Variety Boys & Girls Club of Queens Awarded $50K Grant

ASTORIA, QUEENS — The Variety Boys & Girls Club of Queens has been awarded a $50,000 grant in support of its programs helping children living in Western Queens and distributing food to families in need.

The grant came about thanks to Sunnyside Shines Executive Director Jaime-Faye Bean, according to a news release.

Bean, who co-founded the organization Queens Together during the coronavirus pandemic to support the local food industry, was named one of 35 national "Loves Take Action" awardees by the New York Life Foundation.

Each awardee selects a nonprofit to receive a $50,000 grant from the New York Life Foundation, the charitable arm of the New York Life Insurance Company.

The Variety Boys & Girls Club worked with Bean during the pandemic to deliver prepared meals to residents of Astoria Houses and launch a food pantry at the organization's teen center in Astoria.

Since the spring, the pantry has distributed pantry items and fresh produce to about 500 families a week.

“We are grateful for the New York Life Foundation’s investment in our organization and for Veronique Verscheure and Yuka Yamashita, local New York Life agents, for recognizing Jaime-Faye Bean for her work in the community during COVID19, which brought about this grant, and will change many lives for the better,” Andy Rodriguez, executive director of the Variety Boys & Girls Club, said in a statement.