_____________ ROCKVILLE CENTRE ____________
CoMMuNITy uPDATE Infections as of April 18
2,686
Infections as of April 11 2,637
$1.00
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Vol. 32 No. 17
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Parternship still feeding those in need and the Project was supporting 22 families experiencing food insecurity, but the need has More than a year into the since grown, and efforts have Covid-19 pandemic, food insecu- expanded to serve 90 or more rity and financial families each week. worries have made When the numSharon’s Food Panber grew to 70 last try, at the Rockville M a y, S h e p p a r d Centre Dr. Martin reached out to RibL u t h e r K i n g J r. ack, who sent out Community Center, mass emails calling an important the community’s resource for the at t e n t i o n t o t h e community. e m e r g e n c y. T h e The center’s partnership proved assistant director even more essential and pantry namewhen Sheppard was sake, Sharon Shepdiagnosed with canpard, has worked cer. with Rena Riback “My concern and Judy Rattner, of wasn’t even about the Anti-Racism me being sick,” she Project, a Rockville said. “My concern Centre-based nonwas making sure profit, to keep famithat the people in lies fed during the the community that continuing tough shARoN are going hungry times. still have a place to shEPPARD The Anti-Racism come to on Fridays Assistant director, Project has raised to get fed.” funds and collected MLK Center Sheppard creditdonations and ed her sister, Karen, directed them to the pantry, and Riback and Rattner for conadvertising as well to generate tinuing to meet the need. attention. “Every Monday on social At this time last year, the partnership between the pantry Continued on page 2
By ToM CARRozzA tcarrozza@liherald.com
M
Nakeem Grant/Herald
DozENs GAThERED ouTsIDE St. Agnes Cathedral in Rockville Centre last Sunday to protest the closures of three Catholic schools.
An appeal to ‘just talk to us’
Parents rally amid impending school closures By NAkEEM GRANT ngrant@liherald.com
The impending closures of three Catholic schools have sparked an outcry from a number of parents and parishioners. Due to declining enrollment and revenue, the Diocese of Rockville Centre will close St. Thomas the Apostle School, in West Hempstead, St. Christopher’s School, in Baldwin, and St. Raymond School, in East Rockaway, in June.
The announcement triggered a rally outside St. Agnes Cathedral, in Rockville Centre, last Sunday, as roughly three dozen parents, students and alumni gathered to recite the rosary and protest. “I’ve spoken to people from other parishes that have had school closings, and this seems to be the way they do it,” said Terri Leno, of West Hempstead, whose three sons attended St. Thomas. “Nobody knows it’s coming, and that’s just wrong.”
Leno, who organized the rally with her newly formed group the All Saints Coalition, said that she and other parents had urged the diocese to work with them in the hope of finding ways to keep the schools open. More than 500 students would be impacted, she said. “There were no options offered other than finding another school,” Leno said. A 17-year member of St. Continued on page 3
y concern was making sure that the people in the community that are going hungry still have a place to come to on Fridays to get fed.