A Field Trip with our Food Bank Seniors

Elizabeth Romano is the Senior Director of Operations at Food Bank For New York City's Warehouse & Distribution Center in the Bronx. Each day, she shows up early and leaves late to make sure life-changing produce, hygiene products, and shelf-stable goods reach the homes of those who need them most. Help us get period products, hygiene essentials, and childcare resources to women and girls in need! Elizabeth Romano at Food Bank's Warehouse & Distribution Center in the Bronx. When Liz was growing up with five siblings in the Bronx, that home was her own, and she recalls waiting on long pantry lines with her mother to get food for their family. But at the time, she didn't even realize that's what they were doing, as the pantry workers always treated them with such warmth, dignity, and respect. Elizabeth with her younger siblings. Now, Liz gets to return that energy right back to the city she loves. "At the end of the night, I know that our work helped feed somebody today," she told us. "Our donors help any sibling that has to go out and stand in a pantry line with their parent... it can be anything that changes your life." Hit play and meet Liz below: Join us in celebrating the women we serve and those who power our mission every day at this link. Together, we can make progress on a more hopeful, dignified, and equitable future for ALL.

Food Bank For New York City sent three representatives to the inaugural Elevating Voices: Power Summit in Washington, D.C. earlier this month. Funded and hosted by Feeding America, the Power Summit is an extension of Feeding America’s effort to bring Americans with lived experience of food insecurity to the historic White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health in October 2022, the first of its kind in over fifty years. Spanning two days, the Summit gathered nearly 100 anti-hunger champions from across the country to forge community with each other and share their stories with key federal decision-makers, including the USDA, ahead of the 2023 reauthorization of the Farm Bill. Hunger fighters gathered at this year's Elevating Voices: Power Summit in D.C. And this is what sets this Power Summit apart – its unique positionality as being developed for and by individuals with lived experience of food insecurity, with the aim to not only center, but also to listen to and amplify the voices of individuals who feel the impacts of hunger every day. Erica Astacio, Power Summit advisory committee member, said, “nothing for us, without us. We deserve a seat at the table, and when that doesn’t happen, we need to create our own table.” Create their own table they did, with Will McIntee, Senior Advisor for Public Engagement, White House Office of Public Engagement, a guest at the Power Summit, remarking, “It’s humbling to stand in front of a room with so much power. We look forward to joining you at your tables for this conversation and learning more from you.” Jeannette Joseph-Greenaway (Executive Director of Agatha House, a Food Bank member agency in the Bronx) with New York Congressman Marc Molinaro, NY-19. We applaud Feeding America for creating a space for these important discussions. At Food Bank For New York City, we believe every person has a power that’s theirs and theirs alone—to see and realize possibility in every new day, to fight and overcome adversity with dignity. A huge thanks to Jeannette Joseph-Greenaway (Agatha House in the Bronx), Evelyn Viera (Life Together Works NYC), and Katherin Morales (Catholic Charities NY) for representing our Food Bank member network at this historic event!

On Thursday, Aug. 3, Food Bank For New York City celebrated the graduation of 20 member agencies from its third annual Masterclass cohort on Thursday at Penn 1. This marked the first in-person gathering of its kind since the start of the pandemic. Graduates included organizations like Agatha House Foundation, Christ Abundant Life Ministries, La Jornada NY Food Pantry, and many more. Our Masterclass cohort smiles for the camera as they are celebrated in our third annual graduation ceremony. The Masterclass series aims to empower leaders that reflect the diversity of New York City with the resources and tools they need to overcome unique challenges and scale their program’s impact across the five boroughs. It contains five key modules on Advocacy, Fundraising, Leadership, Sustainability, and Project Management, with plans to launch a sixth Marketing component next February. Over the past three years, 35 organizations have completed the Masterclass, and next year’s cohort is set to double in size. It was recently recognized for excellence in community building by Feeding America and is supported by our friends at Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS). The Masterclass graduates watch as their colleagues are awarded their diplomas on stage. Leslie Gordon, President and CEO of Food Bank, kicked off the event by acknowledging the remarkable achievements of our agency partners. “You’re special. What you do every day is powerful and it's magic,” Leslie said. Leslie Gordon, CEO of Food Bank For New York City, addresses this year's graduating class. Victor Bell, Director of Marketing and Sales at BCBS, highlighted the company's commitment to supporting the community. Their partnership with Food Bank For NYC has provided crucial resources and volunteers in the fight to end hunger. Victor Bell, Blue Cross Blue Shield elaborates on the health implications of hunger, and the importance of volunteering. The event also featured moving testimonies from Pastor Lara Emmanuel of Christ Abundant Life Ministries, who initiated the CALM food pantry to protect school children from predatory gang members. Today, her organization feeds 20,000 community members yearly, thanks to the knowledge and resources acquired through her partnership with Food Bank and the Masterclass program. Pastor Lara Emmanuel shares how the Masterclass program helped her and her organization, Christ Abundant Life Ministries better serve the community. Another success story is Jeanette Joseph-Greenaway, founder of Agatha House Foundation, who used the Masterclass to build new partnerships and scaled her program to meet the growing need for food support both during and after the pandemic. These stories are a testament to the power of knowledge and collaboration in scaling our impact across NYC. Jeanette Joseph-Greenway, founder of Agatha House Foundation, shares how she feeds New Yorkers in need during and after the pandemic. The room erupted in applause as each graduate stepped on stage to receive their diplomas. Armed with knowledge, resources, and newfound partnerships, these extraordinary leaders help advance our shared mission to end hunger and create a better future for all New Yorkers. They are the heart and soul of Food Bank for New York City, and their unwavering dedication to service makes them true heroes in every sense of the word. Zanita Tisdale, Vice President of Agency and Organizational Impact, congratulates a recent graduate in a warm embrace.