Volunteer Profile: Javier Gonzalez

Volunteer Profile: Anna Lynn Oppenheimer Anna Lynn (pictured center) started volunteering with Food Bank in March 2022 and has since become a regular volunteer at our Community Kitchen & Pantry, serving over 20 hours! Why is Food Bank’s mission important to you? "I am passionate about ending hunger in New York City. I strongly believe that access to healthy food is a fundamental human right and I admire the innovative ways that Food Bank works to provide New Yorkers with access to food and other important services and resources to help alleviate poverty." What was your most memorable moment while serving with Food Bank? "I was fortunate to be a volunteer the first day that the Community Kitchen was able to welcome volunteers again. It was inspiring to see Food Bank in action helping New Yorkers and also to meet the dedicated staff who had been courageously working on the front lines throughout the pandemic." Tell us about a meal that is special to you and your family. "I have been in New York for nearly 30 years, but as a Louisiana native, I love cooking, eating, and sharing a big pot of gumbo with family and friends. We even named our puppy “Gumbo,” in honor of our favorite meal. " Who inspires you to serve? "I am inspired by my fellow New Yorkers, those who are in need of some sort of assistance and those who are able to lend a hand to help others. We are fortunate to live together in this amazing, if complex, city and anything we can do to lift one another up benefits us all."

Volunteer Profile: Paul Adamsbaum Paul Adamsbaum has served as a volunteer at our Community Kitchen & Food Pantry in West Harlem since 2017. Why is Food Bank’s mission important to you? "I grew up in the city and know that many of its citizens face challenges every day. Food Bank gives me the chance to help people overcome some of those challenges on a very personal level." What was your most memorable moment while serving with Food Bank? "Whether it was serving breakfast to seniors pre-COVID, or helping at the Grab-and-Go Pantry distributions, I was always warmed by how appreciative everyone I came in contact with was." Tell us about a meal that is special to you and your family. "For me and my wife, it's Sunday morning bagels and lox breakfast, while sitting in front of the TV watching CBS Sunday Morning and reading the Sunday New York Times." Who inspires you to serve? "My parents who, when I was growing up in Queens, instilled in me the value of helping others regardless of what rung of society's ladder we happen to occupy."

Volunteer Profile: Lee Brown Lee Brown (pictured left) is a longtime Food Bank volunteer and has served over 1,000 hours with us. Lee is a familiar face at our Community Kitchen & Food Pantry and we were thrilled to recently welcome him back to in-person volunteering after a two-year pause! Why is Food Bank’s mission important to you? "Food Bank helps a lot of people in the community that are going through hard times. Sometimes it's not just food, but other things like helping enroll in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps). They also have programming for seniors as well." What was your most memorable moment while serving with Food Bank? "When the NFL players from the New York Jets and Giants came to the Community Kitchen to give out turkeys and hams to the community. " Tell us about a meal that is special to you and your family. "The Thanksgiving meal or the holiday when they have a special guest." Who inspires you to serve? "The staff here are great and, no matter what, always have smiles on their faces. That’s what inspires me to serve."