“A game-changer” forever
Famine in Combat Reaches New Heights
By Sherry Mazzocchi
For decades, the West Side Campaign Against Hunger (WSCAH) was located on West 86th Street, near St. Mary’s Church. Paul and St. Andrew, where the organization operated a food pantry.
Residents of Northern Manhattan and the South Bronx made a long drive downtown and waited in line for food distribution.
The inauguration rite held in the city center on January 10 was the culmination of a preference for creating positive renewal while also heralding a new era in the fight against hunger.
The new location, at 555 West 180th Street, is a “game-changer,” said Greg Silverman, president, CEO and director of WSCAH.
With enough space, a 1000-square-foot freezer that holds 50 pallets of food, a cooler larger than most New York City apartments, five delivery trucks, and two loading docks, the food distribution nonprofit is poised for success. impact.
“[Residents] used to come to 86th Street because our food is great,” said Silverman, a chef and former Peace Corps member. While some of their food comes from City Harvest, WSCAH buys 70% of their new food directly. of providers in Hunts Point. ” That’s why our product is so good. We don’t just look at scraps and leftovers.
Five years ago, WSCAH donated about 2 million pounds of food per year. Today, almost £5 million is donated annually. In 2023, 80,000 exclusive Americans were served.
But bringing thousands of pounds of new products to church each week isn’t sustainable. “It’s a lovely church,” Silverman said, “but it’s not a warehouse. “
With the help of the Robin Hood Foundation and other charitable organizations, they searched for a larger space, closer to the communities they serve. They settled on the long vacant post office, signed a 20-year lease, and started construction about a year ago.
The new location is the former site of the Sergeant Riayán A. Tejada Post Office (named in 2004 for a local Marine hero killed in Iraq).
The move was hailed by many local nonprofits as an extension of WSCHAH’s commitment to offering direct resources to those who want them most, especially the citizens of the Bronx and Lower Manhattan.
Reaching out to and servicing residents close to their own homes was a decision made during the pandemic, as WSCAH adapted its distribution model in response to the ever-expanding demand. Instead of having just one food pantry site, WSCAH partnered with organizations in the neighborhoods where their customers live. Currently, it works with 30 other groups, such as Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation (NMIC), Nido de Esperanza, and Dominican Women’s Development Center, among others.
“We will distribute the same food to all the partners, [and then they will distribute it to] their customers,” Silverman said.
“Two hours before their distribution, we will show up,” he said. “When Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation (NMIC) does a distribution, no one says ‘Oh, West Side came in here and did a food distribution.’ We’re just supporting their work.”
NMIC has partnered with WSCAH since 2017, said Executive Director María Lizardo. “We always wanted a food pantry because we recognize food insecurity is a big issue in our community,” she said. With funding from the City Council and assistance from WSCAH, the organization secured a food truck. It currently serves 420 families a month.
During the pandemic, the lack of confidence in food in lower Manhattan increased, especially as citizens lost their jobs. “Other undocumented people were not able to access investment or federal support,” Lizardo said. “So we partnered with WSCAH and reimagined the way we run our pantry. “We closed our doors in March 2020 and until May 2020 our pantry will be operational.
Covid-19 has allowed WSCAH to expand its style and do so in a thoughtful and strategic manner, Lizardo said. “Now they have relationships with the network members they serve. ”
And they strive to feed everyone as they can: “We also collaborate with the Hungry Pet Project and also distribute puppy food. “
Lizardo, who recently joined the WSCAH board of directors, praised the current relationship. “Your work defending him is commendable,” he said. It’s not just about handing out food or putting a band-aid on this problem. It’s about thinking about how we address the systemic barriers that save other people not just from food, but from healthy eating.
He added that WSCHAH’s loyalty to provide dignity, selection and respect honors the members of the network. “What we appreciate is that everyone who comes to our pantry gets the same bag — the same bag of vegetables, the same bag of milk and the same bag of food. “In terms of justice, it’s very important. “
Despite the expansion of access, Lizardo argued that the need remains dire. “We’re scratching the surface, especially when we see how the cost of food has risen while wages remain stagnant, and how members of our network have been the first to be unemployed, and some of them are still unemployed,” he said. . Formation
While food is the main attraction, WSCAH is helping others enroll in other services, such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, as well as providing assistance with fitness insurance, housing, or other critical needs. Lack of confidence in food and instability in housing. They are linked, Silverman said.
