person starves, the whole village starves. We want to make sure no family is left behind this Thanksgiving season.”
The Oyate Group has executed three turkey drive initiatives since November 2020, distributing more than 3,800 total turkeys. For its fourth annual turkey drive, the organization procured 2,000 turkeys with its own resources from the Hunts Point Cooperative Market.
The Oyate Group, beyond its commitment to combating food insecurity, further notably achieved acclaim through the Bronx Rising Initiative by successfully vaccinating more than 40,000 people in the Bronx who were deemed “unreachable” by the city during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, the Oyate Group expanded Beyond Rising, a paid internship program for undocumented students, to take place year-round. The group also launched Community Capital, a pilot initiative to support local entrepreneurs and small businesses with investments of up to $50,000.
Oyate Group is further empowering youth by introducing Rise Leadership, a leadership program for rising high school sophomores and juniors looking to become creators, critical thinkers, community leaders and social change makers. Applications for Rise Leadership are open here.
As the year comes to a close, the group aims to remain a beacon of hope for the city by inviting the community to join hands this Thanksgiving season and grab a free turkey during the uplifting turkey drives hosted by its partner organizations.
Those who are interested in learning more about where turkey distributions will be taking place, as well as the Oyate Group’s ongoing programs and initiatives, should contact Emiliano Garcia at emiliano@thetascgroup.com or (917) 446-7571.
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