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 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!
 

Brian Pham, Volunteer Coordinator, accepting food donation on stage

Joey Chestnut walking through the crowd

by Brian Pham

For the second year in a row, we were fortunate to benefit from Nathan's Annual Hot Dog Eating Contest and receive a large donation of hot dogs.

It couldn’t have been a more perfect day: it was July 4, the sun was out, there was not a cloud in sight, there was a massive crowd of 40,000 supporters and Joey Chestnut won for a fourth year in a row. While Joey did not beat the world record he set last year (68 hot dogs), he did beat second place by eating 11 more hot dogs for a total of 54 in 10 minutes!

I couldn’t have had a better time, and it was great for the Food Bank to have such a presence at this New York tradition – now in its 95th year! Thanks again to Nathan’s Famous and Major League of Eating for supporting the Food Bank.

Click here for more photos!

Check out our photos from the 2009 Contest!

by Davinia Buckley

I can’t help but think about all the times I sat at home watching Food Network shows, wishing I could actually taste the food that I saw being prepared. Could all of my wishes have come true for a weekend of events where people gather, watch films about food, then actually taste the food they see on screen? Absolutely, and this was the primary purpose behind the Fourth Annual NYC Food Film Festival, which took place the last weekend of June.

With seven completely different events, the festival had something for everyone, including southern belles like myself with the It’s Grits event. The event names themselves left you intrigued and wanting to know more — Edible Adventure #001: Smokes, Ears and Ice Cream and the World’s First Food Truck Drive-In were among the titles.

The festival began with Shuck n’ Suck. This event highlighted people’s sincere love of all things oysters, including an oyster eating contest, and of course a few films featuring oysters. This event was followed by the South East Asian Food Festival and Florent: Queen of the Meat Market. A major highlight of the weekend took place at the Queens Water Taxi Beach, where guests were taken on an edible adventure with spicy peanut butter ice cream, rhubarb soda and pig ear sandwiches!

The weekend wrapped up under the Brooklyn Bridge, where, for a change, you did not have to go on a scavenger hunt to find your favorite food trucks: instead they all gathered in the same place. Special guest Mayor Bloomberg attended the final event, Burger N’ Beer Garden, a double dose of food and fun showcasing locally crafted beers along with the longest condiment table ever. Guests could choose burger toppings that ranged from the usual ketchup to pimento cheese!

Despite the variety, there was one thing each event had in common: everyone left with a full stomach and knowledge about the chow that put them in their food coma. Food Bank For New York City was the proud beneficiary for the festival, and I want to take this chance to thank everyone who made it possible, including our wonderful volunteers who helped make each event a delicious success!

Stay tuned for photos from the 2010 NYC Food Film Festival — coming soon!
 

by Ashley Goforth

How’s that New Year’s Resolution going? It’s July now, meaning we are halfway through 2010. Have you made good on anything you vowed to do more of (or less of) in 2010? At the beginning of 2010, we talked to a few of our staff members about their New Year’s resolutions. Now we want to help you reach your goals. In the hopes that come December you will have made good on one of those resolutions, we’ve gathered a few helpful ways to make a change in your life and the lives of your fellow New Yorkers based on popular resolutions:

Get Fit: After you’ve done your best to Change One Thing, you may be looking to add a bit more exercise to your routine. Perfect! We’ve got stairs, we’ve got lifting, constant motion and a bit of walking when you sign up to volunteer at our Community Kitchen & Food Pantry of West Harlem. Or grab a group from work and head up to our Bronx warehouse to repack donated bulk items. Either way, you’ll be moving and burning calories and helping the 1 in 5 New Yorkers who rely on the Food Bank.

Spend More Time with Family: It’s hard to juggle work, school, family and friends all at once, there’s no question about it. Maybe this year you’ve resolved to spend a little more face time with the ones you love. Spending a couple hours a month helping our programs on the front lines of poverty puts life into perspective for many of our volunteers. It also gives you a chance to team up with your fellow volunteers! The Food Bank has more than 1,000 network members throughout the five boroughs that can always use volunteers. Check out our Food Program Locator for a program near you and resolve, with your loved ones, to give back to your community.

