Waging a Campaign Against Hunger with the Food Bank
by Daniel Buckley
One in 5 New Yorkers relies on the Food Bank For New York City to eat. From food distribution efforts that help provide 300,000 free meals every day to our Tax Assistance Program, which helps provide up to $100 million in tax refunds annually to New York’s working poor – the Food Bank relies on our citywide network of food assistance programs to help reach our neighbors in need.
West Side Campaign Against Hunger (WSCAH) is one of these programs – in fact, I would say they are an exemplary representative of the network. Recognizing this, the Food Bank honored WSCAH at our 2008 Can-Do Awards Dinner. Doreen Wohl, the organization’s Executive Director, has served on the Food Bank’s Agency Advisory Committee and is an active member of the Manhattan Borough Hunger Task Force. And this is all outside the basement of the Church of St. Paul & St. Andrew on the Upper West Side, where WSCAH provides direct services for New Yorkers in need.
In addition to running a choice-style food pantry – where clients can walk through a supermarket-like setting, selecting the food they need – WSCAH embraces a multifaceted approach to hunger-relief that the Food Bank is a fervent believer in. As Ruthy Askenazi noted in her guest post on Bank on It, the Food Bank’s blog, the program works toward long-term solutions to hunger through advocacy, raising their voice as an organization in addition to empowering their clients to be their own advocates. Additionally, the Food Bank helped train WSCAH staff when they saw the need for food stamp outreach and assistance in their neighborhood.
All taken together, this makes West Side Campaign Against Hunger an integral part of our network – which, in turn, is an integral part of the Food Bank For New York City. Please join me in thanking WSCAH for all that they do.
Daniel Buckley is Senior Online Communications Manager at the Food Bank For New York City.
