Coronavirus News: Generosity also contagious in NYC amid COVID-19 pandemic

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Thursday, May 7, 2020

Generosity also contagious in NYC amid COVID-19 pandemic

Lauren Glassberg interviews a woman who parlayed her birthday into raising 15 thousand dollars for charity.

NEW YORK (WABC) -- New York City may be in the grips of a deadly pandemic, but these days, generosity is also contagious.

In the Bronx, the giving arrives in overstuffed bags.

"What we put in these bags are items we carry," Lucero Produce executive assistant Anel Bravo said. "Fresh produce, meat, dairy, a bit of everything, food essentials, bread."

Lucero Produce in Hunts Point has given out 2,500 bags four weeks in a row, and many of the recipients are immigrant restaurant workers now laid off. For those who can't collect the bags themselves, Lucero delivers.

"They are extremely grateful, as simple as it seems," Bravo said. "When you put those numbers on paper, it adds up."

Gaby Armour's birthday wishes have also added up. When the Upper East Side mom turned 50 on March 25, she asked her friends and family to donate meals for front line workers. In just six weeks, she's raised more than $15,000, money that's keeping restaurants like Papparadella and Lena's Kitchen in business.

"It was one of my most meaningful birthdays," she said. "What a wonderful thing I started, not just me, but the over 200 people that donated something to be a part of it."

If you are a health care worker who needs help with food, you can reach out to G Free New York on Instagram. There is also a link there if you are interested in donating to this very special cause.

For more information, visit @gfreenewyork and @gabyarmour on Instagram.

On the Upper West Side, the owners of Cibo e Vino and Marlow Bistro also rely on donations to provide meals for other essential workers, like letter carriers, their neighborhood police, firefighters and seniors.

It is kindness and togetherness on display throughout the city.

"The coronavirus, one more thing we have to go through," Bravo said. "We're doing it, and we're doing an awesome job."

They are small victories in the face of so much sickness and loss.