Bank on It: A Food Bank Blog - Volunteering

Why I Volunteer

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 09:49:00 -0400

By Victoria Dennis I've been lucky to volunteer in Food Bank's Benefits Access department, where I get to serve hundreds of low-income New Yorkers each month. Here at the call center we help clients gain and maintain access to SNAP (food stamp) benefits, refer clients to food pantries and soup kitchens, and provide community outreach services. We also offer information and referral services to clients facing a broad range of problems. Since this fall, we have provided special support to neighbors affected by super storm Sandy. Like many others in Food Bank's community, I volunteer because hunger and food insecurity are pressing problems for far too many of our neighbors. Many of our clients are facing chronic, acute or life-threatening illnesses, and often crippling health care costs. Others are working parents whose low-wage jobs can't adequately cover the cost of food for their families. Every day, the Food Bank helps reduce hunger and food shortages for New Yorkers in need. My relationship with Food Bank began as a donor--and I'm still one today. But two and a half years ago, as the devastating effects of the recession deepened, I decided to try my hand at volunteering here. The rewards of volunteering at Food Bank are immeasurable. I am especially gratified when I can help older low-income New Yorkers, a growing number of whom now find the costs of living and food a huge challenge. It's an honor for me to work with our highly skilled Benefits Access staff. They are patient, respectful and compassionate while serving anxious, food insecure families who face a daunting bureaucracy. Another highlight of my work has been my contact with the unsung heroes: the wonderful volunteers in our network of food pantries and soup kitchens who give countless hours of service. In the current fiscal climate, our most vulnerable neighbors face daunting challenges, and hunger is a very real problem for them. But a group of concerned citizens can make a difference. And that's why I volunteer at Food Bank. If you'd like to volunteer too, please click here. Victoria Dennis, LMSW, is a Benefits Access Call Center volunteer at Food Bank For New York City.

A Gift for Brooklyn

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 18:17:00 -0400

by Pat Curtin On a cold December morning just before Christmas I made my way through Brooklyn to attend a very special event. The Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation (SCF), together with Food Bank For New York City and two of its member agencies, The River Fund and Bed-Stuy Campaign Against Hunger, joined forces to deliver 500 meals to residents there affected by Hurricane Sandy. Families from New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) public and rent-subsidized housing in Red Hook and Gravesend--many of whom had been without heat or power due to flooding from the storm--received vouchers for emergency relief packages filled with frozen chicken, stuffing, potatoes, milk and other essentials to make the holiday season a little easier. "I've spent the last month at my cousin's house in New Jersey," one grateful resident told me. "Now that I'm back home, I just want to try to relax." Among those affected by Hurricane Sandy was Gloria Carter, CEO of the Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation. I had a chance to talk to her before the food drive kicked off and she told me that her own house was damaged in the storm. In fact, it was the severity of Sandy--and its widespread impact on her community--that spurred her to get involved. "There are so many people who are still devastated, who don't have water or food," Ms. Carter told me. "I lost my house, but I'm here. I have food and water. The people who don't have those things...someone needs to provide it for them." The Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation's partnership with Food Bank For New York City marks a departure in SCF's usual holiday efforts. "I usually do a toy drive" Ms. Carter said, "but because of the devastation, I decided I'd like to feed people. That's why I did this." However, Ms. Carter and her volunteers couldn't stray too far from their toy drive roots, especially so close to the holiday season. They brought along two large bags of stuffed animals and sports hats--early Christmas presents that were a big hit with the kids. As the event wound down, I asked Ms. Carter how she thought the day went. "[People] were able to get what they needed today, and were really appreciative," she told me. "It ended up really nice." I think the families of Red Hook and Gravesend who were there that day would agree.

Pat Curtin is the Tiered Engagement Network Coordinator at Food Bank For New York City.

Picking Up the Pieces

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 18:12:00 -0400

by Thomas Neve

The day after Hurricane Sandy, my staff and I brainstormed and came up with a plan to help people affected by the storm. Luckily, Reaching-Out Community Services (RCS) is far enough from the shore line that we weren’t impacted by the severity of Sandy and were able to respond immediately. But many other communities around us weren’t as fortunate. We had never experienced such a level of devastation this close to home, so we were winging it. First, we assisted Coney Island’s Councilman Dominick Recchia, who had set up a relief site, by providing him with a truckload of food and water from our pantry stock.

Then we turned to social media. It was the perfect tool to put the rest of our plan into action. We spread the word on Facebook and Twitter that we were setting up two tents on the corner of Neptune Avenue and West 33rd Street as a hurricane relief site, and we needed volunteers to prepare hot meals and bring water and supplies for distribution.

What I saw the next morning when I arrived at the site brought tears to my eyes. There were dozens of cars with people unloading sandwiches, soup, hot trays of ziti and backed beans, fruit, water and much more. It was a feast. All in all, we mobilized more than 200 volunteers who helped us distribute hot meals and supplies from the tents for two days. And they’ve been helping us every since.

We then secured a storage unit outside our facility to create a hurricane relief drop-off center, and we’ve also secured a space, with help from Community Board 11, where we store additional supplies. A large portion of the food we’ve received has come from Food Bank For New York City, which sent trucks and trailers full of products. The RCS staff and hundreds of volunteers loaded their own vehicles with food and delivered them to disaster sites in nearby areas. It was a convoy of cars, filled with people determined to help their neighbors in need.

