Dear Friends,
The German philosopher Meister Eckhart said, “If the only prayer we ever say is thank you, it will be enough.” Eckhart’s words echo in my soul this month. I can’t thank all of you enough for the support you provided this past year. Because of YOU we have accomplished so much together: serving record numbers of guests, distributing more food than ever, expanding our Mobile Market and Resource Sharing program, relaunching our mobile soup kitchen, providing thousands of hot grab-and-go meals to hungry neighbors, and responded proactively to those in need with expert case management.
As we continue to celebrate our 40th year, we know that the path in front of us continues to become more challenging. COVID-19 continues to rear its head and Monkeypox is now a concern, especially for our homeless neighbors who face barriers accessing the vaccine. Funding sources are being reduced and inflation is rising, along with the number of New Yorkers struggling to feed themselves and their families – in August, our daily numbers grew to more than 800 families per day at our food pantry.
While we continue to serve all who come to us, we know that we cannot sustain this without YOUR support. September is Hunger Action Month and I hope you will consider joining me in supporting our 2nd Annual Fill the Truck Campaign. All the funds raised through this program help support our emergency food programs. Your gift ensures that no one goes hungry in our community.
As Coretta Scott King so eloquently stated, “ the greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate action of its members.”
In gratitude,
Sr. Caroline Tweedy, RSM
Executive Director