Nosh celebrates grand reopening
Ethan Arriagada and his family, like many others in Glen Cove, have faced the challenges of starting a new life in a new country. Originally from Chile, the family moved to the United States seeking better opportunities, but soon found themselves struggling to become financially stable. With Arriagada’s father, who works in construction, and his mother, Nadia Capata, staying home to care for their children — Ethan, 19, is the oldest of three — the family’s first two years in the U.S. were filled with uncertainty.
“At the beginning, when we came to the country, it was complicated to find a stable job,” Arriagada said, translating for his mother, who was referring to her husband. He added, “Sometimes my parents would have work for maybe three or four days a week but it wasn’t consistent. It was hard for us to pay for everything.”
As expenses piled up, essential items like food became increasingly difficult to afford. The family’s situation began to improve two years ago when Capata learned about Nosh, a nonprofit food pantry in Glen Cove that offers groceries to individuals and families in need. Now Arriagada and his mother rely on Nosh once a week, picking up food that includes fresh produce and nonperishables, which are essential for feeding the family, which includes Ethan’s siblings, ages 6 and 8. Nosh has become a vital resource for them and hundreds of other families on the North Shore.
On Sept. 21, Nosh celebrated the grand reopening of its facility at the James Erwin Donahue Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 347 in Glen Cove, on Hill Street. The reopening followed three years of displacement caused by a devastating fire in August 2021, which severely damaged the post and disrupted Nosh’s operations.
At that point, the organization had been delivering groceries to about 600 families from its second-floor base at the post. When the blaze torched the building’s interior, it not only halted Nosh’s services but also displaced both the pantry and the VFW, leaving them without a home. Nosh’s operations moved to parking lots, churches and a temporary space on Glen Street. Volunteers continued to manage food deliveries and storage under challenging conditions.
“It was a great loss for both Nosh and the VFW,” Howard Stillwagon, the post’s commander, said of the fire. “We lost our home for three years, but we wanted to give (Nosh) the chance to come back, and they did. It’s great for them, and it’s great for us.”
For Nosh co-founder Christine Rice, the grand reopening wasn’t just about returning to a building — it was about ensuring that the community continues to get the support it needs.
“We’re so thankful to everybody who helped get this site ready for us to open up and be able to feed our families,” Rice said. “We still need the community’s help. We have to pay rent, purchase food, and make sure we have enough for everyone. We will continue to serve these families as long as we possibly can.”
Linda Eastman, Nosh’s director of operations, said the organization serves about 285 families via weekly deliveries, and another 300 come to the VFW.
“Every month is a little different — sometimes the numbers go up, sometimes they go down by 50 — but we’re serving about 600 families overall,” Eastman said.
While Nosh offers a wide range of non-perishable foods and essentials, there are always items that are in particularly high demand.
“Rice is our biggest component of what people really, really want,” Eastman said. “There’s been a shortage on rice. If people want to donate rice, that’d be wonderful.”
Nosh’s return to the VFW is a triumph for the community, and for families like Arriagada’s, it means they can continue to rely on the pantry for help.
“Nosh has helped us so much,” he said. “We’re thankful for everything they do for us.”
If you are in need of food, call the Nosh emergency hotline, at (516) 366-0277, or email the pantry at info@noshdelivers.org.