This outreach is still in effect and will continue as long as it’s needed. With Food Bank’s help we are able to distribute goods to our closest neighbors in Coney Island and Brighton Beach, and also help people in Red Hook, Gerritsen Beach, Staten Island and the Rockaways.

We have visited some of the most harshly impacted areas. The residents had no electricity, water or heat; their personal possessions were destroyed; and some even lost their homes due to severe damage. We have witnessed their sadness and sense of futility, but through it all they continue to display a heartfelt gratitude about the supplies they receive from us, and a spirit of resilience and strength that I know will see them through the difficult months ahead.

Thomas Neve is the Executive Director of Reaching-Out Community Services in Brooklyn, a member of the Food Bank For New York City network.

Giving Back to My City

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 17:46:00 -0400

by Debbie Calderon

When you hear about disasters like Hurricane Katrina, you feel terrible. But many people don’t do anything to help if they’re not directly affected. And I’ll admit, I was one of them. Hurricane Sandy changed all that. It’s the reason I’m here in Queens today volunteering.

Although I live on Long Island, I’m still a New Yorker. The city is part of my extended community and Sandy hit home for me. I wanted to contribute, to make a difference, no matter how small. Being here is an opportunity for me to lend a hand to people whose lives have been turned upside down by this storm.

Earlier this morning I helped sort donated products and now I’m packing emergency pantry bags with non-perishable food, water and other supplies to give to families in need. It’s been a busy and hectic day, but the experience is much more rewarding than I ever imagined. It feels great to be able to give back, and I’ve met wonderful people who are here for the same reason as me—to help others.

This experience has given me a whole new perspective and has changed me on a very deep level. If another disaster happens in the future, I’ll think back to this moment and I’ll respond differently than I did in the past. I’ll volunteer or donate money—I’ll do something. The one thing I won’t do is sit on the sidelines feeling bad about what’s happened. I’m going to get involved and make a difference!

Debbie Calderon, 22, is a college student from Long Island who spent a day volunteering at the Community Church of the Nazarene in Far Rockaway, one of Food Bank For New York City’s partners for Hurricane Sandy relief.

Volunteers Lend a Hand for Families

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 11:21:00 -0400

By: Angela Ebron

On Monday, November 5, one week after Hurricane Sandy ravaged the Northeast, Food Bank For New York City CEO Margarette Purvis showed her appreciation to volunteers at Food Bank’s Food Distribution Center in the Bronx. As men and women of all ages listened to Purvis thank them for donating their time, it was clear that they were proud to be there. The Food Bank warehouse regularly schedules groups of volunteers to lend a hand, but in the days following the storm, people simply walked in asking how they could help. On this day, more than 50 people, both walk-ins and scheduled volunteers, were on hand to repack cases of donated products into boxes earmarked for families: Baby wipes, diapers, toys, household cleaning products and more. About half the volunteers worked the morning shift, starting at 9:30 am, while the rest came in for the afternoon shift, wrapping up at 3:30 pm. By the next day, all the boxes they’d repacked had been distributed to sites throughout the city.

The Holiday Season Is Upon Us ? and So Is Check-Out Hunger!

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 10:54:00 -0400

By Jamee Brody

One of the times I most often think about the New Yorkers who rely on the Food Bank is when I go grocery shopping. I try to clip coupons as much as possible, and do at times feel I have to be vigilant with my food budget and avoid all the treats calling out to me from the snack aisle – but in the end I know that my cupboards will always be full. Too many New Yorkers don’t have that luxury.

That’s why I love the Food Bank’s Check-Out Hunger campaign. From October to January, when you go shopping you’ll find one of the easiest ways to give I’ve ever seen – just look for our Check-Out Hunger placards at the register and have your cashier scan the bar code on our donation slips. A donation will then be added to your bill – and remember, a donation of just $5 helps the Food Bank provide 25 meals to New Yorkers in need. I did mention it’s easy, right?

Last year, Check-Out Hunger raised more than 850,000 meals for New Yorkers in need with the support of more than a dozen supermarkets including ShopRite, Foodtown and Fairway. This year, I am excited to see what we can achieve with specialty retailers Fishs Eddy and Eataly joining our supermarket partners to help our most vulnerable neighbors.

And thanks to Eataly, Check-Out Hunger isn’t just at the check-out line – it’s online. The 'Eataly for the Food Bank For New York City' campaign gives online shoppers a chance to donate to the Food Bank while shopping for delicious Italian goodies. So while you are at Eataly.com getting the perfect Italian inspired gift box for the 'Italian' cook in your family you can also add to your shopping cart '25 meals for a child in need'. I hope with the support of follower New Yorkers and nearly 200 participating specialty/supermarkets stores to have another successful Check-Out Hunger year.

Visit Eataly.com and shop 'gift boxes' and add to your cart a gift for New Yorkers in need.

To find a participating Check-Out Hunger location near you please visit http://www.foodbanknyc.org/events/check-out-hunger

Food Bank Unpacked, Then Repacked

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 11:03:00 -0400

By Lydia Smith

Food Bank For New York City had a number of exciting achievements in 2011. One of the biggest is that we are now able to procure food in bulk, before it is packaged into individual containers suitable for supermarket shelves, helping the Food Bank to significantly stretch our purchasing power.

Purchasing in bulk is now one of the major ways we are able to keep costs down on nutritious food. However, processing large food containers safely in our warehouse so they are ready for distribution was a big hurdle that took close to a year of planning to pass. The project that allowed us to process bulk containers was the construction of a new, state-of-the-art repack room in our Bronx warehouse, where teams of volunteers repackage food into container sizes suitable for delivery to soup kitchens and food pantries.

