Kenan Thompson, Charlamagne tha God visit Food Bank

"Portraits of Promise" is a new initiative at Food Bank For New York City, and one powered by a simple premise: On special occasions throughout the year, Food Bank will provide professional portraits to our neighbors as a keepsake they can cherish for years and generations to come. Professional photography can be prohibitively expensive for many of the New Yorkers we serve, so this is a way for us to "go beyond food" in our service to the city we all call home. To learn more about the program, I sat down with Dr. Camesha Grant, Food Bank's Vice President of Community Impact & Investment, who came up with the idea for "Portraits of Promise" when ordering school portraits for her 11-year-old daughter. "It was the beginning of the school year and my daughter was taking photos," she explained. "I was completing the package to order the pictures and I saw that several of the different photo packages and products were well over $100. Suddenly it hit me — how do people who are food insecure get professional photos of themselves and their families? Between food and photos, many people will choose food, so they're not able to preserve these amazing memories of their loved ones. I immediately thought, we have to do something about this." Read the full interview with Dr. Grant below! Martha Mae, a regular of Food Bank's Senior Program who visited our Valentine's Day shoot. What is the power of a portrait? It's the power to preserve precious moments, to have a keepsake you can pass down to your children and your children's children. The cost of living in New York City forces many of the families we serve to move across the five boroughs to different homes, so having a steady family portrait to hang on any wall in any home is priceless. It's a constant reminder of who our neighbors are and where they come from, something that immediately represents home and love. It's a simple thing to carry with you across the journey of life. What would you say to someone if they ask why a hunger-relief organization like ours is providing this service? Everyone deserves the opportunity to preserve memories — everyone, regardless of their housing or financial status. They should have the opportunity to capture moments of love and fun through photography, to have those images to look back on when times get tough. At Food Bank, we endeavor to serve the whole individual, to nourish their bodies, their minds, and their spirits. With more and more New Yorkers being forced to the pantry line each day, we don’t always get the opportunity to know every person who visits our Community Kitchen, to hear their stories. But when people come in and get behind the camera for a “Portraits of Promise” session, we get to see our neighbors come to life. We get to know them, get to see them, get to reaffirm that we are here for them. These are everyday New Yorkers. In so many ways, this initiative is about breaking down the stigmas of who we serve. They’re people just like you and me with personalities, emotions, stories, and journeys to share. Gregory wearing his signature bow tie and suit at our Valentine's Day shoot. Are there any stories or moments from this project that stick out to you? There was one woman named Harlem at our Valentine’s Day shoot. She was standing on line waiting for supper when I approached her and asked if she'd like to take a photograph. She was so excited to join us! She came inside and suddenly transformed, taking the opportunity to look good and feel good. She got behind the camera and presented like a model, so gracious and fun to work with. And of course, Gregory, one of our regular senior visitors to the Community Kitchen & Food Pantry. Gregory has always been very dapper, loves coming in with a bowtie and suit. To learn that this was the first photograph he'd had taken of himself since 1972 was such a surprise and one that reminded me of how important this program is. How do you see this initiative growing? I think there are a ton of different ways "Portraits of Promise" could grow! This past August, we partnered with an organization that teaches children living in shelters how to swim. We provided packed lunches for the kids and also took portraits of them learning how to swim for their families. It was a way for us to take this program out of the studio and into the streets, allowing us to capture those precious milestone moments for the New Yorkers we proudly serve. To learn more about "Portraits of Promise," click this link, where you'll find stories from New Yorkers we've profiled and updates about when the next shoot will be happening!

A lifelong resident of Harlem, Suki Terada Ports has spent her life advocating for Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) New Yorkers. Though her work has been broad – touching on everything from school integration to HIV education and food insecurity – it has remained fiercely focused on serving and uplifting the community of which she is so proudly a part. I sat down with Suki to chat about her decades-long connection to Food Bank and why she believes education is the key to fighting back against discrimination and hate. Suki Ports (seated) with members of the Japanese Consulate and Japanese American Association at Food Bank’s Community Kitchen & Food Pantry in West Harlem. Can you tell me a little bit about how you and the Japanese American Association first began your partnership with Food Bank? Well first off, you should know that I’m 87 years old and don’t remember anything, so if you want specifics, you’ll have to talk to someone else. But I knew Kathy Goldman when she started the Food Bank For New York City in the 80s. She and I had been friends for years and I mean, we went way back, working on issues like school integration, food insecurity, you name it. The Japanese American Association [with which Suki has been involved since the 1970s] wanted to do some volunteer work, so I connected its members with Food Bank’s Community Kitchen & Food Pantry in West Harlem. So, you have a long connection to the fight against hunger in New York City. My interest in helping Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) New Yorkers get access to culturally relevant food goes all the way back to WWII. Food was hard for Japanese Americans to find in the city, especially ingredients from back home. At the time, a lot of special foods were imported from Japan, so they weren’t able to come during the war because of import restrictions – particular herbs, particular grains, particular spices. There were a few markets run by Japanese Americans, but even they had trouble getting the foods they needed, so they had to deal with substitutes that were of lesser quality. Brands of soy sauce, for example, that weren’t exactly true to the flavors and textures of home. It was amazing how you could be impacted by something as basic as soy sauce. You wouldn’t think of it now, but tofu, there was only one person who made that and delivered it during the war, and then when he had difficulty getting the ingredients, he had to stop producing this food that was essential to our diet. He made it at home, packaged it in a small cardboard container, and delivered it to my mother in Harlem. And gee, now you can find several brands of tofu anytime you want in almost any supermarket across the city! Culturally relevant food items and snacks provided to Food Bank’s Community Kitchen by the Japanese Consulate and Japanese American Association. Flashing forward to today, what do you think are some of the challenges faced by AAPI communities in NYC and across the country? A challenge I’ve noticed is that there isn’t a strong enough presence of AAPI history in schools, both the history of Asian countries and the history of immigrants from those countries to America. This can sometimes lead to a lack of understanding of what these people went through or what their many different lived experiences were like. But I think we can see this as an opportunity, not just a challenge! And of course, one thing that’s very upsetting is the anti-AAPI violence we’ve seen in communities all around the country. How do you navigate that? Not well! The “Model Minority Myth” [in which AAPI individuals are perceived as being smart, successful, and wealthy] is pushed by the media and can sometimes cover up the real issues faced by this community. People don’t know that a large majority of Asian Americans are hungry and don’t know where their next meal is coming from. People don’t know that they struggle to find housing and acceptance, right here in New York City! With that idea in mind, what do you want people to know? I want people to know that there is an original history, at home, for many AAPI individuals that they bring with them when they come to the United States. It’s important for people to understand the nuances between various AAPI communities, histories, countries, and populations because these differences matter! Below, watch as Food Bank chats with Suki Ports and Koji Sato, President of the Japanese American Association: To learn more about how we serve our AAPI neighbors now and throughout the year, click here. And a huge thanks to New York City icon Suki Ports for speaking with us for this profile.

