Building Community at the Food Bank Bronx Borough Chat

Food Bank For New York City provides food and other resources to a network of over 800 food pantries, campus pantries, soup kitchens, and healthcare partners across the five boroughs. To facilitate learning, dialogue, problem-solving, and creative brainstorming within our network, we regularly host “Borough Chats,” which bring together Food Bank Members of the same borough to talk about issues impacting their communities. Follow us to Woodside, Queens, to the picturesque church, La Jornada, a long-standing Food Bank member, where our recent borough chat took place. The event brought together 26 staff and volunteers from over 20 food pantries and soup kitchen programs, providing a valuable platform to network, learn, and connect on shared experiences. The beautiful La Jornda in Queens. Our Borough Chats exemplify Food Bank's commitment to empowering our member agencies by facilitating meaningful dialogue and collaboration. By bringing together key stakeholders to discuss critical issues, we aim to inspire action and improve client experiences to empower New Yorkers achieve food security for good. The Queens Borough Chat kicked off with an insightful panel discussion featuring Swami Das from The River Fund New York, Virginia Tucker from One Way Church of Christ Food Pantry, and Food Bank staff member Samantha Burgos. The panelists shared their expertise on topics such as improving neighborhood interactions during distributions, the importance of being a client choice program, and best practices for utilizing volunteers. To address a critical issue for our Queens members, how to best serve New York's newly arrived neighbors seeking asylum, Molly Schaeffer from the NYC Mayor's Office of Asylum Seeker Operations provided an overview of the city's latest support initiatives. Food Bank staff member Maria Meyer then offered important health strategies Queens members could infuse into their programming. The event concluded with insights from Andre Mack of Bank of America, who shared his expertise on achieving outstanding client engagement. Borough-by-borough, Food Bank is helping our members to empower every New Yorker to achieve food security for good. Queens Food Bank members gathered at La Jornda to collaborate. We want to extend a special thank you to our host, La Jornada, for generously hosting the event and to our participants for making this special day possible. Spotlight on La Jornada La Jornada is a shining example of the incredible work our member agencies do every day. Serving approximately 25,000 people each month in some of the most ethnically diverse neighborhoods in New York City – Woodside, Jackson Heights, and Elmhurst – La Jornada operates a robust food pantry and mobile pantry program. But its support doesn't stop there. La Jornada also offers migration assistance, health services, and educational programs covering ESL, literacy, nutrition, and personal finance, demonstrating a holistic approach to empowering its community. Visit foodbanknyc.org to learn more about our mission to empower every New Yorker to achieve food security for good.

Food Bank For New York City provides food and other resources to a network of over 800 food pantries, campus pantries, soup kitchens, and healthcare partners across the five boroughs. To facilitate learning, dialogue, problem-solving, and creative brainstorming within our network, we regularly host “Borough Chats,” which bring together Food Bank Members of the same borough to talk about issues impacting their communities. Take a step inside this year’s first Food Bank Borough Chat, hosted by longtime Food Bank member agency Bethany United Methodist Church in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Brooklyn Representatives at Bethany United Methodist Church for Food Bank's borough chat. Over 35 representatives from our Brooklyn member agencies showed up on February 7 to discuss community needs across Brooklyn. Attendees heard from Food Bank staff, the Academy at Bank of America, and the Interim Director of the Mayor’s Office of Asylum Seekers. The conversation was warm and productive as network leaders strategized about ways to improve client interactions during food distributions, best practices in recruiting and keeping volunteers, and how to serve the needs of asylum seekers in New York City. Attendees review map of Food Bank member agencies in Brooklyn. The chat was a major success, made possible by our gracious hosts at Bethany United Methodist Church, a Food Bank Member since the 1990s! We are proud to support the work they do to empower every New Yorker to achieve food security for good. More About Bethany United Methodist Church Located on St. Johns Place, Bethany United Methodist Church has worked to fight food insecurity in Crown Heights for over thirty-five years, operating a soup kitchen that distributes nearly 1,000 meals a month. This Food Bank member agency also provides coats in the winter and backpacks for school-aged children. To support this work, Food Bank provided Bethany UMC with two double-door freezers to increase capacity in its kitchen. This extra capital support has helped the agency to expand operations, boost production, and serve more nutritious food to its community. Member Spotlight: Amanda Wesley, Executive Director of Bethany UMC’s feeding program. Ms. Wesley has been volunteering at the program for 25 years. She believes that the rising cost of food is one of the most pressing issues when it comes to food insecurity in New York City. Over the past year, she’s seen the program’s line getting longer and longer with some community members visiting during their lunch breaks to help offset food costs. She is enthusiastic about her work at the soup kitchen and loves receiving compliments about the food... a client once told her that the soup kitchen has the best food in Crown Heights! Food Bank is thrilled to offer engagement opportunities to its members across the five boroughs and to cheer on leaders like Ms. Wesley who are making a difference in their communities each day. Participant Violet poses with Amanda, the Executive Director of Bethany United Methodist Church’s feeding program. Visit foodbanknyc.org to learn more about our mission to empower every New Yorker to achieve food security for good.

Published August 24, 2023 Earlier this week, we were thrilled to welcome fitness guru Isaac Boots, entertainment mogul Charlamagne tha God, and Saturday Night Live star Kenan Thompson to our Community Kitchen & Food Pantry in West Harlem! The trio chatted with Food Bank For New York City staff, learned about our mission to empower every New Yorker to achieve food security for good, and even got to meet some of the community members we proudly serve. Learn more about their visit below! Isaac Boots packing food in Food Bank For New York City's Community Kitchen. Kenan arrived first, meeting Food Bank's Culinary Manager Sheri Jefferson and Community Kitchen Director Sultana Ocasio. The three discussed the ins and outs of service at our kitchen, providing both a brief overview of our mission and a tour of our facilities. Chef Sheri then presented Kenan with a box of her world-famous Chocolate Chip Cookies. Kenan Thompson receiving a box of homemade cookies from Chef Sheri. After introductions were made, Kenan got to work serving lunch to our Food Bank seniors. They were as delighted to meet him as he was to meet them, and the beloved SNL star made a point to stop and chat with all those enjoying meal service that day. Kenan Thompson serving seniors at Food Bank For New York City's Community Kitchen. Afterwards, celebrity fitness trainer and humanitarian Isaac Boots came through with a group of his friends. They got to work immediately, heading to the kitchen to pack bags for senior meal service. Later, they participated in our pantry distribution, which serves hundreds of New Yorkers each day. Isaac himself struggled with food insecurity when he was younger, so was proud to give back to the community alongside his dear friends. "I’m here today to take care of the city I love because it took care of me," said Isaac of his experience serving with Food Bank. "Growing up on food stamps, I live a very different life now but I can never forget that. It's amazing to bring my friends here today and share our gratitude with all of you for everything you do for New York City." Isaac Boots serving at our daily pantry distribution. Near the end of the day, Charlamagne visited the kitchen to liaise with Food Bank staff and get a bird's eye view of our mission. Committed to using his platform for good, he wanted to learn more about what we do so that he could help us reach more and more New Yorkers. Charlamagne tha God posing with Food Bank Staff. A huge thanks to Isaac Boots, Charlamagne tha God, and Kenan Thompson for visiting our Community Kitchen & Food Pantry in West Harlem. We look forward to seeing you again and know our neighbors loved meeting you! See how you can make a difference like Isaac, Charlamagne, and Kenan by checking out our current volunteer opportunities at https://volunteer.foodbanknyc.org/.