Like most major projects, no matter the field, this one began with an extensive round of research. The Food Bank first turned to Feeding America’s national network of food banks, traveling to food banks around the country to assess different approaches to dealing with the safety requirements for working with open (bulk) product. We then turned to a veteran in the industry, Bob Matlosz, former Greater Chicago Food Depository Operations Director, for further assistance and hired Rogers Marvel Architects, an architecture firm familiar with the food bank network, to design the space within our active, 90,000 square foot warehouse.

The piece of this project that I am most proud of is the fact that we kept our food distribution process safe and up-to-code throughout the entire construction process. We knew that, in order to best serve our network, we could not interrupt food deliveries to network in any way for any amount of time, even while working toward developments that would increase our supply of food.

Now that construction is complete, not only is our purchasing power greater – our volunteers also have a more rewarding experience. We couldn’t have done any of this without knowing our volunteers, who make up a key part of the distribution process, would be there to make this possible.

Thanks to this dream combination of passionate volunteers and facilities that meet the strictest of food safety codes, our network will be able to fill more shelves and plates for New Yorkers who struggle to afford food.

The Food Bank is already scheduling thousands of purchases that will require repacking before being distributed to our food assistance network. If you have a group of 10 to 30 people who are interested in volunteering at our new Repack Room, please fill out our online volunteer application today.

Do You Volunteer? This Week's for You

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 10:56:00 -0400

by Mallory Shan

From top: Bank of America volunteers repacking food at our Bronx warehouse for delivery to soup kitchens and food pantries; A volunteer tax preparer, trained through the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program; Volunteers helped set up and prepare and serve food at Tang’s Natural’s 2010 NYC Dumpling Festival, which helped raised more than 220,000 meals for New Yorkers in need

We are celebrating National Volunteer Week here at the Food Bank For New York City! This week-long celebration, April 10–16, honors the more than 16,000 individuals who have contributed to the Food Bank’s fight against poverty and hunger by donating their time and skills — to help prepare taxes for our city’s working poor, provide nutrition education to families in low-income neighborhoods, serve meals at our Community Kitchen and throughout our citywide network, repack food at our Bronx warehouse and help our events and campaigns run smoothly.

The founder of National Volunteer Week, CEO of Points of Light Institute and co-founder of HandsOn Network Michelle Nunn, expresses the heart of this national week as one that “focuses attention on the impact and power of volunteerism and service as a vital part of civic leadership.” This resonates with one of my co-workers, Pan Venkatraman, and me since we are year-long volunteers through Mayor Bloomberg’s NYC Civic Corps Program. We have witnessed, through our engagement with volunteers and being volunteers ourselves, the potential for change that lies in service.

Stay tuned to our blog throughout the week for stories of just a couple of our amazing volunteers. We hope that their testimonies will inspire many more to join the Food Bank and volunteer to fight hunger!

Mallory Shan is assisting the Food Bank’s Volunteer Services department for one year as an NYC Civic Corps Volunteer

Help Hungry New Yorkers by Pledging to Lose Pounds

Tue, 01 Feb 2011 14:53:00 -0400

by Ashley Goforth

As the Communications & Marketing Assistant at the Food Bank, I have the opportunity to hear about a lot of amazing opportunities going on to support not only the Food Bank For New York City but also the larger hunger relief community. My personal favorite are the ones that combine helping yourself and helping others in a quick and FREE way. Quick because time is a valuable asset (especially for New Yorkers, right?) and free because sometimes the only thing we can give to the causes we love is our support.

The Biggest Loser’s Pound For Pound Challenge is one of these opportunities. The Pound For Pound Challenge is dedicated to getting people to pledge to be bit healthier and lose a few pounds. It takes just a few seconds to select your state and your local food bank and take the pledge. And for each pound that you pledge for us, 11 cents will be donated to the Food Bank. Another great element is, if you are already at your ideal weight and fitness, you can pledge to maintain that weight and The Biggest Loser will still donate!

This is also great opportunity to help yourself. It’s an opportunity to make a promise to put your nutrition and health needs on your list of things to do this spring. The Food Bank is quite the advocate of making healthy choices. The Food Bank’s CookShop nutrition education program and our Change One Thing campaign all provide needed nutrition education to New Yorkers. And we are very proud to have won Feeding America’s Mightly Apple award for the most fresh produce collected for distribution five times in the past six years.

Aligned with our mission to provide New Yorkers with the tools they need for change – the Pound For Pound Challenge allows you to recognize that you want to strengthen your own nutrition education.

Who doesn’t love a free way to help fight hunger AND be active in your nutritional health? I don’t know about you, but to me it’s much more fulfilling to take the stairs everyday while reminding myself that I pledged to lose a few pounds in the name of hunger relief.

CHEFs for Schools, Inc. Cooks Up Volunteers for CookShop

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 16:39:00 -0400

by Alexandra Talbot

As the founder of CHEFs for Schools, Inc. – a tax-exempt nonprofit organization that strives to alleviate food inequality in underserved communities by training and placing student volunteers in worthwhile service opportunities - I am proud to support CookShop, the core nutrition education program of the Food Bank For New York City.

Since CHEFs’ inception in the spring of 2007, we have made tremendous strides toward our goals of improving food security, alleviating childhood obesity, and achieving food justice by supporting equal access to affordable and nutritious groceries. Our partnership with the Food Bank has been a major factor in reaching these goals.