On March 29, Food Bank For New York City hosted a 40th anniversary bash at the Museum of the City of New York. A joyous mix of donors, volunteers, board members, junior board members, corporate partners, Food Bankers, and even the Mayor of NYC himself Eric Adams stopped by to celebrate the milestone, enjoying cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and lively chatter as they explored the museum and its “Food in New York: Bigger than the Plate” exhibit. "It is an honor to be here with all of you to celebrate 40 years of serving the city we all love,” exclaimed Food Bank President & CEO Leslie Gordon in her welcoming remarks. “I am proud and humbled to be with you tonight.” Leslie speaking with reporters after delivering her welcoming remarks. Photo by Jared Siskin. As guests delighted in flavorful bites from the Eat Offbeat catering team and tunes from DJ Kristaval, many reflected on the history of Food Bank and their connection to its work. “I’m just thrilled to be here,” shared Michelle Kamen, a supporter who has been giving to Food Bank for three years. “It’s amazing to be part of an organization like this that does so much good for others.” When asked what keeps her excited about being part of the Food Bank family, Michelle’s answer was simple: the mission. “I recently got to go to a Food Bank Mobile Pantry distribution in East Harlem and it was wonderful getting to connect with the people we serve,” she explained. “Everyone was so happy to see us there giving out food and I was so happy to be some small part of the work.” Guests gather in the foyer before exploring exclusive access to exhibits on the first and second floors. Photo by Jared Siskin. Jennifer Brogan, the Director of External Communications & Community Relations at Stop & Shop, shared a similar sentiment, talking about the impact that Food Bank and Stop & Shop have been able to make together over the years. “Stop & Shop has been a longtime partner of Food Bank, giving both food that is unsold from our stores as well as monetary support. What keeps us connected to the mission is the simple fact that the need for food across the five boroughs is so high.” “We operate grocery stores all over the city, and we see firsthand just how real the problem is,” she continued. “But when we partner with Food Bank, we get to help bring fresh produce and other goods into food deserts, into the neighborhoods that need us most. It’s an incredibly rewarding partnership because we know we’re making a real difference.” Food Bank Board Member Lary Stromfeld (right) chatting with one of our newest Food Bank Board Members, Ted Segal. Photo by Jared Siskin. But the night wasn’t all small talk and champagne – it also included a surprise visit from Mayor Eric Adams who presented a special proclamation to Food Bank in honor of its 40th anniversary. Mayor Eric Adams speaking about Food Bank For New York City. Photo by Jared Siskin. “The conversation about food is something that is extremely dear to me,” said Mayor Adams. “And what I love about Food Bank is that you all have continued to evolve over the years to fill in the gaps for our neighbors.” “During COVID, I saw you all on the frontlines bringing food to pantries,” he continued. “You have to dig deep during times of crisis, and that’s exactly what you all did. Do you know how many families would not have been able to meet their basic needs if they didn’t have you? Thank you for all that you do.” After his remarks, Mayor Adams revealed the proclamation, officially naming March 29 “Food Bank For New York City” day. It was an honor to share the stage with the mayor of our great city, and we look forward to continuing to work with him and his team to fight food insecurity for all New Yorkers. Leslie receiving the proclamation from Mayor Adams on behalf of Food Bank For New York City. Photo by Jared Siskin. As the night wore on and the music continued to play, screens throughout the space showed a livestream of the Empire State Building, which had been lit up with Food Bank’s signature oranges and blues in honor of the occasion. A fitting end to a night all about celebrating 40 years of Food Bank serving the greatest city in the world. A special thanks to the Museum of the City of New York for hosting us and to Great Performances for catering the event with their “Eat Offbeat” team, which is made up of refugee and immigrant chefs on a mission to show how much better life can be when we add new flavors to the food we eat. Thank you again to all of our attendees and to the staff behind the scenes who made this a night we won't soon forget. And please, enjoy more event photos below! Photo by Jared Siskin. Photo by Jared Siskin.Photo by Jared Siskin.Photo by Jared Siskin. Photo by Jared Siskin. Photo by Jared Siskin.