Our blog readers are accustomed to hearing about the many events and campaigns that benefit the Food Bank For New York City and help us fight hunger and food poverty in our city. While our bloggers will continue writing about our experiences with these important efforts, we also wanted to start letting our readers know about upcoming events and campaign that you can participate in, playing an important role in raising funds and awareness for the fight to end hunger and food poverty throughout the five boroughs.

So read below for a selection of upcoming events and campaigns — and don't forget to mark your calendars!

Labor Day Food, Wine & Rejuvenation Weekend When: September 3, 2010 – September 6, 2010 Location: Good Commons Plymouth, VT You still have time to reserve a spot for this great weekend retreat benefiting the Food Bank — act fast! Kick back and fight hunger with Good Commons at their Labor Day Food, Wine & Rejuvenation Weekend, September 3 - 6, 2010. Tickets include round trip transportation from NYC, two private chefs, 4-course dinners with wine pairings, on-site mixologist & beverage expert, outdoor excursions and more! Book your tickets today and enjoy a weekend of fun and indulgence all while helping the Food Bank! A portion of the proceeds from this weekend will benefit the Food Bank.

Feed Your Soul When: September 19, 2010 Location: New York City Feed your soul and hungry New Yorkers! On Sunday, September 19, dine at offManhattan's favorite green restaurants — including Rose Water, Brooklyn Farmacy and iCi — and 10 percent of the day's gross proceeds will go to the Food Bank. Check out the list of participating restaurants and make your reservations today!

2010 NYC Dumpling Festival When: September 25, 2010 Location: Sara D. Roosevelt Park on E. Houston Street Celebrate all things dumpling at the Dumpling Festival! Proceeds from the event will benefit the Food Bank For New York City. Taste dumplings from around the world and from restaurants around the city and watch the dumpling eating contest!  Read our blog post on the 2009 Dumpling Festival.

Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival When: October 7, 2010 – October 10, 2010 Presented by Food & Wine and Travel + Leisure magazines, the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival is the biggest culinary event in the big apple! The festival's all-star lineup has included Bobby Flay, Rachael Ray, Guy Fieri, Giada De Laurentiis and many more conducting culinary demonstrations, discussion panels, book signings and special tasting events. Visit nycwineandfoodfestival.com for the latest updates. Benefiting the Food Bank For New York City and Share Our Strength, 100 percent of the net proceeds benefit hunger relief. Tickets on sale now! Read our blog post on the 2009 Food Network NYC Wine & Food Festival.

Check out the Food Bank's Events & Campaigns and Ongoing Campaigns Calendars for more ways to help fight hunger in New York City.

by Krystine Keeler

This past February, the Food Bank began a partnership with CUNY Prep — a New York City transitional high school that offers out-of-school youth an opportunity for full-time study for the purposes of re-entering high school or qualifying for admission to college by obtaining a GED. At the school, Science Teacher & Assistant to the Director for Green Education & Initiatives Edwin Alexander spends much of his time running an internship program, the purpose of which is to help CUNY Prep students enter the work force. This is where the Food Bank comes in.

Bianca Rodriguez, Student, CUNY Prep “I’m doing a volunteer internship at the Community Kitchen. Serving food here, I’ve learned to be more grateful for everything I have. It’s my first work experience too!”

By placing CUNY Prep interns at our Community Kitchen & Food Pantry of West Harlem, students are able to experience an environment where they can learn skills and habits that they will be able to take out into the working world. Securing a good career is part of the CUNY Prep mission, the internship program is a step in that direction.

To learn more about this great school and internship program, here is a short interview with Edwin Alexander:

What do you hope your interns will learn through their experiences at the Community Kitchen?
Our interns will learn to develop a positive work ethic and adhere to the principals which are present and ever so important to possess in the work place.

This is the second time you have had interns placed at the Community Kitchen. What were some of the reasons you chose to maintain your relationship with us?
The professionalism of the entire staff, the wonderful experiences in which my students have shared with me about the Food Bank For New York City and the constant conversations Ms. Keeler and I shared in regards to my interns’ work ethics, time sheets and professional opportunities.

What have your interns communicated to you about their Community Kitchen experiences that you believe they may not have gained had they not been interning?
My interns have communicated to me that they gained a better sense of self and appreciation for what they possess. Furthermore, they expressed how great it feels to work in the pantry and kitchen.