I learned about CookShop while working as an intern at the Food Bank in the fall of 2008. CookShop is a federally-funded nutrition education program that helps children, teens and adults develop nutrition knowledge and cooking skills through hands on workshops. The program currently reaches approximately 30,000 New Yorkers, including students in more than 1,300 public elementary school classes and after-school programs.

I quickly realized the benefits of placing volunteers in CookShop Classroom for Elementary School, the program’s component for students in pre-K through second grade. Volunteers enjoy building relationships with elementary school students in underserved neighborhoods, and seeing the impact of their work as the children develop new skills and learn to make healthy food choices. By assisting the teachers, volunteers make CookShop even easier to implement, helping to increase the number of participating classrooms.

CHEFs helps recruit CookShop volunteers through a unique cultivation program in which university chapters offer educational, free and fun events that address bring students together around a shared interest in food issues. For example, the CHEFs for Schools’ Chapter at NYU offers free monthly cooking classes that unite and educate prospective and current volunteers around delicious, nutritious meals, while the CUNY Hunter Chapter will launch a food justice speaker series in the fall.

CHEFs aim is to recruit the most capable and motivated volunteers possible. The CookShop program requires no prior experience in public schools or food preparation, welcoming a wide variety of volunteers ranging from college students to working professionals. CookShop provides all volunteers with free training to improve their understanding of food preparation skills with elementary school children and demonstrate how to support a classroom during exploratory and cooking lessons.

I hope that you will join us in our efforts. Please take a moment to review the Food Bank’s various volunteer opportunities, including CookShop, and learn more about CHEFs’s efforts to impact food justice through volunteerism.

Target?s ?Party for Good? Did a Lot of Good!

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 11:18:00 -0400

From top: One of two areas where attendees packed meals; volunteers in action (some attendees packed three to five boxes each!); one of many warehouse-themed decorations at the party.

by Brian Pham

On June 28, the Food Bank For New York City had the pleasure of participating in and benefiting from Target’s “Party for Good,” an exciting event that was held at an undeveloped warehouse on the East River. The party was in honor of the attendees, facilitators and supporters of the National Conference of Volunteering and Services, where leaders in the volunteering and service world met for three days to share best practices and participate in informative workshops.

Not only did Target throw a terrific party for the “volunteer coordinators of the world,” but they also included a HUGE volunteer activity that night! Partying and volunteering – is there any other better combination?

Party attendees packaged 150,000 meals that were distributed to children and families at the Food Bank’s member soup kitchens and food pantries across the five boroughs. Who knew that a party could be so good while doing so much good?

Watch this video to see what the warehouse looked like before and after Target decorated it, along with some clips of the party in action.

Thank you to Target for hosting such a brilliant event, and to everyone who attended!

Better-Than-A-Picnic Picnic with Hebrew National & Mom Bloggers

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 11:06:00 -0400

by Heather Joseph

From top: The mom bloggers, Cheryl Hines and I show off our reusable canvas bags; Cheryl Hines talks about her commitment to hunger relief and her participation in the Better Than a Picnic picnic.

What happens when you combine a group of dedicated mom bloggers, Hebrew National hot dogs, Cheryl Hines of HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm and Randall’s Island? You get a fun-filled day supporting both the Food Bank For New York City and Hebrew National’s Better-Than-A-Picnic. On Saturday, May 22, NYC Mom Bloggers hosted the event that was chock full of fun. I was there on site to partake in the festivities and, of course, represent the Food Bank.

Randall’s Island served as a great backdrop. Families were everywhere, enjoying the beautiful spring day on the soccer field, softball fields and playing in the park. Hebrew National set up a wiener wagon serving up yummy, piping hot hotdogs. Cheryl Hines was on site, not only speak of her relationship with Hebrew National but to comment on her commitment to raising hunger awareness nationally. In addition to the hotdogs, this free, family-friendly event had a mechanical bull (screams fun, no?) and a station to decorate reusable lunch bags that were then donated to our Community Kitchen & Food Pantry of West Harlem.

And a point about these phenomenal mom bloggers! Gracious is not enough of a word to explain how engaging and welcoming they were. It started with Emily of themotherhood.com who worked to ensure that I got there and back home safely — car service :*two major thumbs up.* Meeting her cohort of other mom bloggers meant hearing sincere enthusiasm for 1) being awesome moms and 2) working to install, at an early stage, commitment to helping others in need. These moms rocked!

The day served as a great way for all family members to gets involved in a great cause. Doing good, on a full stomach and learning about the Food Bank’s dedication to helping New Yorkers in need— what at great day.

By the way, Cheryl Hines is extremely sweet and not at all a TV show diva! She enjoyed learning about the Food Bank and even made a really cool reusable lunch bag.

Whether you’re a parent, a New Yorker, a foodie or just someone who like to support conscientious people, we hope you’ll enjoy all of the great mom-bloggers who came out in support of hunger relief!

