Meet the Food Bank Running Team!

Food Bank For New York City is proud to be the charity partner of this year's SHAPE + Health Women’s Half-Marathon, the largest women’s-only half-marathon in the United States. As thousands of women gather to run the Central Park Loop, Food Bank will be using the space to advocate for our "Woman to Woman" campaign, which serves the estimated 1 million women and girls facing poverty in NYC. To help spread the word about this important cause, we've assembled a Food Bank running team packed with some pretty amazing women. Ahead of race day, we thought it'd be fun to connect with our runners and learn a little bit more about why they decided to team up with Food Bank. Read the conversation below! What motivated you to sign up for the women's half-marathon? Latoya Shauntay Snell, host of the "Running Fat Chef" podcast: I signed up for the SHAPE+ Women's Half Marathon and 5.8 Miler because it feels powerful to run alongside other women. We are amazing, resilient, and capable of doing hard things. To be alongside other amazing athletes from different walks of life and moving for their own reasons means a lot to me. Alessandra Simkin, Food Bank Junior Board Member: I am recovering from a pelvic injury that started when I was pregnant three years ago. In the weeks leading up to my due date, I had trouble walking a few city blocks. Even though it took years to start to feel better, the fact that I can even consider running the 5.8 mile Central Park Loop is amazing. When some of my peers on the Junior Board signed up to do it, I decided to join them to honor my own journey and to celebrate the strength and resilience of our bodies. Alexis Teixeira, Food Bank Junior Board Member: I'm game to do close to anything to help support and raise awareness for Food Bank! This specific race happens to be the intersection of many of my passions: amplifying Food Bank, supporting female-focused initiatives, and running in Central Park. Tell us a little bit about your partnership with Food Bank. What inspired you to join our mission to fight hunger for all New Yorkers? Ashley Anderson, Food Bank Junior Board Member: I am so honored to serve on the Food Bank Junior Board. I've had longtime interests in food and supporting women. When I learned about Food Bank's "Woman to Woman" campaign and how Food Bank doesn't just provide food, but also period products, baby essentials, and basic hygiene items, I was inspired to combine my two interests and find a way to get involved. Latoya: My partnership with Food Bank speaks volumes to me. Despite my parents trying their best to ensure that we had all of the essentials we needed growing up, there were some days where I questioned if and when our next meal would come in. Sometimes, we can only see the extremities of poverty and can only visualize a person living on the streets as a person going through food insecurity. Being able to eat without fear of wondering where your next meal is coming from is a human right and shouldn't be viewed as a privilege. We are better people when we don't have to stress about the bare essentials. Olivia Briffault, Food Bank Junior Board Member: I've lived in New York my whole life and have grown up around and with stories of people who can't even afford to put food on the table each day. In my high school, some kids couldn't afford the $2 cafeteria meal plan after commuting 40+ minutes to get to school. Now that I am in a position to help, I want to make sure that every child has the opportunity to eat a full meal and that no parent has to worry about either feeding their child or feeding themselves. How can everyday New Yorkers stand up for the estimated 1 million women and girls facing poverty across the five boroughs? Alessandra: Going through changes as a woman is challenging, and it’s that much more challenging without access to basic essentials like period and hygiene products, diapers, wipes, and more. When it comes down to it, these products are just as important as food, and it’s amazing that the Food Bank provides opportunities for New Yorkers to get involved to ensure women and girls across NYC have access to these essential items. Stepping up to help is as easy as making a donation, starting a fundraiser, or checking out Food Bank’s wish lists. Alexis: Given that over half of all emergency food program participants in NYC are women, this is a critical issue we have an opportunity to make better. Fundraising and donating to Food Bank’s “Women to Woman” campaign is easy and incredibly helpful. If folks are looking for a more tangible way to have an impact, Food Bank has created an amazing resource to enable purchases of personal care products through Amazon here. And finally, what is something you wish people knew about hunger here in New York City? Latoya: I wish more New Yorkers knew how much food waste we contribute to on a daily basis. The amount of food that we regularly toss out could end hunger for a great portion of the population. I ask people to be mindful of how we use it and make it available for the next person. Ashley: I wish people knew how many women and girls face poverty right now in NYC, and how many are forced to choose between putting food on the table and buying period products. A lack of access to period products has a ripple effect, affecting health, school attendance, confidence, and so much more. Olivia: During the pandemic, an estimated 1 in 4 New York City children faced food insecurity. If kids can't eat, how are they supposed to succeed in school, build the skills they need for the future, or even just enjoy time with their friends? We are beyond grateful for all of the amazing runners who will be repping Food Bank at this month's SHAPE + Health Women's Half Marathon (especially all of our awesome Food Bank Junior Board members). To learn more about the big day (and Food Bank's "Woman to Woman" campaign) click this link.

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!

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.