“The races are good,” he added. But three months of rent arrears is a lot more for a lot of those people. “
The organization also partners with New York Presbyterian (NYP). WSCAH delivers food directly to about 1,000 families in need, especially families with young children or seniors that were screened by the institution as food insecure, he explained.
In addition, NYP and WSCAH are running in combination with the Washington Heights-based organization Nido de Esperanza. The organization, whose appeal translates to “The Nest of Hope,” is helping pregnant women and mothers of young children. Thanks to the partnership, they provided food assistance to 30 families. Lately, they have been serving about 120 of them. “Our goal is to succeed in 200,” said Astrid Cordero, manager of Nido de Esperanza.
Cordero is inspired by novelty and quality. ” We receive beans and canned goods. But the main goal is for families to have new foods. We’ll have milk, eggs, bread,” he said. And they were so wonderful that they asked us if we were looking for cow’s milk, [or] almond milk. They provide us with those characteristics to make sure our families get the food they will use and that it is culturally appropriate.
WSCHAH’s new warehouse can hold approximately 80,000 to 90,000 pounds of non-perishable goods, such as rolled oats, pasta, rice and canned goods. The giant refrigerator can hold about 50,000 pounds of new products. Normally, pantries distribute tubers, but the giant can distribute a greater diversity of fruits and vegetables.
“We’re looking to be sensitive to what cultures want,” Silverman said. “We produce a lot of bananas, a lot of peppers, a lot of tropical fruits,” he said. I don’t want apples or oranges because it’s a single serving, but if we give other people pineapples or melons, you can cut them up and get multiple servings and it lasts longer.
He noted that immigrants served at WSCAH are often committed to prepping and cooking their meals. “Our customer base doesn’t want chicken nuggets,” he said. “They want whole chickens. They want a product they can cook at home. And our job is to give people access to that.”
Silverman has been executive director of WSCAH for seven years. During his tenure, he saw an increase in both numbers and demographics. “We saw a lot of [individuals] that we weren’t used to seeing because of the migration crisis. Venezuelans, Ukrainians, Russians, Mandarin and Cantonese speakers have made up a significant influx in recent weeks. We saw many more French-speaking West Africans.
For a long time, his team has helped a giant population of Spanish-speaking clients. “We’re getting acquainted with other languages and figuring out how to talk to 30 other people who will be coming, all of whom speak Mandarin,” he said. “It’s going to be a challenge. We need other people to have the same services.
He also noted that giving away jars of peanut butter doesn’t work for everyone. “It’s not a protein they need. That’s why we’re doing a lot of studies with Columbia University Medical Center, New York Presbyterian, and the City University of New York to find out what other people need and see how we can reduce food mistrust and also obesity through those types of interventions.
At Councilman Shaun Abreu’s food pantry, WSCAH not only distributes food, but also has a team member sign up for Americans to receive benefits. “It eases the burden on your staff,” Silverman said.
Abreu’s district manager, Gabriela Carmela, said the pantry, which serves about 410 families a month, is one of the most in-demand services.
Carmela noted that more staff for the electorate to apply for housing assistance, SNAP benefits and SCRIE housing subsidies is a big help. “And on top of that, [they make] exclusive donations for rent arrears,” Carmela said.
“It goes beyond food distribution, although that’s their goal. But without a doubt, the paintings they are making with us here are wonderful paintings,” he said.
Funding for WSCAH comes from a variety of sources: individual donors, municipal and state grants, and core grants. Its 44-year history in the fight against hunger is an asset. “We’re very respected,” Silverman said.
The organization can also count on a giant group of around 2,000 to 3,000 volunteers. “We’ll probably have 30 to 40 more people volunteering here every day, and some of them may need to give back in other ways,” Silverman said. “We’re very fortunate to have that. “
Peter Knitzer has been a volunteer at WSCAH for two and a half years. He is on 86th Street and is now packing boxes and bags at the new downtown location. “We’re already 20% more effective here than we were on 86th Street, which is fantastic,” he said.
Since April 2020, Christine Malonzo has seen how WSCAH has evolved from allowing consumers to shop supermarket-style on 86th Street to a modular formula for packing bags for outdoor distribution. Volunteering during the pandemic gave her purpose.