MOM BLOGGERS
Amy O., Selfish Mom
Amy P., Long Island Parent Source
Anna, Mommy Poppins
Carol, NY City Mama
Cecily, Upper Case Woman
Emily, TheMotherhood.com
Isabel, Alpha Mom
Jen, Next Kid Thing
Kelsey, Naptime Chef
Kimberly, Mom in the City
Jo-Lynne, Musings of a Housewife
Lisa, New York Chica
Melissa, Girly Mama
Suzanne, Mom Confessionals
Whitney, Mommies with Style

The Food Banker?s Guide to New York City

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 11:10:00 -0400

by Caitlin Buckley

When I started at the Food Bank last July, I changed not just jobs but cities — almost two weeks after my first day here, I went back to Somerville, MA, to finish packing, and the next day my boyfriend and I moved into our new apartment in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. Until then, I had been a near-lifetime Massachusetts resident, and moving to New York City fulfilled a long-held wish. While much thought and discussion went into which borough to live in, we both felt sure that we wanted to be here.

Almost a year later, I still feel like a recent transplant, exploring my own neighborhood and making only occasional trips to other boroughs, but the Food Bank has taken me all over the city. Because of my job I’ve had so many places to go — Richmond Hill, Queens, to visit the River Fund; down to the ferry to travel to Community Health Action of Staten Island; up to the Bronx for a story on St. Ann’s Episcopal Church (stay tuned, it’ll be posted here soon!); and back to Brooklyn for a tour of Oneg Shabbos, a kosher food pantry in Borough Park — all members of the Food Bank's food program network. And volunteering at events has taken me even more places — Chelsea Piers for the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival, Times Square for our Annual Agency Conference. And of course, I’ve been up and down the city visiting the Food Bank’s own locations — from our Downtown Manhattan office on Broadway, to the Community Kitchen & Food Pantry of West Harlem, to our warehouse up in Hunt’s Point, Bronx.

These travels have enriched my experience of New York City and introduced me to many more people than I would have met at a different job. I can’t wait to see where the Food Bank takes me next.

Want your own excuse to travel around New York City? Explore our volunteer opportunities today! Plus, fill out our online Volunteer Application and receive notices about special needs that may not get posted online.

A New Kind of Adoption

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 11:49:00 -0400

by Krystine Keeler

In October 2009, a diverse team of Food Bank staff was called together to develop the Food Bank For New York City’s latest volunteer project — the Adopt a Food Program initiative, a partnership with Mayor Bloomberg’s NYC Service.

We began by reaching out to soup kitchens and food pantries in the Food Bank’s citywide network, asking them to name their top three priorities that a volunteer could help with. Choices ranged from grantwriting to maintenance and site beautification.

With our network’s input in hand, it was then the public’s turn. Kicking off the initiative, Mayor Bloomberg joined Food Bank President and CEO Lucy Cabrera for a press conference at our Hunts Point warehouse, asking individuals and groups to “adopt” a local food program. Adopt a Food Program volunteers are asked to commit three months to a year of their time to assist one of our city's food assistance programs. During this time they will work side-by-side with their program's staff to create the basis for long-term capacity and service improvements — enabling that program to better serve its community over time.

Now that we have a list of food programs and their needs, as well as a list of volunteers who want to adopt a program, we — Phillip Cooke, Amruta Kale and myself, the Food Bank’s NYC Civic Corps members in residence — have begun the matching process. Just a few weeks ago, Ms. Nayah Paul made a six-month commitment to be a grantwriter at the Jamaica Hispanic Seventh Day Adventist Church. Quick on the heels of that introduction, our second match was made: Ms. Navjot Kaur made a six-month commitment as a fundraiser for New Life Food & Clothing Pantry in Elmhurst, Queens.

We are all looking forward to making many matches in the future!

Learn more about adopting your own food program!

Our Very Own Bank of America Hero

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 11:54:00 -0400

by Brian Pham

O’Neil Hutchinson, a dedicated Food Bank volunteer, guest blogger for Bank on It and a good friend of mine was recently named a Bank of America Hero in recognition of all the work he has done at our Community Kitchen & Food Pantry of West Harlem.

O'Neil Hutchinson and Jeff Barker, New York City President, Bank of America

While we think all of our volunteers deserve awards and recognition, we’re especially glad that Bank of America is able to help us celebrate O’Neil’s dedication to the community. Working nights on computer networking, O’Neil has been preparing, cooking and serving meals at our Community Kitchen two to three days a week for almost two years! Even if you ignore the extraordinary amount of time he donates to the Food Bank and forget for a moment how consistently he volunteers week after week, anyone who sees O’Neil in action immediately recognizes how much of a difference he makes at the kitchen. O’Neil takes his role at the Community Kitchen very seriously, and his dedication to the New Yorkers we serve is immediately evident. Let’s just say he has been confused as an actual Food Bank employee on more than one occasion — sometimes by actual Food Bank staff!

And — to top it all off — O’Neil’s award was given as part of Bank of America’s Neighborhood Excellence Initiative, which donates $5,000 to the organizations its heroes serve. Thanks to this gift given in O’Neil’s honor, the Food Bank will be able to provide 25,000 meals for New Yorkers in need. That is enough to provide nutritious meals for a family of five for close to four years! We couldn’t thank O’Neil enough for his phenomenal dedication to serving the community, and we are so gratified that we are not the only ones to recognize him as a hero. And thank you, Bank of America, for bringing attention to the value of volunteers and helping to provide meals for hungry New Yorkers.

One Week Left?

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 11:43:00 -0400

By Daniel Buckley

…to Shop with Purpose for Christmas!
Download the Food Bank For New York City’s new We-Care Reminder, and when you shop online at any of the 800+ participating vendors – including Verizon, Amazon and the Disney Store – a percentage of your purchase will benefit the Food Bank. It takes 1 minute to download the plug-in and costs you $0 – do it today!

