by Menachem Rephun

Volunteers with the Masbia soup kitchen dispensed meals to the needy this week despite their own financial hardship [JP Updates]

Holiday meals were dispensed in Queens this week by Masbia, a nonprofit pantry and soup kitchen network, NY1 reported.

The meals were dispensed outside the soup kitchen’s former location at 98-08 Queens Boulevard. Although Masbia lost its lease and was forced to close over the summer, volunteers still wanted to give hot meals to the needy.

“This is their special meal all year round,” Alex Rapaport, the executive director of Masbia, said. “This is their only meal of the day. So we decided despite anything, despite the holiday, despite the bad weather, we’re going to be here.”