Chef Max Hardy & the Power of Community

In honor of this year's Black History Month theme "African Americans and the Arts," we gathered with community members of our Older Adults Program to create an art piece celebrating iconic Black trailblazers from Alvin Ailey to Muhammad Ali, Shirley Chisholm, and more. "At Food Bank's Neighborhood Community Center, we do activities throughout the year to help us honor and learn more about Black history," said Charles Martinez, Manager of Food Bank's Neighborhood Community Center. "This art piece in particular is great because it's a project we can all work on together to commemorate some pretty amazing leaders." Community members working on a group art project at Food Bank's Community Kitchen & Food Pantry in Harlem. The piece was conceived by artist David Husney, who frequents Food Bank's Older Adults Program as a participant and volunteer. "Charles asked me if I wanted to do something for Black History Month, so I picked some of my favorite pioneers to highlight," Husney explained. "As people have been walking around the painting, they've been adding color to the canvas and talking about all the different leaders. It's as much a social event as an art project." For David, community art brings together people better than almost anything else can, especially when it's centered on celebrating and uplifting the history of a people. David (left) with a fellow community member. While we're not quite sure where this beauty will hang in our Community Kitchen & Food Pantry just yet, we do know this won't be the last art project we work on with our older adults this year. "Having the ability to express yourself artistically through painting, through song, through dance is so important, which is why we regularly incorporate it into our programming," says Martinez. "Our art projects are always really popular with our community members, and they're also culturally relevant, allowing folks to explore their identities." "Ultimately, working on an art project like this provides an organic way for people to get to know each other better and to share their knowledge and experiences with each other." All are welcome to enjoy fun activities at our Neighborhood Community Center in Harlem! Food Bank For New York City's Older Adults Program provides a safe space for older New Yorkers to gather for fellowship, fun activities, and delicious food. Learn more about the program, here.

Volunteer Profile: Christopher Larson Christopher Larson has elevated Food Bank's mission across our virtual programs – including writing letters of hope to our clients through our Dear New York Program and amplifying food resources online as a Food Bank Social Media Ambassador. Why is Food Bank’s mission important to you? "Food Bank's mission to end food insecurity in NYC is important to me because, as a registered nurse, I've witnessed the negative health effects that occur due to not having dependable access to nutritious food. The number of people who face food insecurity is alarming, as no one should go hungry." What was your most memorable moment while serving with Food Bank? "I loved personally dropping off letters at Food Bank's Community Kitchen & Pantry in Harlem and seeing people engage with my posts as a Social Media Ambassador. Knowing that one of the letters I wrote might cheer someone up, or one of my posts might connect someone in need to the right resources, makes me happy!" Tell us about a meal that is special to you and your family. "Paella is very special to me and my family. It is the most popular dish in Spain and the ingredients can easily be modified for endless variety! Mi mamá taught me to cook authentic paella and we make it together every time I visit my family in Spain." Who inspires you to serve? "The LGBTQ+ community inspires me to serve – help is always given and equality and inclusion are shown to everyone regardless of background, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Reducing hunger for LGBTQ+ and all New Yorkers is reason enough to serve my community!"

Mark Brand’s journey in justice started angry. At least that’s how the social entrepreneur, chef, activist, DJ, and Food Bank culinary council member put it to me on the phone. We were discussing Hunger Action Month and I had asked him how he found his way into the food justice movement. “My journey began in a place of anger, as I think many people’s does,” he explained. “You have this moment where you realize that all of these systems of oppression are at work and you recognize your own role in it. You start to ask: How can I use my unearned privilege to make an impact in fighting these systems?” But for Mark, he wasn’t just seeing these systems from the outside – he'd experienced them first hand in moments of struggle and hunger while growing up in Nova Scotia. He saw how they impacted his friends, family, and neighbors and understood from an early age just how powerful food could be, not only for its ability to sustain the body, but for how it could connect people and nourish their souls. “I was trained by my family to always be in service to others and our community,” he said. “If someone was hungry, the door was always open. There wasn’t a lot, but there was always enough.” Breaking bread like this over his family’s table became transformational for Mark. It inspired the types of conversations that can change a person if they’re willing to listen. Ultimately, sharing resources with people who were different from him allowed Mark to stretch his empathy and widen his perspective. Fast forward a couple decades and Mark now operates five businesses centered on food, music, and community impact. His work extends to neighborhoods all across the United States and Canada and is focused on meeting folks where they’re at, seeing what they need, and using his skills to fill in the gaps. And that’s how he arrived at Food Bank three years ago, ready to slip in like water amongst whatever cracks he saw. “One of the reasons why I serve on the Food Bank culinary council is because I can see myself plugging into the work in so many different ways. How can I support Chef Sheri in the Community Kitchen? How can I show up for our clients in Queens? Food Bank holds two different energies for me. On one hand, I’m so upset that it exists. But on the other hand, Food Bank has these deep, trusted relationships with organizations all across the five boroughs, which allows it to capture and mobilize the spirit of New York City in service of its people.” It’s a community-based approach that aligns with Mark’s desire to get to know people before mobilizing to “help” them, something he enacted with us as grill master at our Father's Day food distribution at Deliverance Baptist Church in Queens this past Juneteenth. “In the food justice space, there’s a lot of one day show up,” he explained. “People will often say, ’I’ll help out during Christmas or on Thanksgiving.’ ‘I’ll go into a neighborhood that is deeply impacted by colonialism, by systems of oppression, and because people accept my food, it’s all good.’ But did you ask what kinds of food they wanted? Did you ask how you could support work that’s already happening in these communities, how you could lend your time and talents to their missions?” These questions can feel intimidating, but navigating them doesn’t have to be. For Mark, it’s all about being open and listening to the people you want to serve. Instead of saying this is what you’re going to do, say this is what I’m thinking of doing. And then be ready to pivot in the moment to meet the actual need. That said, as you’re looking for ways to get involved with our work to fight food insecurity this Hunger Action Month, start with a little research. Get to know us, see what we need. At Food Bank, we make this easy by offering a ton of ways to engage, from volunteer opportunities on the ground to options for giving directly to the programs that nourish our neighbors all across the city. “Decenter yourself,” Mark offered as a bit of closing advice. “To truly be in service, you have to understand the plight of the people you’re trying to be in service to. Before you go to serve someone, see them. There’s nothing better in the world than being seen.” To learn more about Mark and his work to transform the world through food and community, go here. And to figure out your place in our mission to fight hunger across NYC, click here.