…to get the perfect stocking stuffers!
Pick up some Jacques Torres Bean to Bar chocolate bars and give your little ones something sweet that helps New Yorkers in need.

…OR LESS to order your holiday sweets!
Do you really have time for baking at this point? Order Ivy Bakery’s “Go Orange” cookies and cupcakes, save yourself some time and benefit the Food Bank.

…for that big holiday dinner shopping trip!
Look for our Check-Out Hunger display at the check out (where else?) of your local A&P, Fairway, Food Emporium, Foodtown, King Kullen, Pathmark, ShopRite or Waldbaum’s. Pick up a $1, $3 or $5 donation “coupon” and a gift in that amount will be automatically made to the Food Bank. Remember, ever $1 helps to provide 5 meals for our neighbors in need.

…to get that unique gift!
Send a loved one to Good Commons’s Winter Food & Wine Expedition in Vermont to enjoy winter activities, a private chef and all the warmth and comfort Good Commons provides!

It’s not really a full week — just wanted to make sure all you procrastinators realize….And, while it’s actually less than a week until Christmas, you have just a week and a half to make your tax-deductible, year-end donations! From all of us at the Food Bank For New York City, have a great Christmas, and good luck getting through the week!

Listening to Our Network

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:40:00 -0400

By Phillip Cooke

Working on the Adopt a Food Program initiative, a partnership between the Food Bank For New York City and NYC Service, I have had significant contact with many of the food assistance programs in our citywide network. This is a diverse group of people serving a wide variety of needs, but I have noticed one constant: in the difficult economic times we are currently going through, food programs are struggling with a rising demand for their services.

Food pantries and soup kitchens are seeing an influx of working poor: people who work part-time, full-time and often multiple jobs, but still need a little extra help to feed themselves and their families. At the same time, available funding is decreasing as individual and institutional funders are coping with diminishing resources — leading many food programs to cut back on services.

This all might sound rather alarming, but there is hope. In a time of great need, volunteers have the opportunity to make a truly lasting impact. Working with many of these programs, I have seen firsthand how volunteers are providing organizations with the support they need not only to maintain, but to improve services. Volunteers also bring skills and ideas from their own life, such as grantwriting or marketing, that can contribute a fresh perspective to their adopted food program, enhancing collaboration and innovation.

In the past, I have seen so much accomplished by people working only for the knowledge that they are contributing to something much bigger than themselves. I love the enthusiasm and dedication volunteers bring to their work. So far I have seen that passion in the many groups and individuals involved with Adopt a Food Program, and I am excited to see the results of their hard work.

To adopt a food program in New York, please click here.

Join the Jets & Giants to Vote for the Food Bank

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:45:00 -0400

By Daniel Buckley

Jets Inside Linebacker Bart Scott, Jets Linebacker Jason Taylor and Katina Taylor delivering turkeys at the Food Bank’s Community Kitchen & Food Pantry of West Harlem

With Thanksgiving just a few days away, the Food Bank has been selected by the MetLife Foundation for their first ever Thanksgiving Charity Score campaign.

For this campaign, MetLife will be donating $500,000 to four charities. Each charity will receive a generous donation from the MetLife Foundation, but the largest gift — $175,000 — will be donated to the organization with the most votes by November 28.

In New York City, 1 in 5 people rely on the Food Bank For New York City. Your vote can make a huge difference, bringing $175,000 to the Food Bank in support of our efforts to make sure no New Yorker has to go hungry over the holiday season and throughout the year.

So, please cast your vote today! And don’t stop there – we need a critical mass of support if we are going to win this campaign, so please tweet your support, post a link on Facebook, or use the SHARE button below to post this entry to Digg, Care2 and hundreds of other sites.

With your support and enthusiasm for fighting hunger in New York City, we can win this campaign for the New Yorkers who rely on the Food Bank!

Root for the Yankees & the Food Bank

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0400

by Brian Pham

It was a rainy day, especially at 6:00 am. However, that did not stop almost twenty Food Bank volunteers from traveling up to an hour and a half to support us on the CBS Early Show and root for the Yankees as they headed into game one of the World Series!

The Food Bank was on the show last week because the Hunts Point Produce Co-operative Market — part of the largest wholesale food market in the world, located here in the Bronx — has issued a friendly wager with the Philadelphia Regional Produce Market over who will clinch the World Series.

If the Yankees win, the Philadelphia market will donate an entire truck load (10 tons) of produce to the Food Bank For New York City! And, if the Phillies win, the Hunts Point Market will donate the same to Philabundance, Philadelphia’s local food bank— so (sports fandom aside) this is really a win-win situation for hunger relief.

Not that we really need a new reason to cheer, but here in New York this is another great reason to root for the home team. And now that the series stands at Yanks-3, Phillies-1, tonight's game could clinch it for New York. Go Yankees!

Dumpling for a Cause

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:01:00 -0400

by Daniel Buckley

Dumpling Man!

view more photos by our volunteer photographer, Tran Dinh

see the photos I took while live tweeting from the festival

When I first heard about the Chef One Dumpling Festival back in August, I made sure that a volunteer slot would be saved for me. And, even though this outdoor event fell on a rainy day, I was really glad I had.

Not only did I get to shake hands with Dumpling Man; witness City Comptroller candidate John Liu and TMI CEO Terry Tang find out who could eat a dumpling fastest; and meet our tweeps The DCC (@thedcc) and Big Will the Champ (@bigwillthechamp) at the Chef One Dumpling Eating Contest – but I really enjoyed getting to meet the team at TMI.