“I love this space,” she said of the new site. “I couldn’t stop smiling. I walked in here two hours ago for the first time. I worried with a warehouse space that it was going to be sort of cold and not have the same homey, social hall-feel as the church. But it’s only going to get better as people start coming here regularly.”
Silverman recently hosted a roundtable discussion with several other primary hunger relief organizations founded in the city. Together, they built a collective buying style that resulted in less expensive acquisition prices. “We’re not competing. Whether it’s a pantry in East Harlem or a component of the solution (POTS) in the Bronx, we all work together,” he said.
The collective style also gives greater influence in promotion and monetary support.
“We don’t need the money to be invested in some kind of big bureaucracy that imposes big administrative costs,” Silverman said. “We need to put the money back in the hands of the food distribution teams. Together, we have a strong voice.
Moreover, organizations like WSCAH are in the midst of a transformative shift as older models have not resolved the basic issues of hunger. A food insecurity emergency shouldn’t last decades, said Silverman. “We haven’t lifted people out of food insecurity,” he said.
Just giving out more food isn’t the answer, he said.
“We need to be thoughtful,” Silverman said. We need to manage donor money well and make sure our consumers are incredibly satisfied. “
Volunteer Richard Stein joined WSCAH shortly after retiring, about 3 months before the pandemic. He was inspired by how the WSCAH replaced its style of food distribution to other organizations, which necessarily led them to create an extensive network of satellite distribution centers. It’s amazing to me to see, in just a few months and in such a terrible pandemic situation, how they completely replaced the way they operate. “
Although he volunteered at other organizations, Stein said he stayed at WSCAH because it was like family.
“I wanted to do anything that interested me and give something back to the community,” she said. “Being here, meeting people and working with staff, it’s a very meaningful part of my life. “
For more, please visit wscah.org.
To volunteer, visit wscah. org/volunteer or email volontaire@wscah. org.
“Un cambio de juego”
The fight against hunger reaches new heights.
By Sherry Mazzocchi
For decades, the West Side Campaign Against Hunger (WSCAH) has been located on West 86th Street, at the Church of St. John Paul and St. Andrew, where the organization managed a food fund.
Residents of Upper Manhattan and the Bronx had the big tray all the way down the middle and had a wire for food distribution.
The inauguration ceremony, held on January 10, is the culmination of a preference to create a positive replacement and also to usher in a new era in the fight against man.
The new location, at 555 180 Street West, is “a game-changer,” said Greg Silverman, executive and executive director of WSCAH.
With enough workspace, a freezer for millions of pies that can hold 50 plates of food, a refrigerator larger than the maximum in New York City apartments, five dispatch trucks, and two pack mules, the food distribution organization is ready to make a major impact. .
“Residents come to Calle 86 because our food is exceptional,” Silverman says. With a giant portion of its food processed through City Harvest, WSCAH will source 70% of its fresh food from vendors in Hunts Point. “For this product, our product is very good. We don’t just look for scraps and scraps. “
For years, WSCAH donated 2 million pounds of food each year. I now donate around £5 million a year.
In 2023, there will be 80,000 exclusive people. But it was unthinkable to gather pounds of fresh produce at church every week.
“Es una iglesia preciosa”, dijo Silverman, “pero no es un almacén”.
Con la ayuda de la Fundación Robin Hood y otras organizaciones benéficas, buscaron un espacio más grande, más cercano a las comunidades a las que sirven. Se decidieron por la oficina de correos, vacía desde hacía tiempo, firmaron un contrato de arrendamiento de 20 años y empezaron las obras hace aproximadamente un año.
The new location is the old location of Sergeant Riayán A’s courier. Tejada (built in 2004 in honor of a local marina hero who died in Iraq).
The campaign was celebrated across many local no-profit organizations as an amplification of WSCAH’s commitment to providing direct resources to the people who need them most, including citizens of the Bronx and Upper Manhattan.
Bring citizens and provide facilities for their families to take a solution to the pandemic, as WSCAH has adapted its distribution style in response to growing demand. Rather than having a single food distribution center, WSCAH partners with organizations in the neighborhoods where its customers live. She currently works with 30 other groups, including the Upper Manhattan Maintenance Corporation (NMIC), Nido de Esperanza, and the Dominican Women’s Development Center, among others.
