What to Donate to a Food Bank... and What to Avoid

In honor of Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, we are celebrating Food Bank member agencies that uplift and serve AAPI New Yorkers. One of these agencies is the MUNA Social Services, a Bangladeshi-run organization that operates out of East New York and provides culturally-relevant food and educational programming. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit New York City in 2020, MUNA saw an urgent need for fresh food in the East New York community and sprang into action, pooling together resources and getting creative to buy groceries and distribute them to neighbors in need. Sometimes, MUNA even called upon local cab drivers to deliver food safely through contactless drop-offs – a clever solution during a time when many drivers saw a decline in riders. MUNA's weekly distributions are lively and bustling. As the need grew, MUNA knew it had to scale up its efforts. That's when it turned to Food Bank For New York City for support. Since then, MUNA and Food Bank have collaborated to host weekly food distributions outside of a local mosque, providing a lifeline to the Bengali community in East New York. These distributions offer a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables from Food Bank. And because 80% of MUNA's clients are Muslim, MUNA goes the extra mile to provide Halal meats whenever available – an expensive but essential staple in Bengali cooking. MUNA’s distributions often last for 5 hours and can serve over 100 people per hour! Food Bank provides MUNA with fresh produce so that New Yorkers can cook according to their own cultural traditions. But MUNA didn't stop there. Recognizing the high demand for food in its community, it increased its distributions and scaled up to offer extra support on weekends. MUNA also operates food pantries in Delaware and New Jersey, ensuring that other American-Bengali communities have access to the food they need to thrive. Dr. Kabir and Mr. Haq reflect on their work at MUNA. Dr. Jahangir M. Kabir, Director of Communication and Operations at MUNA, reflects on his organization’s work: "We are a very loving community. We welcome everybody and anybody; they can come anytime. Our mosque is open. We have the same dreams and hopes like everybody else, the same problems and challenges as everybody else." MUNA's team of volunteers is dedicated and hard working. For more on how MUNA innovates to nourish its community, watch the video below... At Food Bank, we're honored to support organizations like MUNA that go above and beyond to serve their neighbors. Together, we're working to empower every New Yorker to achieve food security for good. Click here to learn more about and support these vital organizations.

September is Hunger Action Month, a time for all of us to stand up and fight back against food insecurity in the United States. First established by Feeding America in 2008, this month is focused not only on raising awareness about the persistent and growing hunger crisis in our country, but on mobilizing that awareness into action. To learn more about the significance of Hunger Action Month to the work we do here at Food Bank, I spoke with Food Bank For New York City President & CEO Leslie Gordon. She shared invaluable insights into the importance of the month and offered advice for how to stay engaged in the fight against hunger all year long. Take a peek at our conversation below! Why is Hunger Action Month such a great time to get involved with the work we do here at Food Bank? Hunger Action Month is all about raising awareness about food insecurity in the United States, so it’s a great time to engage with organizations like ours that make it our mission to fight hunger all year long. At Food Bank, we provide a ton of different ways to get involved throughout the month, from volunteer opportunities on the ground to options for giving directly to the programs that nourish our neighbors all across the city. Click here to check out some of these easy actions! It’s often said that food alone can’t end hunger. How does Food Bank address the different issues that can impact someone’s ability to access healthy food? At Food Bank, we take the long approach to fighting hunger. That’s why we not only provide reliable access to food today through our member network of over 800 soup kitchens and food pantries across the five boroughs, but also equip our clients with the tools they need to achieve stability into tomorrow and beyond. By pairing food assistance with things like free tax filing prep and financial empowerment workshops, we’re able to address both the surface issue of hunger and its root. What does Food Bank’s Hunger Action Month theme “One Mission. Five Boroughs. Feed All” mean to you? How do we make sure we’re serving as many New Yorkers as we can? For me, this slogan means that we won’t rest until food insecurity is wiped out from every corner of our city. That’s why we partner with and power over 800 community-based organizations across the five boroughs that are able to meet the unique hunger needs of their neighbors. Our Mobile Pantry Program also allows us to take food and other resources directly into the communities that need us most. What’s the impact that a gift or donation can make on our work? Our work wouldn’t be possible without our amazing community of supporters. Their generosity is what enables us to reach the 1.6 million New Yorkers currently facing food insecurity. Each gift allows us to get more food to more people and innovate new ways to nourish, dignify, and empower our neighbors. If it takes a village to fight hunger, our supporters are that village, inspiring us to do more every day. Donate here. How can people continue to fight food insecurity beyond Hunger Action Month? I think the biggest thing to remember is that we’re all one meal, one paycheck, one moment away from experiencing hunger ourselves. Food insecurity isn’t an abstract concept – it exists everywhere, and could very well affect you or someone you love. That’s why the fight is so vital and why it must be fought all year long. So, give generously to hunger relief organizations that inspire you. Offer your time and services to a local food pantry. Follow organizations like ours on social media and share the content we create. If we all engaged with this issue beyond Hunger Action Month, just imagine the things we could do. To find your place in our mission this Hunger Action Month, click here.