An Asian-food company that produces Chef One and three other brands, TMI has been a dedicated Food Bank partner, donating more than 150,000 lbs. of food over the past two years. But what I was most impressed by was their staff’s enthusiasm for our cause. Whenever announcements were being made and throughout the eating contest, TMI representatives continually spoke about how important it was to them to involve the Food Bank and promote the fight to end hunger. Even while helping a TMI staff person clean up one of the festival’s booths, when I mentioned I work at the Food Bank, she immediately replied, “Oh! This event is for you!”

And TMI’s support just keeps coming – right now, when you buy their Tang’s Natural products at Whole Foods, a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Food Bank. So, get down to Whole Foods, look for the “Tang’s Natural Goes Orange” stickers and help support the Food Bank and this great, socially aware company – and enjoy the dumplings!

Strengthening Volunteerism in NYC

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:06:00 -0400

by Phillip Cooke

This year, almost two hundred volunteers will be doing their best to spur volunteering throughout New York City, and I am happy to count myself as one of them. The project that has brought us all together is the NYC Civic Corps, founded by Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Our goal is to harness the power of New York’s population and focus it toward improving the city.

Myself and the close to 200 members of the Corps’s inaugural class have been assigned in small teams to about sixty public agencies and non-profit organizations throughout the five boroughs. For the next year, our jobs are designed to “pay it forward” while helping to create new, or develop existing, volunteer programs. Through doing this, the Civic Corps aims to strengthen our city’s network of volunteer programs and engage more New Yorkers in meaningful service, creating lasting changes in New York City

The Civic Corps is affiliated with Americorps VISTA, a national poverty reduction program; however it is unique and groundbreaking in its scale and focus. The corps is the first Americorps program with the mission to improve civic engagement throughout an entire city. At the same time, it is also the first program to foces on several local needs — including health, education and emergency preparedness. The ultimate goal for the Civic Corps is to create a model volunteer program to be adopted in cities across the nation.

Having been assigned to the Food Bank For New York City, myself and two other Civic Corps members have been given an incredible opportunity to help work towards the Food Bank’s goals. Be it childhood nutrition, tax assistance or improving community kitchens around the city, we have an opportunity to add our own small contribution to the greater good of New York City, the Food Bank and the Civic Corps.

Stay tuned for more on my role as a Civic Corps member at the Food Bank next month!

Wendy?s Takes Action For Hunger

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:32:00 -0400

by Brian Pham

Our supporters vary from individuals to large corporations to even local bakeries. Every year they become more and more creative in how they support our hunger-relief efforts. I've seen our supporters hold Virtual Food Drives, offer their staff as volunteer tax preparers for our massive Tax Assistance Program, donate proceeds from a bake sale and even create cause pages on Facebook to get their friends to donate money to us instead of buying them birthday gifts.

Most recently, and for the first time ever in NYC, Wendy's all over the five boroughs donated 10 percent of their proceeds from September 16, 4-8pm, to the Food Bank as a part of their Action For Hunger campaign. Think about it, there are just under 50 Wendy's in NYC, which are each typically very busy during dinner hours. Add up all that business and that is a lot of money raised to help New Yorkers in need! Not to mention, for every dollar raised, the Food Bank can help provide five free meals for New Yorkers in need!

But wait…that’s not it. Attending a dozen Wendy’s locations to support the campaign on September 16, our volunteers were able to recruit interested customers as Food Bank volunteers. It was a good day for the Food Bank.

Thank you supporters.
Thank you volunteers.
Thank you Wendy's.

Through the Eyes of a Volunteer

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 09:49:00 -0400

By O’Neill Hutchinson

It’s 3:15 pm on a Monday afternoon and I’m strolling into the Food Bank’s Community Kitchen in West Harlem, where I volunteer three days a week. I stop for a moment to look at the menu. It’s chicken day: curried chicken with rice and broccoli, fresh baked bread, apples, salad and juice.

When I notice the date, I do a double take. My mind races a bit, I check again, and it’s the second to last week of the month. This is about the time every month when our lines really grow, as many New Yorkers struggle to stretch their budgets till the end of the month. At about 4 pm it’s going to get crazy in here, and I have to mentally I prepare myself.

A favorite pastime of some of the clients is to compare the plates to see which is bigger. They’re pretty much all the same but when you’re turning to a soup kitchen because you can’t afford a full month’s worth of groceries, a small difference can feel really big.

The absolute best part for me is when the clients finish eating and they walk by the serving table to say “Thank you, that hit the spot,” or “My compliments to the chef.” Or looking over the table and seeing the smile on their faces while they eat…that’s something I take with me. It brings satisfaction knowing it’s a job well done.

Our Emily

Fri, 29 May 2009 10:04:00 -0400

By Jesse Taylor

Emily is in her 80s and reminds me of my grandmother. While she is independent, I can see that she finds it difficult to carry the heavy, meal tray to her seat at the Community Kitchen, where I work. So I, or a volunteer, do it for her. Last night, Emily smiled and thanked me about a half dozen times. I just smiled back, grateful to be able to help.

Emily sometimes brings her six-year-old granddaughter to our soup kichen to eat with her, and she’s told me on more than one occasion how grateful she is that the Food Bank For New York City is here for her during this period of her life. Living on a fixed income of Social Security and a small pension, it’s difficult for her to meet her budget every month and without our soup kitchen, she say’s she wouldn’t be able to eat.

