Volunteer Profile: Belinda Cheng

Volunteer Profile: Anna Perris Rigoutsos & Franklin Rigoutsos Anna and Franklin are a mother-and-son volunteer duo who have served with Food Bank For New York City since 2019. Together they have served more than 100 hours. Why is Food Bank’s mission important to you? A: I support Food Bank’s mission because access to food is a basic need that I believe should be available to all New Yorkers. F: I read the memoir, Free Lunch, where the author discusses his experiences as a food-insecure kid. It made me understand the importance of eliminating food insecurity. What was your most memorable moment while serving with Food Bank? F: During pantry distribution, I was able to translate, answer questions, and communicate in Spanish. It was rewarding to use what I learned in school to be able to help others. Tell us about a meal that is special to you and your family. A: A favorite meal for both of us is Thanksgiving dinner. My mother is an amazing cook and prepares a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with turkey, stuffing, and sweet potatoes. It is a meal we look forward to all year and we are so thankful for the work she does to prepare it for us. Who inspires you to serve? A: I’m inspired to serve by Franklin. As a parent, I want to teach Franklin to be involved in and contribute to our community. The best way I can do this is by my example. F: During pantry distribution, people are so appreciative that it inspires me to keep showing up to serve my community.

Volunteer Profile: Paul Adamsbaum Paul Adamsbaum has served as a volunteer at our Community Kitchen & Food Pantry in West Harlem since 2017. Why is Food Bank’s mission important to you? "I grew up in the city and know that many of its citizens face challenges every day. Food Bank gives me the chance to help people overcome some of those challenges on a very personal level." What was your most memorable moment while serving with Food Bank? "Whether it was serving breakfast to seniors pre-COVID, or helping at the Grab-and-Go Pantry distributions, I was always warmed by how appreciative everyone I came in contact with was." Tell us about a meal that is special to you and your family. "For me and my wife, it's Sunday morning bagels and lox breakfast, while sitting in front of the TV watching CBS Sunday Morning and reading the Sunday New York Times." Who inspires you to serve? "My parents who, when I was growing up in Queens, instilled in me the value of helping others regardless of what rung of society's ladder we happen to occupy."

Volunteer Profile: Noah Becker Noah has served more than 25 shifts at our Community Kitchen & Food Pantry since he first began volunteering with us in April 2024! Why is Food Bank’s mission important to you? Food security is a precondition for everything else in life. Food Bank's commitment to providing this foundation—and so deliciously and nutritiously at that—is important to me because when we take care of the community, we enable everyone to lead healthier, more active, more meaningful lives. What was your most memorable moment while serving with Food Bank? After volunteering at Senior Lunch for several weeks, some of the regulars and I started to get to know each other by name. Phoebe shared memories from her college years with me, Arnold and I laughed as he recounted how his mother named him at birth, Kevin excitedly showed me a new magnetic dartboard he had just picked up… Sweet new connections, and lots of smiles all around! Tell us about a meal that is special to you and your family. My family is Jewish, and some of our lineage can be traced to Austria. We have a family recipe for a Viennese noodle kugel that we often make around holidays, rich, buttery and savory, just delicious. Who inspires you to serve? Three of my four parents are social workers. They're strong-willed people, and from a young age I was deeply affected by how their beliefs and values guide their commitment to service and all aspects of their lives. I'm also a professional musician, which in my mind is about providing another layer of care and support to communities around me.