Monday, May 19, 2025
When Ramonia Ramkissoon moved from Queens to West Hempstead in 2021, she brought with her a desire to help her community by providing a weekly food pantry for those who need fresh produce, kitchen staples, clothes or other goods.
Saturday her food pantry, Friends for the Poor Foundation, was shut down by the Town of Hempstead Building Department Code Enforcement officers.
“They said because our property is not commercial, we’re not allowed to run the pantry,” Ramkissoon said. “I’ve been doing this for four years. We have long lines. I don’t know who reported us.”
Every Saturday, Ramkissoon has hosted a food pantry in the driveway of her home on Hopatcong Avenue. From 11 a.m. to roughly 1:30 p.m, anyone who needs food assistance can receive food donated to the pantry from Island Harvest Food Bank, Costco and BJs.
Ramkissoon said they serve 250 people on a weekly basis, no matter the weather. The pantry costs nothing for those who need food and is completely run by volunteers.
“It’s very expensive out there to get stuff. And if they can get it for free, it’s a blessing for people,” Ramkissoon said. “It’s very important. Not everybody has a job, people that come here have six, seven kids. In the wintertime, when they come here, you can see kids need clothes, sometimes I get clothes and I give it to them.”
People who lined up to receive food from the pantry that morning were asked to leave empty handed after the town shut down the foundation.
Edna Ramkissoon, Ramonia’s mother, asked if they could serve those who were there with the food they had, but was told no. The volunteers brought the food to a nearby church to help ensure the food wouldn’t go to waste.
“Everything is free,” Ramonia said. “So I don’t understand why would they close down something that’s helping people.”
“It’s heartbreaking, you know? These people need help,” she added.
Ramkissoon said that the Town of Hempstead had asked her about the pantry before but claims she received approval to continue giving away food by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.
She noted that Island Harvest, a food bank working to end hunger on Long Island and a partner of Friends for the Poor Foundation, inspected the property and approved the food pantry.
“Code enforcement inspectors shut down an illegal use of a residential property this afternoon to protect the health safety and well being of our residents,” Town of Hempstead Communications Director, Brian Devine, said in a text. Devine told the Herald that the town proudly supports properly designated food pantries across the region.
Code enforcement officers mentioned continued complaints from the neighborhood about the food pantry, but neighbors who spoke with the Herald expressed immense support for Ramkissoon’s work and admired her commitment to serving others.
“The pantry is here for the neighborhood,” said Bibi Karim, who has lived in the house next door to the food pantry since 2005. “We don’t have any issues with the pantry, everybody volunteering is from the neighborhood.”
“They have faithfully been doing this since we got here,” said Susan Scott, who has lived on Hoptacong Avenue since 2021. “There has never been an issue until today.”
“I think this is unfortunate that people are not trying to let people get the help that they need,” said Donna Sobers, another neighbor.
“These people don’t come and just stand on this because it’s something to do on a Saturday morning,” Scott added. “They need this stuff. They need this to help with their families. And now all of a sudden it's a problem?”
“The people, they’re not loud or boisterous or anything like that,” said June Martinez, a volunteer. “They come, they wait, take the food and they go. It’s not like it’s a whole big traffic worry, blocking things.”
Many of those who depend on this food pantry for assistance were hurt, angered and confused by the sudden closing of the pantry. Several mentioned going out of their way to attend the Friends of the Poor Foundation’s operation because of the quality of food they offer.
“They’re not doing nothing wrong. They’re helping us,” said T, who relies on the pantry to help her feed her four kids. “Things are very expensive. Eggs are $12. It’s hard right now.”
The foundation is asking the community for help finding a commercial space willing to host their food pantry going forward.
“If anybody is willing to support us with that, that’s the only way we can do it,” said Ramkissoon. “But it no longer can happen at my residence.”
