A Thanksgiving to Remember: Volunteering at NY Common Pantry
As the holiday season approaches, many families struggle to make ends meet. With the rising cost of food and other necessities, putting a Thanksgiving meal on the table can be difficult. That is why I'm so grateful for the opportunity to volunteer on November 17, 2023, at the New York Common Pantry's annual turkey giveaway. Its turkey giveaway happens over the whole week!
For the past few years, I have been fortunate enough to spend my day at the pantry, helping distribute food and other essentials to needy families. It is an incredibly rewarding experience to see the look of relief on people's faces as they receive a meal they might not otherwise be able to afford.
I participated in the giveaway this year thanks to BNY Mellon's generous Community Impact Day program. BNY Mellon encourages its employees to take a day off from work to volunteer in their communities. I am so grateful for this opportunity to give back and make a difference in the lives of others.
The New York Common Pantry is a non-profit organization providing food assistance to over 600,000 people in New York City annually. The pantry's annual turkey giveaway is just one of the many ways that the organization helps to fight hunger in our community.
This year, the pantry gave over 3,000 turkeys to needy families. That is just a fraction of the food the pantry provides yearly. In addition to food assistance, the pantry also offers a variety of other programs and services, including nutrition education, job placement assistance, and financial counseling.
Also, the New York Mets donated over 7,500 turkeys to their ninth annual Mets Giving Turkey Giveaway on November 17, 2023. The turkeys were distributed to families in need across all five boroughs of New York City. The Amazin' Mets Foundation funded a $180,000 grant to support this initiative and is working with 15 community partners throughout New York City to feed over 61,000 underserved individuals.
I am so grateful for the New York Common Pantry and all it does to help needy families. I am also grateful to BNY Mellon for its commitment to community service. I am proud to be a part of both organizations.
If you are looking for a way to give back this holiday season, I encourage you to volunteer at your local food pantry. Every little bit helps!