Part of your wish for your interns is that they learn to value and respect employment, with all of the risks and rewards inherent to having a job. Do you believe that they are learning to value employment and become responsible employees?
Yes, I do. I do also believe that they need more training and workshops on my end, which would stress the importance of a healthy work environment and positive work ethics. Furthermore, I believe that students need to continue to develop and work on being better employees.

by Astrid Spota

New York City’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to 9.4 percent in July, the State Department of Labor has reported. This decrease from last year’s peak of 10.5 percent marks the seventh straight month of declining unemployment in the city, with job gains in financial services, professional and business fields and leisure and hospitality.

But unfortunately, these figures don’t tell the whole story. As a recent study by the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University illustrates, lower-income households are more likely to experience unemployment than higher-income households. This study found that the unemployment rate for households earning $12,499 or less was 30.8 percent, almost 10 times that of households earning $150,000 or more (3.2 percent).

Furthermore, unemployment calculations don’t include job-seekers who have stopped looking for a job because they can’t find work, or underemployed individuals who accepted a part-time position to make ends meet. So the economic situation may actually be worse than reported.

And while the gradual uptick in employment has caused some economists to be cautiously optimistic, the unemployment rate doubled from 4.7 to 9.4 percent between the start of the recession in December 2007 and July 2010 (see chart below).

In these tough economic times, the Food Bank is working to strengthen the safety net that is so essential for New Yorkers affected by the recession. Our network of food pantries and soup kitchens provides food for low-income people of all ages in all five boroughs; our Tax Assistance Program helps secure millions of dollars in refunds to stretch budgets and boost the local economy; and our food stamp programs help enroll New Yorkers in this important federal benefit.

There is a long road ahead before the jobless rate returns to pre-recession levels. And with your support, the Food Bank will be there to help New Yorkers make it through.

by Sasha Ginnetti

Mozzarella. Sarsaparilla. Matelote. Ingredients for CookShop’s weirdest new recipe? Think consonants, not comestibles — these food words and many more were on the menu for some of America’s brightest youth at the 2010 Scripps National Spelling Bee this year.

Eater.com picked their favorite word from the Spelling Bee list, and we’d have to agree: Borborygmus, "the gurgling, rumbling or growling noise from the abdomen caused by the muscular contractions of peristalsis, the process that moves the contents of the stomach and intestines downward," a.k.a. tummy grumbling. To battle the borby… blorbo… borgyb… the tummy grumbles, why not whip up one of the delicious and easy-to-prepare snack recipes, like Apple Dippers, that students learn in CookShop, our nutrition education program?

Students in CookShop don’t just learn new recipes for healthy, affordable foods — they also learn things like the science behind what makes certain foods healthy, the math that goes into measuring out a recipe and a whole host of new vocabulary words to describe their food experiences.

You can learn new food words too! Check out the official Scripps list of food words from this year’s National Spelling Bee. Oh, and let us know if that Mozzarella Sarsaparilla Matelote soufflé is easier to make than it is to spell.

 

Apple Dippers

by Caitlin Buckley

Rebecca is the mother of a newborn baby, and her husband is in graduate school — money is tight, so she applied for food stamps (also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP) through the Food Bank For New York City. The extra money for groceries relieves her anxiety. “It helped our food budget,” she says.

The Food Bank provides and supports application assistance for many people like Rebecca — more than 26,000 households last year. We have increased the number of Food Bank–run community sites with electronic application submission and helped correct a statewide system error that limited eligibility for some families.

With approximately 1.4 million people relying on soup kitchens and food pantries in our city, access to the federal Food Stamp Program is essential to relieving the emergency food system and supporting low-income New Yorkers. Enrollment is on the rise: 1.7 million New York City residents participate, up 49 percent since the start of the recession in December 2007. Yet proposals have passed the Senate, and are now under review in the House of Representatives, to cut funds from the Food Stamp Program to help pay for other services — use our advocacy alert to tell your legislators to take food stamp cuts off the table today!

In addition to defeating this proposal, the Food Bank’s goal is to increase enrollment until all eligible New Yorkers are accessing the benefits they need. According to a Food Research and Action Center report, there are approximately 420,000 New York City residents who are eligible for SNAP but not enrolled — a loss of more than $270 million in unclaimed federal benefits.

