‘Tis the Season to Amplify: Support QNU
As the holidays approach, you may be plotting what gifts to get your friends and family. But have you thought of giving a gift to your community?
This post is the third in a 5-part series highlighting grassroots organizations with mutual aid components to support this winter - and beyond.
(Don’t miss out! Read the first and second parts too.)
I will focus on groups serving Western Queens, particularly Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, and Corona.
Love Wins Food Pantry is just one of many neighborhood mutual aid organizations in this area. Some of them have been helping Queens residents for years, offering resources, services, direct action, and more. This holiday season, consider supporting a group like QNU.
Photo from QNU’s “Statement on the Opening of Target, Chipotle, and Starbucks in Elmhurst.”
This alliance of civic advocacy groups was founded in 2014 to fight criminalization and displacement in Corona, Elmhurst, and Jackson Heights. They oppose the expansion of Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), which may speed up the process of gentrification. Just last month, QNU ended a years-long campaign to stop developers from opening Target, Chipotle, and Starbucks locations in Elmhurst. While popular, these chain stores take customers away from small businesses.
QNU continues to fight harmful development projects through campaigns such as Stop Sunnyside Yards, Stop Flushing Waterfront Development, Astoria Is Not For Sale, and Don’t Target Astoria.
You can support their work by learning about and giving to the campaigns listed above. (I was born and raised in Sunnyside, so I plan to show up to Stop Sunnyside Yards actions in the future.) You can also donate to QNU via Paypal.
With love always, Carly
