WYCD fans answer our holiday questions

We love our fans here at What You Can Do! Every day when we see likes on Facebook, views on YouTube, hits to our blog and RT’s on twitter - we feel grateful to all of you who join us in the mission to change the world, one minute at a time. 

This holiday season we reached out to fans on both Twitter and Facebook to find out what you had to say about some holiday topics. We got so many great answers that we wanted to share a recap here on our blog:

1.  During this season of giving what organizations do you give to most?

WYCD:  This year What You Can Do is matching "likes" with meals donated to Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen we will match up to 1200 likes with meals. You can click here: https://www.facebook.com/photo.phpfbid=10152087886858606&set=a.240442418605.137875.94542848605&type=1&theater

WYCD FANS:

Buick Audra Nashville CARES (AIDS org.), Nashville Humane Society, and Safe Haven shelter for homeless families.

Charlene Miller Toys for tots

Sara Summers pennys by the inch

Donna Rush-Grant Food bank and the angel tree

Michele Parvis Children Inc, Komen, gifts for those in need and helping animals.

2.   What are simple ways that you can help fight Hunger?

WYCD: Donating to a local food drive or volunteering at a local food bank in your community is a great way to help the fight against hunger. Don't know of a food bank in your area?  Go here for a location search: http://feedingamerica.org/foodbank-results.aspx#

WYCD FANS:

Dee Richards Donate money, time, to your area food bank.

Brian Schoenberg Play Free Rice.com http://freerice.com/#/english-vocabulary/1514

Sara Summers Share. we have enough to feed the planet

Tiffany Luvz Yuh be like katniss everdeen and start an uprising!

Colleen B. Guillot Have free food drives and hand out flyers for ppl in need to see.

Carol Barrett Jackson When you buy groceries, buy a couple of extra items and donate to your local food pantry.

Margaret Payne Sponser a dinner in your home or in the community once a week 

3.  Do you practice any eco-friendly holiday wrapping or decorating? If so what do you use? 

WYCD:  Consider using newspaper, recycled wrapping paper, subway maps, old fabrics, past child artwork or sheet music. Maybe choose a Charlie Brown Tree or a potted tree that you can plant after the holidays.  You can get more ideas from our Holiday Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TL9KuKCvYgc

WYCD FANS:

Buick Audra I recycle all wrapping paper and tissue - and definitely ribbon. We planted a memorial tree in our yard for our beloved kitty last month, and we intend to decorate it in coming years, in lieu of having a tree inside.

4.  Have you ever volunteered at a food bank/soup kitchen in your area? If so which one? 

WYCD:  We interviewed the Worcester County Food bank you can learn about volunteering there.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4U2GFWJ2wA

WYCD FANS:

Dee Richards Yes my son and I volunteer about 3 times a month at our church Word Spirit and Life Ministries in Chester VA food distribution program.

Brenda Hammerman once a month I do

5.  If you make New Year’s resolutions what will they be? Share with us we want to know!

WYCD:  You can go green for a new years resolution. Here are some ideas:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAuI43k-5-0   AND Volunteering is a big top 10 resolution that many people make in the new year. Why not try it!

Kayleen Dunlap  My New Years resolution is to begin to make decisions based on love and not fear!

Amanda Church Talbott To be a better mom, wife, daughter, and friend. #resolutions

Bonus Questions:  What are other ways that you try to help others during this Holiday season?

WYCD FANS:

Buick Audra Bake and knit for shelters!

Brenda Hamilton  Donate your time ..take cookies to nursing homes some of the ppl are all alone also donate to sober houses & rehabs..take cold weather gear to shelters this always helps ppl in need

Michele Parvis   making sure some of the people in need get a gift this year...

Thank you to all our fans who wrote in to give us answers to our holiday questions. There are so many ways to help fight hunger in your communities, go green for the holidays and make earth friendly resolutions. We hope that everyone has a wonderful holiday season and look forward to helping to make this world a better place together in the coming new year. 

All the best,

The What You Can Do Team

Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen Offers More Than Just A Hot Meal

Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen is the second largest soup kitchen in the country, but they provide their guests with so much more than food.  Listen as their guests describe the vast array of services and how they have helped them get back on their feet.



Produced by - On the Leesh Productions
Featuring: Rev. Glenn Chalmers, Barbara, Joseph, David, Jay, Gerard, Norman, Patricia, Samuel, Juanita, Elizabeth, and Guests of Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen
Directed by: Alicia Arinella
Shot by: Amanda Blohm, James McGann and Alicia Arinella
Edited by: Amanda Blohm and Alicia Arinella
Music by: Buick Audra
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Special Thanks: Yvonne Cassidy, Jordan Rubenstein, Rev.Glenn Chalmers,  Barbara, Joseph, Jay, David, Gerard, Norman, Patricia, Samuel, Juanita, Elizabeth, and everyone at Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, and Dennis Arinella

For more information on What You Can Do, please visit:
Facebook - www.Facebook.com/whatyoucando
Twitter - www.Twitter.com/whatyoucando
Website - www.whatyoucando.com
Blog - www.whatyoucandoseries.blogspot.com
Vlog - www.youtube.com/unstoppableminute.com
Pinterest - www.pinterest.com/1minette

