FEEDING NEW YORK STATE

 8/20/20

Hybrid learning called for a gap year. Rather than head to college in less-than-usual circumstances, I’ll be biking from Brooklyn to San Francisco in about two weeks. I found it worthwhile do so in support of the association listed above: the Food Bank Association of New York State, a subsidiary of the nationwide Feeding America (https://www.feedingamerica.org). The target amount equals the number of miles I’ll be riding in hopefully less than 30 days, (or considerably less than 121,248, which will be the elevation gain in feet). It’ll be a doozy.

Those wondering about my route may click here: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/33813468
(it’ll roughly follow I-70 for and in its entirety).

There is no shortage of worthy causes: the Biden campaign, Black Lives Matter, the Trust for Public Land and about 1.5 million others in the US.  Amidst the current economic crisis, however, 40% of people turning to food banks are people who have never done so before (according to Feeding America CEO, Claire Babineaux-Fontenot). During the Great Recession, the percent of food-insecure Americans rose from 12 to 18 and considering this crisis is at least comparable, that number must surely be at least comparable.

Here’s what the organization says on their website:

OUR MISSION is to help the food banks of New York State obtain more food, foster awareness of the mission of food banks, encourage donations and volunteer support, create partnerships to help alleviate hunger, and lead a unified effort to ensure that every person in every community across New York State has access to good, healthy food.

WHAT WE DO
Feeding New York State is incorporated as a non-profit whose mission is to lead a unified effort for a hunger-free New York State. Feeding NYS is located in Albany, and works to provide hunger relief in a variety of ways:

•Partnerships with industry to gain more donations/food for the food banks
•Statewide donation projects in conjunction with farmers to obtain fresh fruit and produce for the hungry
•Public education as to the needs of the food banks and the 5,000 hunger relief agencies served by food banks
•Advocacy on behalf of the food banks at the local, state and federal levels of government
•Nutritional awareness and anti-hunger advocacy
•Representation at state agencies serving as a resource for both state government and the food banks in the areas of food policy
•Inter-food bank and agency committees and gatherings to share best practices
•Coordinated outreach with other charities to develop policy and practices to address hunger and poverty in New York State
•Research into the effects of hunger on the state and its population
•Fundraising to support the mission of Feeding NYS and food banks

So, feel free to contribute and thank you all very much!
-Artie