The Food Bank works with its approximately 1,000 member programs to ensure access to this key resource. Our efforts include increasing awareness and fostering a positive perception of food stamps through media campaigns and outreach; one-on-one application assistance and advocacy services at more than 200 community sites and via our food stamp hotline; training for our members and other partners to engage their communities and boost participation; and working with city and state partners to make it easier for eligible New Yorkers to enroll.

Originally featured in Food For Thought Summer 2010, the Food Bank’s print newsletter.

Dear Friends,

Right now, 1.7 million New Yorkers are using food stamps to help make ends meet. Their incomes have been decimated by job losses and rising costs, and food stamps supplement stretched budgets, putting food on the table for children, seniors and other vulnerable populations.

At the Food Bank, we recognize that federal benefits like food stamps are a key piece of the hunger safety net, and it is critical that we do everything we can to connect low-income New Yorkers to the program. That’s why income support is an integral part of our mission, and why we work with our network to raise awareness of food stamps and help eligible households apply. As people reach out for help in increasing numbers, we’re ensuring that they are offered a full range of services.

And with proposals to cut funds from the Food Stamp Program to pay for other services currently under review in Congress, we need your help. Please contact your legislators today to ask them to protect this essential program!

I am grateful to know that despite the staggering levels of need we face, struggling families and individuals can find compassion and respect at food assistance organizations all over the city. Rabbi Shaul Shimon Deutsch, of Food Bank network member Oneg Shabbos, puts it best, saying, “Numbers are important, but what’s more important is that every number has a face.”

We encourage all of our supporters to put a face to these numbers by volunteering at one of the approximately 1,000 food assistance programs in our citywide network and meeting some of the wonderful people they serve. You can also “meet” some of these New Yorkers right now — including Jeff, who has had trouble finding work since an injury and whose kids actually get excited over broccoli — by reading our online Meet the People We Help stories.

Thank you so much for helping us fight hunger — every one of our supporters is making a difference for low-income New Yorkers. And there are so many ways to help the Food Bank: make a one-time or monthly gift, volunteer or buy tickets for the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival. Your dedication is truly appreciated.

Sincerely,
Lucy Cabrera, Ph.D., CAE
President and CEO

by Sasha Ginnetti

During the hot summer, cooking over a hot stove may not seem appealing. Many people may be tempted to stay out of the kitchen altogether and turn to easy alternatives, like pizza, fast food or ice cream.

But there’s a better way to beat the heat and still eat a healthy, satisfying, affordable meal or snack: just be prepared with an inventory of healthy, cold food options. Through CookShop, the Food Bank’s nutrition education program for public elementary school students, parents and caregivers, and teens, participants learn to prepare a whole host of heat-free recipes that are nutritious and delicious, like this Rainbow Salsa. Enjoy!

Rainbow Salsa
(Serves 8 to 10 people)

p.s. Rainbow Salsa and Broccoli & Cauliflower Quesadillas are just the first of many recipes that the Food Bank will post on Bank on It! Check out the new Recipe category in the Archives menu to your right — and subscribe to our blog today to make sure you don’t miss any great recipes!

by Daniel Buckley

I can’t believe how lucky I am. I feel incredibly gratified knowing that the work I do every day helps the 1 in 5 New Yorkers who rely on the Food Bank. On top of that, I have regular opportunities to attend and help at great events benefitting the Food Bank as a volunteer and a representative of the organization — from the recent NYC Food Film Festival to the upcoming Food Network NYC Wine & Food Festival.

But the most recent event I attended may just take the cake. When Morton’s Steak House was planning their first-ever NYPD vs. FDNY Grill Off, they decided to include the Food Bank as a beneficiary. And when they requested a Food Bank representative who could make a statement, sharing a stage with the ubiquitous Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and NY Jets Linebacker Jamaal Westerman, as well as speak to the press about hunger in our city and the Food Bank’s role at the grill off, I happily obliged.

The FDNY grill	The NYPD grill
click here for more photos

Then, when Morton’s asked me to be a judge in the grill off competition, well, I’ll just say that I enthusiastically agreed. For the competition, the best cooks from the NYPD and FDNY prepared filet mignon, porterhouse, sea bass and lamb chops. And these weren’t just plates of meat, but full, gourmet meals — the FDNY’s filet mignon was served over saffron risotto made with lobster broth and surrounded with a red-pepper coulis and outlined by roasted asparagus and carrots. I know, my job is so hard.