Quit ----- [insert vice]: Say your vice costs about $10 a week to maintain. Or say you spend $50 a week sipping away at another vice. Here’s what the cost of that vice means to the Food Bank: $10/wk = 200 meals a month. $50/wk = 1,000 meals. Having trouble quitting? Donate a month’s worth of your vices as a commitment to help yourself, and help others. Keep your donation receipt near you to remind yourself that not only are you working hard to follow your resolution, you’ve also helped us provide much needed meals to New Yorkers in need.

Eat More Vegetables: Lead by example on this one. Sign up to volunteer for one of our CookShop programs. It will be nigh impossible to NOT eat healthy with all the excitement from the students, the inspiring teachers and the lush fruits, vegetables and legumes in each lesson. CookShop is in more than 700 public school and after school classrooms, and during the school year teachers need our help! The Food Bank trains volunteers to go into the classrooms and support nutrition education.

Stick to Your Budget: Plan ahead! Instead of a yearly donation, why don’t you set up automatic monthly donations? Just make a donation online and check the box that says "Yes, automatically repeat this gift every month." Then, donating to the Food Bank doesn’t have to go on your to do list each holiday season! A successful budget is one that prepares for everything! Like your tickets to the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival, benefitting the Food Bank and Share Our Strength...

Remember: “The need of doing, therefore, is pressing, since the time of doing is short.” Samuel Johnson

From top: One of two areas where attendees packed meals; volunteers in action (some attendees packed three to five boxes each!); one of many warehouse-themed decorations at the party.

On June 28, the Food Bank For New York City had the pleasure of participating in and benefiting from Target’s “Party for Good,” an exciting event that was held at an undeveloped warehouse on the East River. The party was in honor of the attendees, facilitators and supporters of the National Conference of Volunteering and Services, where leaders in the volunteering and service world met for three days to share best practices and participate in informative workshops.

Not only did Target throw a terrific party for the “volunteer coordinators of the world,” but they also included a HUGE volunteer activity that night! Partying and volunteering – is there any other better combination?

Party attendees packaged 150,000 meals that were distributed to children and families at  the Food Bank’s member soup kitchens and food pantries across the five boroughs. Who knew that a party could be so good while doing so much good?

Watch this video to see what the warehouse looked like before and after Target decorated it, along with some clips of the party in action.

Thank you to Target for hosting such a brilliant event, and to everyone who attended!

From top: Dr. Lucy Cabrera presents Susan Ungaro,  President of the James Beard Foundation, with an award for their longtime support; Chef Seamus Mullen of Boqueria in action in the James Beard Foundation kitchen during the event.

Food Bank For New York City is incredibly fortunate to have so many wonderful and dedicated supporters. We thank all of our supporters for making a difference, and the continued success and growth of the Food Bank is a constant reminder of the impact of all of your efforts. Despite the economic strain that many are feeling, supporters like you continue to find ways to show their dedication to ending hunger in the five boroughs — whether through donations, volunteering or spreading the word, your support makes a real difference in the lives of New Yorkers in need.

One of our most noteworthy opportunities to recognize our donors’ immeasurable contributions is our annual Toast & Jam celebration. It provides a time to formally thank our Liberty Partners and longtime supporters. It was a beautiful evening, which featured the true charm of the James Beard House — the host for nine years running — as guests enjoyed hors d’oeuvres prepared by Chef Seamus Mullen of Boqueria (another supporter that is always available to lend a hand).

Of course, a Food Bank event would not be complete without some splashes of orange. The signature color was incorporated through orange ribbons worn by supporters who have been giving to the Food Bank for more than 20 years. Their longtime commitment to fighting hunger is truly commendable and is crucial to the Food Bank’s ability to provide food assistance to the five boroughs.

At the evening’s close, Dr. Lucy Cabrera took a moment to thank all of the attendees for their commitment to the Food Bank. Furthermore, for the first time in the history of Toast & Jam, Dr. Cabrera presented an award to the James Beard Foundation, who has also been a longtime partner in the fight against hunger. At the conclusion of the presentation, everyone joined in a toast to the continued success of the Food Bank and the kindness of its donors. I would also like to give a special thanks to our sponsors who helped make it possible: FedEx, Stella Artois, illycaffè, Acqua Panna/San Pellegrino and Southern Wines and Spirits.

