West Side Campaign Against Hunger

?Exciting news! There’s a new episode of Hangry for Change out now — Episode 11: PROTECT 2025: Supporting Our City and Communities Under Fire. In this episode, Gherell Owens, an emergency feeding operations expert and Roundtable consultant, shares insights into frontline innovations. Kavitha Gnanasambandan, PhD, a founder of Blooming Health, discusses how technology and collaboration can better support seniors in need. Cheryl Huber from United Way offers a more macro perspective on hunger, and we’re grateful to have NYC DSS Commissioner Molly Wasow Park discuss how the city is driving change amidst growing need and decreasing federal support. Together, these innovators provide a fuller perspective on the current state of the emergency feeding sector and its potential even more impactful future. Don’t miss it! Listen now on all platforms Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eJqNM86m Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/eyuXKrPY Soundcloud: https://lnkd.in/exk5fFhG

On Monday, March 17, representatives from the New York City Mayor’s Office of Food Policy (MOFP), including Executive Director Kate MacKenzie, volunteered at our food storage and distribution hub on 180th Street! Alyson Rosenthal, our Chief Program Officer, and Rachel Laibson, our Chief Development and Communications Officer, gave them a tour of the space. The MOFP team helped pack 200 bags of fresh produce, 200 bags of grains and proteins, and 280 boxes for our NYP Food FARMacy participants who receive home-delivered groceries. We're grateful for their support and partnership in the fight against food insecurity!

WSCAH CEO Gregory Silverman spent the day at City Hall attending the NYC City Council General Welfare hearing. Day kicked off with DSS Commissioner Molly Wasow Park testifying for 3.5 hours on the agency’s extensive efforts around affordable housing, homelessness, benefits enrollment, the CFC program, and more. The scale of DSS’s efforts to support New Yorkers in need is impressive. The scale of need itself—and the potential impact of federal cuts to SNAP, Medicaid, and other essential programs—is alarming. After Commissioner Park’s testimony, organizations focused on the ever growing tragedy that those experiencing homelessness deal with each day spoke about delayed city payments, costing them millions. Then, anti-hunger advocates took the floor. Greg, alongside leaders from City Harvest and Food Bank, urged the city to baseline CFC funding at $100 million. This funding is critical to filling pantry gaps, ensuring access to nutritious food, and preparing for the difficult road ahead. There are no easy answers, but there is a network of dedicated, mission-driven organizations who have seen tough times before—from 9/11 to the 2008 financial crisis, Sandy to COVID. We know the power of collaboration, and most importantly, we know our community is our strength. Together, we will weather any storm.

WSCAH kicks off the week with two in-kind food deliveries from City Harvest, bringing 7–8 pallets per truck to our 180th Street hub every Monday and Tuesday. These regular deliveries ensure our customers have access to fresh, nutritious food. Last week’s allotment included a pallet of ripe avocados, adding a delicious and nutrient-rich option to the groceries we distribute. In times of ever-increasing food prices, partnerships like these help us expand healthy food options and better serve our community.

?? March is #NationalNutritionMonth, and at WSCAH, we know fresh, nutritious food is essential for health. Over 50% of the food we distribute is fresh produce, fueling our community with the nutrients they need. Alyson Rosenthal, WSCAH’s Chief Program Officer, leads our efforts to expand innovative programs that connect fresh food to those who need it most, here are some recent projects that are ramping up this year: ?? Montefiore Bronx Health Collective – Supplying fresh produce to families managing diabetes. ?? Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center – Providing groceries to food-insecure cancer patients. ?? Citymeals on Wheels – Piloting grocery deliveries for homebound seniors. ?? NY State Medicaid – Preparing to support Medicaid members with food access through the NY State Medicaid 115 waiver. Together, we’re helping to transform emergency feeding in NYC and beyond!

At West Side Campaign Against Hunger (WSCAH), we helped over 110,000 individuals access more than 5.5 million pounds of healthy food last year through our Upper West Side pantry, home delivery program, and food distributions at partner sites across New York City. Stephanie Moshier, WSCAH’s Director of Partnerships and Community Engagement, oversees food distribution through our partnerships with community-based organizations across the city. Many of these organizations are led by inspiring, powerful women. As we celebrate Women’s History Month, WSCAH is proud to highlight a few of them. Maria Lizardo, WSCAH Board Member and Executive Director of Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation (NMIC), has spent two decades strengthening services in housing, education, and more for Upper Manhattan and the Bronx. Rosemary Ordonez-Jenkins of Phipps Neighborhoods is a champion for workforce development and community empowerment in the South Bronx. Rachel Sherrow, Chief Operating Officer of Citymeals on Wheels, is leading efforts to end senior hunger in NYC. WSCAH also celebrates the countless women—mothers, daughters, grandmothers—who power their communities every day. We are honored to support them. #WomensHistoryMonth

Today, we were honored to welcome Washington Heights resident Molly Wasow Park, Commissioner of NYC Department of Social Services, to our 180th Street warehouse. Commissioner Park and our CEO, Gregory Silverman, discussed innovation and explored how we can continue working together to support New Yorkers in need. With potential federal cuts to SNAP, Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and more on the horizon, it was reassuring to know we all have such a strong partner and supporter in Commissioner Park and her 12,000 members of the Department of Social Services. WSCAH remains committed—alongside all our partners across the city—to ensuring our community has access to the food and resources they deserve.

Our Winter Newsletter is here! ?? Read about WSCAH’s latest updates, including expanded fresh food access, staff highlights, and a delicious recipe from Chef Greg: https://lnkd.in/enmNWTC8 Plus, don’t miss new episodes of Hangry for Change, where we tackle food justice and equity. Listen now: Hangry for Change: https://lnkd.in/e-wnJaNc Thank you for being part of our mission to fight hunger!

Last Wednesday, March 5, the External Affairs team spent the morning volunteering at one of our community partner sites, Nido de Esperanza, in Washington Heights. We had a fantastic time sorting baby clothes for their Baby Boutique, which provides essential clothing and supplies for little ones in their earliest stages of life. We also got a tour of the space and had the chance to connect with our wonderful WSCAH Board Member Ramona Nivar, who works at Nido as the Donations & Distribution Coordinator. El Nido supports expecting mothers, babies, and families through critical services like parenting groups, family workshops, social work support, and their Baby Boutique, which provides essential supplies for infants. WSCAH has proudly partnered with El Nido de Esperanza since April 2020, collaborating to provide fresh, healthy food through our food pantry services. We are grateful for the opportunity to support their inspiring work and look forward to continuing our partnership to strengthen our community together.

On Sunday, March 2, WSCAH hosted a Family Volunteer Day at 180th Street, uniting volunteers of all ages to make a meaningful impact in the fight against food insecurity. Together, families packed over 500 bags filled with fresh produce, grains, and protein. This hands-on event fostered a sense of community, bringing together donors, volunteers, and families in the neighborhood. It highlighted the power of our collective work to support those in need and the difference we can make when we work side by side.