Kenan Thompson, Charlamagne tha God visit Food Bank

Muhammad Talha is Food Bank For New York City’s Director of Operations, which means he’s in charge of directing the flow of product through our Warehouse & Food Distribution Center in the Bronx. Each day, he makes sure that the right food gets to the right people in the right amounts at the right time. The job is ceaseless, but one he’s especially prepared for after serving in the U.S. Military. “I’m an immigrant. I came to the U.S. in 2014 and decided after seven years that I wanted to give back to the country that had given me so much. I joined the Military and my passion for service only grew.” Food Banker Muhammad Talha is a proud Army Veteran. After finding his way to Food Bank, he became especially attuned to the ways in which food insecurity impacts Veterans. “Hunger is one of the major struggles that Veterans face, not only after service, but during service as well. 1 in 4 service members face hunger and 1.2 million Veterans currently rely on SNAP benefits.” “I don’t want anyone to feel hunger, because I faced it,” he explains. “I came from Pakistan as an immigrant and hunger is a huge issue there. I have seen it. I have felt it very closely. I have learned that we have to care, we have to look out for each other.” Watch the video to learn more about Talha and how you can support food insecure service members this Veteran’s Day.

For Food Bank For New York City donors Josh and Tara Greenspan, giving back is a family affair. Since becoming supporters of Food Bank in 2020, Josh and his wife have made it a priority to involve their entire family—not just in donating but in dedicating their time to helping others. When the pair discovered Food Bank’s Family Repacks at our Warehouse & Distribution Center in the Bronx, it seemed like the perfect way to engage the whole family. "My wife and I want to raise our kids to be people who help, who feel part of something bigger,” Josh shared. “Maybe they’ll give financially, but we hope their experiences with Food Bank inspire them to roll up their sleeves and serve.” For more on Josh and the Greenspan clan, read below! Food Bank For New York City donor Josh Greenspan with his family at a recent Food Bank Family Repack. Why did you choose to support Food Bank For New York City? It wasn’t an epiphany, but more of a realization. We have two kids—my daughter is turning 15, and my son is 12—and we wanted to show them how they can use their privilege to help others. For the first ten years of their lives, we donated to charitable causes, but we weren't actively giving our time. So, we researched organizations and saw that Food Bank For NYC not only maximizes donations to directly serve those in need, but also offers volunteer opportunities for families. We wanted a local organization where we could see the impact on our community, whether on our direct neighbors or indirect neighbors across the five boroughs. We finally signed up for a Family Repack, and it was a fantastic experience. Now, it’s become a quarterly tradition. We drive up from Long Island to the Bronx, and my kids—who aren’t morning people—jump out of bed for it! What did you enjoy most about the Family Repack? The volunteer coordinators are great with kids and split families into different packing stations. It was so rewarding to look over and see my kids on an assembly line, carefully packing food. There’s only so much satisfaction you get from clicking “donate,” but watching my children actively help in such a meaningful way was a powerful experience. Food Bank For NYC donor Josh Greenspan’s children working the assembly line at a recent Food Bank Family Repack. How does family support you in tough times? I grew up in a close-knit family. When things got tough, everyone circled the wagon, including our extended family of neighbors and friends. My parents’ friends felt like family—they were always there with food, support, and help during difficult times. Now, we have a similar network for our kids, and we’ve faced our own challenges, from health scares to losing loved ones. Those people are the first to step in, no questions asked. That’s what being part of a community means and it’s one of the things I love most about New York, that strangers can become family in an instant. What advice would you give families thinking about getting involved with Food Bank For NYC? Just do it! The hardest part is overcoming the initial inertia. We were the same way until we took that first step and got our family involved with Food Bank’s Warehouse Repacks. You’ll never regret spending time doing good with the people you love. Join the Greenspan family in supporting Food Bank For New York City's mission of empowering every New Yorker to achieve food security for good. Click here to make your gift and help provide meals for families across the five boroughs!

"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!