“We distribute the same food to whoever the partner is, [and then they distribute to] their customers,” Silverman says.
“Two hours before distribution, we will provide it to you,” he added. “When the Upper Manhattan Maintenance Corporation (NMIC) has a distribution, it says, ‘Here came the West Side and a food distribution. ‘ We just support their work. “
NMIC se ha asociado con WSCAH desde 2017, dijo la directora ejecutiva María Lizardo. “Siempre quisimos una despensa de alimentos porque reconocemos que la inseguridad alimentaria es un gran problema en nuestra comunidad”, dijo. Con fondos del Ayuntamiento y asistencia de WSCAH, la organización consiguió un camión de alimentos. Actualmente atiende a 420 familias al mes.
During the pandemic, the lack of trust in food has increased in Lower Manhattan, as all citizens lose their employees. “Whistleblowers can’t budget or help the feds,” Lizardo says. “That’s why we’re partnering with WSCAH and reinventing the way we spend on food. We are ready in March 2020 and May 2020 and now we have our food spending accordingly. “
The Covid-19 pandemic has allowed the WSCAH to broaden its style and make it meditative and strategic, Lizardo said. “Nowadays you have more relationships with network members than you do with your loved ones. “
And we’re racing to feed as much as we can: “We’re also partnering with the Hungry Pet project, as well as sharing food for the pets. “
Lizardo, who recently joined WSCAH’s board of directors, worked on the labor relationship. “Their defense is enviable,” he said. It’s not just about giving food or putting a band-aid on the problem. It’s about thinking about how to deal with the systemic barriers that save other people from just food, but healthy. “
He added that WSCHAH’s overall commitment to dignity, eligibility and respect is revered by network members. ” We put a price on everyone who comes to our food to get the same dish: the same plate of vegetables, the same plate of milk and the same plate of food. “In terms of equity, it’s very important. “
Despite expanded access, Lizardo maintains that the need is still pressing. Our community were the first to be unemployed, and some of them still are,” he said.
Although food is the most appealing, WSCAH helps others enroll in other services, such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, and also provides assistance with nutrition. safety, health, life, or other fundamental needs. Lack of confidence in food and instability in life are related, Silverman says.
“Edibles are fine,” he added. But 3 months behind is a lot more for a lot of those people. “
La organización también colabora con el New York Presbyterian (NYP). WSCAH entrega alimentos directamente a unas mil familias necesitadas, sobre todo familias con niños pequeños o adultos mayores que fueron examinados por la institución como en situación de inseguridad alimentaria, explicó.
In addition, NYP and WSCAH collaborate with the organization Nido de Esperanza, which is based in Washington Heights. The organization helps pregnant women and mothers with young children. At the start of the collaboration, food aid will be offered to 30 families. There are currently 120. ” Our goal is to succeed in 200,” says Astrid Cordero, director of Nido de Esperanza.
Cordero is inspired by freshness and quality. ” They give us beans and preserves. But the goal is for the family to have fresh food. We have milk, eggs, bread,” she explains. And it’s surprising that we care if we need lecher on our vacation. We have this option to make sure that our families get the food that they use that is culturally appropriate for them. “
WSCHAH’s new stockpile has a capacity of 80,000 to 90,000 pounds of solid products such as pasta, potatoes and canned goods. The behemoth never holds a 15,000-pound store of fresh produce. Normally, feed dispensers dispense tubes, but never allow a giant culmination and vegetables to dispense.
“We ourselves are practical in what cultures want,” Silverman says. “We paint a lot with airplane trees, chili peppers and tropical fruits. “Many families wish they didn’t want apples or oranges because it’s an individual reason. . But if we give them pineapples or melons, they can cut them into multiple portions and they last longer. “
It has been reported that immigrants at WSCAH have engaged in the preparation and cooking of their dishes. “Our clientele doesn’t need chicken nuggets,” he said. They want whole chickens. You need a product that you can cook at home. ” Our job is to make sure that other people have to do it too. “
Silverman has served as Executive Director of WSCAH for several years. During his tenure, he saw an expansion in both numbers and demographics. “We’ve noticed a lot of [people] that we can’t get because of the migration crisis. Venezuelans, Ukrainians, Russians, Mandarin speakers, and Cantonese have had a wonderful influence in recent weeks. We’re targeting a lot more French-speaking West Africans. “
Durante mucho tiempo, su equipo atendió a un gran número de clientes hispanohablantes. “Estamos empezando a mojarnos los pies en otros idiomas y a averiguar cómo atender a 30 personas que vienen y que hablan mandarín”, explica. “Va a ser un reto. Queremos que estas personas tengan los mismos servicios”.
