5 Easy Ways to Fight Hunger this Hunger Action Month

This August, we here at Food Bank For New York City are partnering with our friends at HungerMitao to raise money in support of our mission to fight hunger across the five boroughs. To learn more about HungerMitao Month (and how YOU can get involved with this important work) keep on reading below! What is HungerMitao? HungerMitao is a volunteer-driven, grassroots movement focused on raising awareness about hunger in the United States, particularly as it affects members of the Indian American community. For founders Raj G. & Aradhana (Anna) Asava, the movement is as much about eradicating food insecurity as it is about unifying Indian Americans in the fight against hunger. Since its launch three years ago, HungerMitao (which translates to “wipe out hunger”) has raised over 35 million meals for low-income families through the Feeding America network of food banks, including clients we serve right here in NYC. To learn more about how Raj and Anna came up with the idea to start HungerMitao, check out our video interview with them below! Why August? HungerMitao Month is held every August in celebration of India’s Independence (with the official day of Independence falling on August 15). Since the goal of the movement is to engage and unite Indian Americans in the fight against hunger, founders Raj & Anna Asava have found it to be the perfect time to galvanize and activate for change. But this year, the timing of HungerMitao Month has taken on an even deeper and more earnestly felt meaning. The truth is that many Americans are still reeling from the economic fallout of COVID-19. In New York City alone, food insecurity has increased by more than 44 percent due to the pandemic, which means that nearly 1.6 million New Yorkers are currently facing hunger. To help, Raj & Anna are offering a $10,000 challenge match throughout August 31, which means that your participation in the campaign can go twice as far in helping to nourish our neighbors in need. How can you get Involved? Thankfully, it’s easy to get involved in HungerMitao Month. You can either donate directly to our campaign, host an online fundraiser for your community, or help us raise awareness about issues of food insecurity and poverty in New York City. To learn more, click this link.

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.

It’s National Volunteer Month, which means it’s the perfect time to join us in the fight against hunger! Thankfully, there are a ton of ways to get involved, from putting in shifts at a local soup kitchen to advocating for hunger relief on social media. For a little inspiration, check out our guide below, which outlines some easy ways to leverage your talents to combat food insecurity. Join a Virtual Service Event Though not all onsite volunteer opportunities are back up and running yet, there are still a number of ways to get involved with hunger relief virtually. In fact, many organizations like ours have been holding virtual volunteer events throughout the pandemic to connect folks and galvanize for action. Click here to join Food Bank’s next virtual service event on 4/21! Support a Local Pantry When giving back, it’s always best to keep things local. So, use our Food Finder Map to locate one of our member food pantries or soup kitchens in your neighborhood that you can support. It’s a great way to fight hunger and show up for the folks in your neck of the woods. Write a Letter to a New Yorker in Need During challenging times, a kind note can make a huge impact in someone’s life. While we're not currently accepting onsite volunteer assistance at our Community Kitchen, our “Dear New York” program allows you to interact with our clients in a safe, socially distant way. Simply write a letter and we’ll slip it into one of our to-go pantry bags. To get started, check out our “Dear New York” toolkit. Use Social Media An easy way to make a difference in the fight against hunger is to get the word out on social media. Our Social Media Ambassador Program encourages volunteers to use their platforms to educate people on our mission and the state of food insecurity in NYC. As we’ve seen throughout 2020, social media has transformed into a lifeline for folks looking to start important conversations and share resources. Go on a Food Rescue Mission There are many restaurants, cafés, and grocery stores that throw away perfectly good food at the end of the business day, either because it’s not shelf-stable or because it’s company policy. As you can imagine, this creates a huge surplus of food that’s completely going to waste. To help save these resources and redistribute them to organizations that can use them, consider going on a food rescue mission! Groups like Food Rescue US can help you come up with your rescue plan. Advocate for Hunger Relief There’s never been a better time to advocate for hunger relief at the federal level. President Biden has made it clear that combatting food insecurity is a major priority for his administration, which presents a great opportunity for you to use your voice to impact national policy. Join our action team to send letters to your members of Congress in support of legislation that expands food assistance nationwide.