From October 14 - 17, the Food Network & Cooking Channel New York City Wine & Food Festival offers attendees the chance to enjoy over 60 events and workshops hosted by the world's most renowned culinary personalities. But what's really fantastic about the festival is that 100% of the net proceeds go right back to fighting food insecurity in NYC, specifically in support of us here at Food Bank and God's Love We Deliver. Another cool thing about the festival? It's powered almost entirely by volunteers! That's right, New Yorkers just like you make this one of the most impactful anti-hunger events of the year, working closely with us and Food Network celebrities to pull off this extra special weekend. Want to sign up to be a volunteer with us on the ground? Register here! And if you'd like to hear from some of our past volunteers, keep on reading below. They share what the experience is like and why they return to NYCWFF year after year. What is your favorite thing about volunteering with Food Bank at NYCWFF? Chef Tianna Lawrence: As a DOP (Dope Ol' Person), I never tire of learning. The youngsters have a lot to learn, but they also have a lot to teach. I come away each year with a new recipe, new skill, or a fresh new way to do something I’ve done all the time. Chef Carol Koty: As someone blessed to be surrounded by food every single day, it breaks my heart that there is anyone going hungry. This one weekend of hard work (and a ton of fun!) raises so much money to not only help those that are homeless, but those with jobs that are struggling with the decision to make rent or put food on the table. Our help allows Food Bank to make that decision easier for those families. Why did you decide to return as a NYCWFF volunteer in 2021? Chef Carol Koty: NYCWFF is one event that I look forward to being a part of every year. I have been volunteering since 2013, and I plan to continue to make NYCWFF a priority in my life for many years to come. Emil Gomez: I had so much fun last time that I wanted to experience all of it again. Chef Tianna Lawrence: My mother (who passed away this past year) drummed into my head that no matter how bad your situation might be at the moment, there is someone who has it worse. Never forget that and use what you love to help others. This pandemic has taken a lot. Friends, family, and coworkers. But I’m here for another year with this great organization. What’s the most exciting part of getting to volunteer on the ground at NYCWFF? Any fun celebrity stories or sightings? Emil Gomez: I was wandering around a venue once when an event was about to end. I then came face to face with Ted Allen. We talked about "Chopped," of course! Chef Carol Koty: One of my favorite memories from 2019 - Alex Guarnaschelli's restaurant was serving food at one of the pier events where she was also headlining as a celebrity. Before the event started, I was walking by her restaurant's kitchen station. She stopped me, gave me a sample of the dish, and asked me if I thought it needed more sauce. An "Iron Chef" and "Chopped" judge wanted my opinion! I was on cloud nine. Chef Tianna Lawrence: Back in 2018, Anne Burrell was a volunteer for a "Chopped" event. We were so surprised. She told us, 'I’m just like you, tell me what needs to be done to set up.' Man, that women could chop onions faster than anyone I’ve ever seen. We worked, but watched everything she did. She was a hoot and we had a ball! What would you say to someone who’s on the fence about whether or not to sign up as a NYCWFF volunteer? Chef Tianna Lawrence: For those who aren’t sure, try out one or two events. It’s for a great cause and you’ll walk away knowing you’ve given back to your neighbors in need. Chef Carol Koty: If you are on the fence about volunteering, find a friend to volunteer with you! That way, you'll automatically know someone participating, and you can experience it together. We're beyond grateful for all the folks that make NYCWFF such a phenomenal experience. As a reminder, the festival is running from October 14 - 17, so there is still time to register as a volunteer. Take a peek at our full schedule of available shifts.