También señaló que dar mantequilla de cacahuete no funciona para todo el mundo. “No es una proteína que quieran. Por eso investigamos mucho con el Centro Médico de la Universidad de Columbia, el New York Presbyterian y la Universidad de la Ciudad de Nueva York para averiguar qué quiere la gente y ver cómo podemos reducir la inseguridad alimentaria y también la obesidad mediante este tipo de intervenciones”.
When designer Shaun Abreu provides food, WSCAH not only distributes food, but also has a team member available for others to apply for benefits. “This will increase the burden on your staff,” Silverman said.
The district director of Abreu’s office, Gabriela Carmela, said that the expenditure on food, which serves 410 families in my home, is one of the highest requested in the office.
Carmela noted that the ability for voters to apply for residencies, SNAP benefits and SCRIE residency benefits is a big help. “And they also [often] express problems with late payment of alcohol,” Carmela said.
“It goes beyond food distribution, although that is its goal. But, at the end of the day, the paintings that we are doing here with us is, honestly, wonderful work,” he said.
WSCHA’s funding comes from a variety of sources: individual donations, city and state funds, and foundation grants. 44 years ago, there was a fight against hunger for a sale. “We’re very respected,” Silverman says.
The organization can also talk to a bountiful organization of 2,000 to 3,000 volunteers. “We’ve probably had 30 to 40 volunteer journals, and some of them have to pay in other ways,” Silverman says. “So we’re very lucky to have that. “
Peter Knitzer has been volunteering at WSCAH for two and a half years. He started at the 86th Street headquarters and now packed boxes and bags at the new center. “We have 20% more power here than we do on 86th Street, which is fantastic,” he says.
Desde abril de 2020, Christine Malonzo ha visto cómo WSCAH pasaba de permitir a sus clientes hacer la compra en la calle 86 a un sistema modular que empaquetaba bolsas para su distribución exterior. Ser voluntaria durante la pandemia le dio un sentido de propósito.
“I love this space,” the new offices say. I can’t let you know. I walked in here for two hours for the first time. I’m concerned that if there’s a storehouse, it’s bloodless and possibly doesn’t have the same domestic and social feeling as the church. But “it will be the most productive way for other people to dedicate themselves to coming in regularly. “
So, Silverman organized a red table to participate in other large Los Angeles anti-home organizations based in the city. Together, build a collective buying style that will allow you to download cheaper acquisition prices. “There’s no competition. There’s an expense in East Harlem or Part of the Angels Solution (POTS) in the Bronx, we’re all running together,” he said.
The collective procurement style also has a wonderful influence on advocacy and monetary support.
“We don’t need the money to be used for some kind of big bureaucracy that charges big administrative fees,” Silverman said. “We want the money to reach the groups that distribute food. Together, we have a strong voice. “
In addition, organizations like the WSCAH are in the midst of a transformer shift, as older models can’t solve basic household disorders. The emergence of a lack of trust in food is going to last for decades, Silverman said. We haven’t gotten people out of unsafe food.
Distributing more food is the answer.
“Let us be thoughtful,” Silverman said. We want to properly manage donor money and make sure our customers are very happy. “
Volunteer Richard Stein worked at WSCAH shortly after the jubilee, just 3 months before the pandemic. WSCAH Printing replaced their style of food distribution with other organizations, which led them to necessarily create an extensive red network in satellite distribution centers. “For me, I see it as pessimistic that, in just a few months and in a scenario as terrible as the pandemic, it will completely replace its function. “
Although he volunteered at other organizations, Stein said he selected through WSCAH because he sent it to his family.
“Quería hacer algo que me interesara y devolver algo a la comunidad”, dijo. “Estar aquí, conocer gente, trabajar con el personal, se ha convertido en una parte muy significativa de mi vida. Se ha convertido en una parte muy significativa de mi vida”.