(L-R) Triada Stampas, Hector Ruiz (Delta Air Lines), Margarette Purvis, Madison Cowan (chef/author), Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson, Dominique Jones
February 16, 2013 – Last month Food Bank For New York City, along with 39 representatives from our member charities, traveled to Albany for the 42nd Annual Conference of the New York State Association of Black and Puerto Rican Legislators. While the event, commonly referred to as Caucus Weekend, is always a lively affair, highlighted by scores of fun-filled evening receptions, the real agenda is one of advocacy, cultural awareness, and the promotion of community development and economic growth. For Food Bank, it is also the opportunity to connect our members with legislators and community organizers who can help us in our mission to end hunger.
This year, Food Bank put the focus squarely on Hurricane Sandy. As part of a series of concurrent workshops on Saturday, Food Bank President and CEO Margarette Purvis, Chief Programs Officer Dominique Jones, and Dr. Melony Samuels, executive director at Bed-Stuy Campaign Against Hunger led the session, Recovering from the Storm: Responding to the Needs of a Post-Sandy New York. They not only detailed the impact of Hurricane Sandy on the city and our network, but also discussed Food Bank’s ongoing post-Sandy relief efforts.
Each day ended on a festive note, with attendees making their way to a variety of simultaneous receptions. At Food Bank’s evening soiree, sponsored by Delta Air Lines, guests were treated to cocktails, hor d’oeuvres, the music of Motown, and an inspiring speech by celebrity chef Madison Cowan.