Every morning before the sun rises, Gil Llavet is already on the road, coffee in hand, warehouse-bound by 5:20 a.m. sharp. Across the city, Elizabeth Romano laces up for another day overseeing operations that keep millions of meals moving. Neither of them came to Food Bank For New York City for a job. They came because they’ve lived hunger. They stayed to help others survive it.
This Hunger Action Month on National Food Bank Day, we celebrate not just what Food Bank For NYC does — but who makes it possible.
What it Really Takes to Feed NYC
From a single warehouse in the Bronx in 1983 to the city’s largest hunger-relief organization today, Food Bank For NYC has moved 1.6 billion pounds of culturally relevant food through nearly 800 partners — schools, churches, health clinics, senior centers, and more. But the real story isn’t about trucks or numbers. It’s about the people who power this mission.
Gil Llavet, hired in 1986, is the city’s longest-serving food banker. As a Hi-Lo operator, he moves pallet after pallet, making sure families across the five boroughs get what they need.
“It takes not only me to do this, it takes everyone at the warehouse” Gil says. “I’ve been at it for nearly 40 years. And honestly? I plan to go from Food Bank For NYC to the grave — no plans to retire!”
We Know What Hunger Feels Like
Gil’s dedication runs deeper than a paycheck. He grew up knowing exactly what it feels like to go hungry. That gnawing uncertainty about where your next meal comes from? He’s lived it. And that’s what drives him every single morning to make sure no other New Yorker has to face that same fear.
Elizabeth Romano, Senior Director of Operations, has watched Gil work for over a quarter of a century. She gets it. “Gil represents what it means to be a food banker,” she says. “People like Gil remind us why we do this work, and why it matters now more than ever.”
Elizabeth knows the grind. She started as a temp and has worked nearly every operations role you can think of. Decades on the warehouse floor will teach you things. She’s watched Food Bank For NYC transform — from tracking inventory by hand to high-tech systems, from a handful of partners to a citywide network covering nearly every NYC zip code, from just getting food out the door to making sure it’s nutritious meals that nourish families.
Through all that change, one thing never shifted: the love, dedication, and raw purpose that drives people like her and Gil to show up every day.
“I know what it’s like to need help,” Elizabeth says. “As a child, as a young mother — I remember that relief when I didn’t have to worry about my next meal. That’s what drives me for every New Yorker who needs us now.”
What Defines a Food Banker
Food bankers start here because they want to make sure no New Yorker goes hungry. But what keeps them here, year after year? It’s the people we serve, and who serve alongside us.
“My favorite moments are the walks through the warehouse, chatting with the team,” Elizabeth says. “They share incredible stories. That connection — it keeps me grounded, keeps me ready for whatever comes next. Being a food banker means you’re part of something way bigger than yourself. It brings me joy, purpose, and pride.”
Together with community partners spread across all five boroughs, food bankers like Gil and Elizabeth are the hands and hearts of this city’s fight against hunger. They rise before dawn, work late, and show up every single day so no New Yorker goes without.
“The cost of living keeps rising,” Elizabeth says. “A strong food bank is one which keeps our community strong – so New Yorkers will not have to choose between paying bills and having a nutritious meal.”
Food Banks Run on People
The question isn’t whether New York can afford to support its food bankers’ mission. It’s whether the city can afford not to.
Food Bank For NYC runs on people. This Hunger Action Month and year-round — will you be one of them?