After a few grueling hours of preparation and competition, the FDNY won by just 8 points, I was provided the opportunity to speak with journalists about hunger in our city and hundreds of New Yorkers passed through — hearing announcements about hunger in New York City, stopping at our table for information and to make donations and buying Morton’s famous sliders in support of the Food Bank. All in all, it was a great day for the Food Bank (and a pretty good day for me too).

The Food Bank and our partners hold great events to benefit hunger relief all year round — check out our Events & Campaigns Calendar for upcoming events and subscribe to Food Bank E-News to receive event notifications.

by Ivory Smith

I am from Baltimore County, Maryland, so completing my internship in New York City was a big deal for me. I attend a small liberal arts college there. Here at the Food Bank, I am the Communications & Marketing Intern for the Marketing & Communications Department in the Downtown Manhattan office.

Hoda Kodb (NBC Today Show) at the Target Party for Good

Next May, I will be graduating with a degree in Visual Communications Design. Since starting college in 2007, I have been studying graphic design and I feel as though I have not had the opportunity to explore the communications side of my degree as in depth as the graphic design part, and I feel it is important for me to venture out and explore different career paths. When thinking about where to do my internship, I knew a few things: I wanted to be at a nonprofit working for a political or social cause, it had to be in New York City and, finally, it had to be in marketing or public relations.

Food Bank for New York City offered everything on my list — including a marketing and public relations experience. Ultimately, I chose the Food Bank because it exists to make a difference in the lives of others. Surely I could have spent my summer back home working in a coffee shop, but to make a difference and be a part of an important initiative —fighting hunger — was an opportunity I didn’t want to turn down. I do not know exactly what I will end up doing after graduation, but I know that I want to help people, and I am starting here.

I began my internship June 7 and have experienced a lot since. I have made updates to the website, fought with copy machines, logged media placements, organized the photo archive, posted blogs and more. I had the opportunity to be a part of the Target Party for Good and the NYC Food Film Festival. I also had a chance to visit the warehouse in Hunts Point, Bronx and volunteer at the Community Kitchen & Food Pantry of West Harlem. The great thing about being an intern here is that I was able to experience everything.

Since being here, I have really gotten a feel for what it is like working for a nonprofit organization. I have learned a lot about marketing, public relations and communications, and have built an understanding of the role the media plays in all of these areas. Most importantly, I was able to join the fight to stop hunger. My time at the Food Bank will help me make decisions as I go through my final semesters at Stevenson University. Hopefully I will be able to take the knowledge I have gained and use it towards the rest of my time in school and my future career. I will not soon forget my many experiences here and all the wonderful people I have met.

Read more about my experience at the Food Bank and find more photos on my personal blog!

If you are interested in interning at the Food Bank, contact us today!
 

by Lucy Cabrera, Food Bank President and CEO

*The following updates Dr. Cabrera's statement of August 6.

Within the past week, both houses of Congress passed legislation that will rob the Food Stamp Program (SNAP) of billions of dollars in order to provide aid for Medicaid and education programs. A Senate vote to reduce food stamp benefits by billions more to pay for child nutrition programs now awaits approval by the House. It is regrettable that these votes are being touted as a victory.

There is no question that our health care, education and child nutrition programs need adequate funding. But our public health care system, public education system and food stamps all serve the same population, and by taking money away from any one of these programs to fund another, Congress is playing a shell game that low-income Americans will always lose.

In fact, Congress is undermining its own goals: a person will not remain in good health if he or she cannot afford a healthy diet; and a child who goes to school hungry will not learn. Low-income families struggling to put food on the table will only find themselves one step closer to a food pantry or soup kitchen door at a time when emergency food resources are already scarce.

Funding services at the expense of those most in need cannot be the answer. It is the worst example of robbing Peter to pay Paul. While it is imperative that Congress find funding for health care programs, public schools and nutrition assistance programs, this funding must not come from other programs and services low-income people rely on. Congress must rectify these misguided funding proposals immediately.

The Food Bank is working hard to take cuts to the Food Stamp Program off the table – and we need your help! Use this action alert to contact your Congress member today, and visit our advocacy page for further actions in support of New Yorkers in need.