And last, but definitely not least, a toast to all of you!

by Heather Joseph

From top: The mom bloggers, Cheryl Hines and I show off our reusable canvas bags; Cheryl Hines talks about her commitment to hunger relief and her participation in the Better Than a Picnic picnic.

What happens when you combine a group of dedicated mom bloggers, Hebrew National hot dogs, Cheryl Hines of HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm and Randall’s Island? You get a fun-filled day supporting both the Food Bank For New York City and Hebrew National’s Better-Than-A-Picnic. On Saturday, May 22,  NYC Mom Bloggers hosted the event that was chock full of fun. I was there on site to partake in the festivities and, of course, represent the Food Bank.

Randall’s Island served as a great backdrop. Families were everywhere, enjoying the beautiful spring day on the soccer field, softball fields and playing in the park. Hebrew National set up a wiener wagon serving up yummy, piping hot hotdogs. Cheryl Hines was on site, not only speak of her relationship with Hebrew National but to comment on her commitment to raising hunger awareness nationally. In addition to the hotdogs, this free, family-friendly event had a mechanical bull (screams fun, no?) and a station to decorate reusable lunch bags that were then donated to our Community Kitchen & Food Pantry of West Harlem.

And a point about these phenomenal mom bloggers! Gracious is not enough of a word to explain how engaging and welcoming they were. It started with Emily of themotherhood.com who worked to ensure that I got there and back home safely — car service :*two major thumbs up.* Meeting her cohort of other mom bloggers meant hearing sincere enthusiasm for 1) being awesome moms and 2) working to install, at an early stage, commitment to helping others in need. These moms rocked!

The day served as a great way for all family members to gets involved in a great cause. Doing good, on a full stomach and learning about the Food Bank’s dedication to helping New Yorkers in need— what at great day.

By the way, Cheryl Hines is extremely sweet and not at all a TV show diva! She enjoyed learning about the Food Bank and even made a really cool reusable lunch bag.

Whether you’re a parent, a New Yorker, a foodie  or just someone who like to support conscientious people, we hope you’ll enjoy all of the great mom-bloggers who came out in support of hunger relief!

MOM BLOGGERS
Amy O., Selfish Mom
Amy P., Long Island Parent Source
Anna, Mommy Poppins
Carol, NY City Mama
Cecily, Upper Case Woman
Emily, TheMotherhood.com
Isabel, Alpha Mom
Jen, Next Kid Thing
Kelsey, Naptime Chef
Kimberly, Mom in the City
Jo-Lynne, Musings of a Housewife
Lisa, New York Chica
Melissa, Girly Mama
Suzanne, Mom Confessionals 
Whitney, Mommies with Style 

by Caitlin Buckley

When I started at the Food Bank last July, I changed not just jobs but cities — almost two weeks after my first day here, I went back to Somerville, MA, to finish packing, and the next day my boyfriend and I moved into our new apartment in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. Until then, I had been a near-lifetime Massachusetts resident, and moving to New York City fulfilled a long-held wish. While much thought and discussion went into which borough to live in, we both felt sure that we wanted to be here.

Almost a year later, I still feel like a recent transplant, exploring my own neighborhood and making only occasional trips to other boroughs, but the Food Bank has taken me all over the city. Because of my job I’ve had so many places to go — Richmond Hill, Queens, to visit the River Fund; down to the ferry to travel to Community Health Action of Staten Island; up to the Bronx for a story on St. Ann’s Episcopal Church (stay tuned, it’ll be posted here soon!); and back to Brooklyn for a tour of Oneg Shabbos, a kosher food pantry in Borough Park — all members of the Food Bank's food program network. And volunteering at events has taken me even more places — Chelsea Piers for the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival, Times Square for our Annual Agency Conference. And of course, I’ve been up and down the city visiting the Food Bank’s own locations — from our Downtown Manhattan office on Broadway, to the Community Kitchen & Food Pantry of West Harlem, to our warehouse up in Hunt’s Point, Bronx.

These travels have enriched my experience of New York City and introduced me to many more people than I would have met at a different job. I can’t wait to see where the Food Bank takes me next.

Want your own excuse to travel around New York City? Explore our volunteer opportunities today! Plus, fill out our online Volunteer Application and receive notices about special needs that may not get posted online.