“It’s Unconscionable That Kids Are Hungry in Our City”: Morgan Stanley Takes Over Times Square to Tackle Summer Hunger
MIDTOWN, MANHATTAN — On Tuesday, June 3, something remarkable happened in the heart of New York City. Four hundred Morgan Stanley employees rolled up their sleeves and packed 4,000 boxes of shelf-stable food—right in the middle of Times Square.
“That’s 4,000 families across the city who will have food on their tables this week,” said Jess Presedo, Food Bank For New York City’s Senior Director of Corporate Engagement.
But this wasn’t just a one-day feel-good story—it was the latest chapter in an enduring partnership between Morgan Stanley and Food Bank For NYC, working together to fight hunger in all five boroughs since 1995.
Making Hunger Visible
Now in its eighth year, the Times Square Food Bank To Go activation kicks off Morgan Stanley’s Global Volunteer Month, a company-wide celebration of service.
And this year, it did more than feed families. It made hunger impossible to ignore.
“The real reason we do this in such a visible place is so passersby can start to understand hunger is affecting young people in our communities, and we need to do something about it,” explains Joan Steinberg, Managing Director and Global Head of Philanthropy at Morgan Stanley.
And it worked. As the boxes stacked higher, summer tourists and locals on their lunch breaks—still in suits—paused to snap photos of the scene: a bold, colorful truck parked in the middle of Times Square, emblazoned with the words “We’re The Food Bank For New York City”—fueled by Morgan Stanley. For a moment, the crowd that usually looks up at billboards looked straight ahead—at hunger.
In Times Square, where bright lights and bold ads compete for attention, one message rang louder than them all: even in America’s wealthiest city, hunger remains a daily reality—especially for children. In the Bronx alone, 1 in 3 kids face food insecurity.
And with school out for the summer, many families are left without the daily meals their children rely on—making this moment of support more critical than ever. Each box is packed with shelf-stable essentials like canned peaches, lentils, tuna, and pancake mix, plus easy recipes families can enjoy together.
“It’s unconscionable that kids are hungry here,” Steinberg added. “That should never happen…And we’re determined to be part of making that go away.”
30 Years of Impact
For nearly 30 years, Morgan Stanley has stood alongside Food Bank For NYC to help build a future where no New Yorker—young or grown—goes hungry.
“Morgan Stanley is among our longest-standing partners,” said Presedo. “Their leadership and employees have donated thousands of hours across Times Square, the Bronx, and Harlem.”
That commitment goes far beyond a single high-profile day of service. Behind the scenes, Morgan Stanley employees support food distribution efforts year-round—including at Food Bank For NYC’s Community Kitchen in West Harlem and the Distribution Center in the Bronx—ensuring their impact is felt across all five boroughs.
“The beauty of working with the Food Bank For NYC is they make it so easy for you to give back to our city,” said Steinberg. “You work with them, identify the date, and they handle the rest—you just need to show up with your people.”
“One of the best things about packing food is how tangible it is. Employees can clearly see how what they’re doing today will end up in the kitchens and bellies of young people across the city,” Steinberg continued.
A Culture of Service at Every Level
Food insecurity among children remains central to Morgan Stanley’s philanthropic vision. The company recently pledged $8 million over four years to Feeding America ® to help tackle childhood hunger nationwide—part of its broader commitment to giving back.
This past year, Food Bank For NYC provided nearly 800,000 meals to schoolchildren across the city—supporting a shared mission to ensure every kid has the nutrition they need to learn and play at their best.
“Food insecurity is a major barrier to children’s health in the country and city we love,” says Steinberg. “That’s why we are so proud to partner with Food Bank For NYC.”
Leading by Example
Steinberg, who’s been with Morgan Stanley for nearly three decades, sees this partnership as a model for what corporate responsibility should look like.
“I think other companies should be doing this in every community they’re in—especially here in the U.S.” Steinberg reflects. “And working with a food bank is the easiest way to do that.”
Looking Forward
The volunteers who spent their summer afternoon packing boxes might have returned to their desks, but the 4,000 families across the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island who will receive them will feel the impact long after the Times Square crowds moved on.
As Morgan Stanley hits the 30-year mark of their partnership with Food Bank For NYC, their message from Times Square is clear: in a city where wealth and need exist side by side, true corporate responsibility means showing up for people.