42nd Precinct Police Officers Treat Some Neighbors To Early Thanksgiving Feast
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- On this Thanksgiving Eve, members of the NYPD offered an act of kindness.
As CBS2's Valerie Castro reported, the officers fed families at the 42nd Precinct in the Morrisania section of the Bronx Wednesday night as a way to say thanks and show support for their community.
The meal was pulled together with donations from the officers themselves and local businesses.
Families attending the dinner were handpicked by neighborhood coordination officers like Officer Erica Bukowiecki.
"I chose them because I've met them on several occasions," Bukowiecki said.
She chose Yadira Morillo and her four daughters for their positive role in the community.
"She invited us to come and here we are," Morillo said. "We are thankful."
The master chef behind the gourmet meal, Sgt. Elliot Zinstein, cooked everything in his home kitchen.
"Everything is made from scratch. Nothing out of a box. As I said, my kids were great in helping me," Zinstein said. "My favorite thing on the menu is the butternut squash bisque."
"The sergeant says it took two full days to prepare enough food to feed 40 people. The highlight of the delicious dinner was the maple-glazed turkey.
The commanding officer said the event was his daughter's idea – a family meal for the people the officers consider to be their extended family; the community they serve every day of the year.
"All with the message to let them know that our house is their house and this is community partnership -- it's a shared responsibility," said 42nd Precinct Deputy Inspector Ernest Morales III.
"This is the reason I became a police officer," said Sgt. Zinstein. "You see the faces of everyone over here and it really makes it all worth it."
This was a first for the precinct, but it is a tradition they hope to continue.
The sergeant cooked five turkeys to serve the invited guests.