Sergio Mota is the LGBTQI+ Development Associate at Metropolitan Community Church of New York Charities (MCCNY), now managing an emergency food delivery service.

“It’s war here.”

Hospital morgues in the trucks.  Photo by Sergio Mota.

MCCNY provides social services through MCCNY Charities, a comprehensive social service provider, working within and beyond the LGBTQI+ community.  An independent 501(c)(3) organization, MCCNY Charities furthers the mission of MCCNY to bring the world to right and just relationships.  While catering mainly to the LGBTQI+ population, the church is open to persons of all sexual orientations.

MCCNY Charities operates MCCNY Homeless Youth Services: Sylvia’s Place, a provider of emergency shelter and services to over 1,000 homeless LGBTQ youth per year.  The Sylvia Rivera Food Pantry provides 550 bag lunches and 250 bags of groceries per week to those in need in the community.

While Mr. Mota is the manager of MCCNY’s Sylvia Rivera’s Food Pantry where LGBTQI+ homeless youth have access to three meals, clothing, showers, referrals, supplies, activities, and a sense of community and being, he is also managing MCCNY’s emergency food delivery service.

During the week of April 19, 2020 MCCNY hit a milestone of home delivery to over 600 households throughout New York City. The Sylvia Rivera Food Pantry is now delivering to all 5 boroughs and Long Island.  These contact free home deliveries allow MCCNY to reach those in high need and high risk of contracting COVID-19.

The home deliveries are in addition to the 500 families MCCNY serves throughout the week, providing prepared lunch meals and groceries bags that include fresh produce, meat, dairy, grains, and canned goods.

MCCNY continues to field calls and online requests from scores of New Yorkers in need of food on a daily basis. As the crisis continues, they are seeing the need increase throughout the city, making their work more vital than ever.

Join MCCNY. Donate Today:  https://app.easytithe.com/App/Giving/mccny

The senior pastor of MCCNY is Pat Bumgardner, a minister and social justice activist.

Rev. Pat Bumgarden has created a diverse, safe, sacred place for the full continuum of God’s queer creation and their allies and loved ones.  Long before it was mainstream, this church pioneered equality, advocacy and activism on behalf of the LGBTQI+ community.

Rev. Pat is a theologian, scholar and elder in the MCC LIBERATION MOVEMENT.

The church espouses and affirms that God’s love is for all.  What a message for historically and current victims of homophobic rage and violence.

Mr. Mota was an appointed Committeeman for the Sebastian Budget Review Advisory Committee from March 2015 – September 2017 and was a candidate for Sebastian City Council in 2016. He was endorsed by TC Palm, part of the USA Today Network, and received 3,502 votes out of 4,725 votes cast.

 

Sergio Mota is a graduate of Hunter College and a member of the Vero Communiqué Board of Directors.  Vero Communiqué is a 501 (C) (3) non-profit online news organization.