No one aspires to be impoverished and rely upon soup kitchen meals for day-to-day survival, let alone work their whole life to then find themselves on a food pantry line — but with the economy the way it is, there are more senior faces in the Community Kitchen's dining room than ever before. So many Emilys with nowhere to turn but the Food Bank's network of soup kitchens, senior programs and food pantries.

But for our Emily there is good news. Recently came to the Community Kitchen — this time to be enrolled in the Food Stamp Program (now known as SNAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). And, while I’ll miss her visits, it’s great to know that once she begins receiving food stamps, we won’t be seeing much of Emily in the Community Kitchen anymore.

Tax Services Brings $65 Million for NYC?s Working Poor

Sun, 10 May 2009 10:39:00 -0400

by David McCoy

The tax season begins in earnest for most New Yorkers in late January, but here at the Food Bank it really begins in early October. You see, the Food Bank’s Free Income Tax Services program utilizes close to 500 staff and volunteers — including approximately 250 IRS-certified volunteer tax preparers and translators fluent in more than five languages. From October all the way through January, when our tax sites open their doors, the Food Bank works hard to ensure that all the training and outreach necessary to provide top-notch tax services to New York City’s working poor is complete.

When tax day finally arrives, the months of hard work is rewarded by the impact our tax services team knows we are making on our city. This year, our Free Income Tax Services program helped complete more than 37,000 returns, providing over $65 million in tax refunds and credits for low-income New Yorkers. In addition to the benefit this brings directly to our tax service clients, it is also gratifying to know that bringing $65 million back into New York City is a boon to the local economy during the difficult economic times we still find ourselves in.

A program that brings tens of thousands of low-income New Yorkers to our doors to address their finances also provides a unique opportunity for the Food Bank to address food poverty on many levels. In addition to tax services, the Food Bank helps to connect our client to available services including food stamps and low-cost health insurance options.

Helping our clients make long-term changes to their financial health, our staff also provides an introduction to SaveUSA — a New York City program that helps low-income New Yorkers open savings accounts — as well as a new pilot program from the Intuit Financial Freedom Foundation for low-income entrepreneurs, financial management and tax preparation.

While the tax season ends for most people on April 15, the Food Bank continues to provide services at our Community Kitchen & Food Pantry in Harlem — helping our clients respond to IRS disputes and continuing to file current and past year returns.

As our work certainly carries on, I have to extend a huge thank you to all of our supporters — particularly our army of volunteers, tax-season staff and partners. We simply could not have brought more than $65 million to our low-income neighbors without your support.

If you would like to join the effort to bring tax assistance to NYC next year, email us with your information and we will email you detailed information when the 2012 tax season gets closer!

An Alternative Spring Break

Wed, 06 May 2009 13:12:00 -0400

Being a resident of New York, I experience my fair share of tourists and visitors, and spring break is no exception! With the onslaught of teens, tweens and families visiting the “Big Apple” in late April, I was pleasantly surprised to meet a group of high school students at our Community Kitchen who are more interested in community service than Cancun.

These were not your usual spring breakers. They were not in their bikinis and board shorts — instead, they were wearing aprons and gloves, helping our pantry customers shop for their weekly groceries. Part of a larger group of 49 visiting from Erie, PA, this marks the tenth year that Cathedral Preparatory School has organized an alternative Spring Break to New York City. The group sees the sights in the evenings, and daytime is spent volunteering at programs throughout the five boroughs.

After volunteering, the group comes together to reflect on the day’s work, feeling great about serving hundreds of meals at Project Hospitality or helping bag groceries for some of the four thousand families who visit the food bank’s pantry. However, Chris, the group’s adult chaperone, made it very clear that despite feeling exhilarated by helping so many New Yorkers, the group also feels saddened by the enormous need found in our city. “Even one person is one too many,” he expressed to me while discussing the magnitude of poverty in New York. “It feels good to be helping so many people, but it’s also hard because we wish we didn’t have to help any.”

This is a sentiment expressed by many who work with the food bank. We are happy to have the ability to help the four million New Yorkers struggling to afford food; however we wish we didn’t have to. I agree with Chris, even one hungry New Yorker is one too many.

Taking Time Out for Time Out

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:32:00 -0400

By Daniel Buckley

Last month I volunteered a little of my time to drop off materials at a few restaurants participating in Time Out For Hunger. I specifically asked for restaurants in the Lower East Side for a couple of reasons. First, I love the walk from the Food Bank’s office in the Financial District. And, second, for me it was a perfect excuse to drop by The Pickle Guys (they weren’t part of Time Out For Hunger, but I am convinced they brine the best pickles in the world, so I think they deserve a mention).

The walk to the LES always reminds me why I love New York City. It may be crowded and it may be dirty, but I have never encountered a city packed so full of history and diversity. The route I walk takes me past Ancient Order of Hibernians Drive, a building still marked as the Five Points Mission, a Buddhist temple, at least one synagogue, innumerous durians, under the Manhattan bridge and on.

I also can’t help but be aware of how much poverty exists along this short route — even above Delancey, where the LES is now more well known for designer boutiques than for its tenement rows. Using our Food Program Locator, I found that just in 10002 — the zip code where I delivered our materials — there are six food pantries, one soup kitchen and two senior centers that serve free meals.

It still amazes me to find so much need in our city, even where at first glance you wouldn’t expect it. Take a look at your own zip code, or the zip where you work. You may be surprised.

p.s. Next week is Volunteer Appreciation Week, so check back for more posts about volunteering.

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