For more information on On the Leesh Productions, please visit:
Website - http://www.ontheleesh.com
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/ontheleesh
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/ontheleesh
Blog - http://www.ontheleesh.blogspot.com

For more information on Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, please visit - 
Website - www.holyapostlessoupkitchen.org
Facebook - www.facebook.com/holyapostlessoupkitchen
Follow them on Twitter - www.twitter.com/HolyApostelsNYC


For more information Buick Audra, please visit:
Facebook - www.facebook.com/buickaudramusic
Twitter - www.twitter.com/buickaudra
Instagram - www.instagram.com/buickaudra
Website - www.buickaudra.com

Spotlight on Hunger: WYCD Interviews Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, in New York City.

This holiday season, What You Can Do is teaming up with Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen to help raise awareness and fight hunger in New York City. As 1 in every 5 New Yorkers face hunger, Holy Apostles plays a crucial role in providing food, support and hope to people in need.  

The What You Can Do team is based in New York, so we have the opportunity to collaborate with many organizations inspiring change throughout our city. Since fans watch What You Can Do from around the world, we thought this holiday season would be a good time to highlight different perspectives on hunger. More than 49 million Americans face hunger today, with over 15 million of that number being children. 

We interviewed representatives from food banks and hunger organizations across the country and in Canada, asking about involvement in their communities, services they offer, trends they are seeing in their communities etc. 

Our seventh and final spotlight is on Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, a hunger relief organization servicing the NYC region.

An interview with Yvonne Cassidy, Social Media and Direct Mail Officer for Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, in New York, NY.

WYCD:  Please tell us a little about your organization and the community that you serve.

Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen is the largest in New York City. We serve an average of 1,200 meals every day, with the help of 50-60 volunteers. More of our guests are homeless today than ever before. Almost 60% of our guests are homeless. 10% of our guests are in a temporary housing situation; staying with a friend, sleeping on a couch or house sitting. These people are at risk for becoming homeless. Coming to Holy Apostles can be looked at as a homeless prevention program because this way our guests do not have to spend money on food. We have all different types of people here; women, men, children, and a lot of veterans visit the soup kitchen. In over 30 years of service, no one has ever been turned away.

WYCD:  How long have you been in operation?


Holy Apostles has been in operation since October 1982. We are the longest serving soup kitchen in New York, as well as the largest.

WYCD:  What types of services do you provide to your community?

At Holy Apostles, we not only want to provide food to the body, but we want to provide food for the soul.  In addition to providing lunch every weekday, we provide an array of services including, blood pressure checks, HIV tests, toiletries, chiropractor, yoga, movie nights, and the writer’s workshop. Our newest addition is a small computer lab and computer class to help people learn to use the computers and work on their resumes to get back in the workplace. Every day, we have a team of four counselors on site who work with our guests on a variety of practical ways to help them on to a more manageable way of life off the soup kitchen line. Services our counselors provide include connecting guests with jobs, benefits, shelters, family members, offering haircuts, assistance with housing, food stamps, Metrocards and providing picture ID cards.

WYCD: Which services are the most popular and why do you think that is? 

It's hard to say as we have such a wide variety of people who come here with different needs. For those who are homeless, being able to use the soup kitchen as a mailing address or simply having access to a phone is important. IDs are also very popular as people living in shelters or on the street often have belongings stolen and you can't get ID if you don't have ID. For people who are unemployed, haircut vouchers, clothing and Metrocards are in high demand as these can help them in their job search.

WYCD:  Have the overall numbers of visitors changed in the last few years?

We served 34 meals on our first serving day in October 1982. At the time the soup kitchen was open 3 days a week. Within weeks, the numbers of meals served jumped to 300 a day. After a couple of months, we were serving 500 meals, 5 days a week. Today, we serve on average 1,200 meals a day. 1 in 5 New Yorkers are hungry, food stamps have just been cut - it's not surprising that our numbers are growing, but it's sad.

WYCD:  Has the demographic of your visitors changed over the last several years?

We've seen an increase in the number of people who are homeless coming here - we estimate about 60% of guests are homeless - as well as an increase in the number of people at risk of becoming homeless. Often this latter category will be college graduates who may be staying on a friend's couch or another temporary living situation while they are searching for work. Rent in New York is exorbitant, so they stay on a friend's couch and come to Holy Apostles to get a meal. It helps them get by until they can find a job. We’ve had business people who have been laid off, people who are hit with a medical expense, even a funeral. Holy Apostles helps people stretch their budget, because the alternative is homelessness.

WYCD:  What are the most prevalent issues in your community, and do you feel that this reflects the current trends around the region?

Homelessness is obviously a big issue in New York and it is on the increase here as it is in other cities around the US. Tonight, as you and I turn out our lights to sleep in our beds, 51,000 New Yorkers will be sleeping in shelters, not to mention the hundreds or maybe thousands more on the street. Hunger is a huge issue. 1 in 5 New Yorkers are hungry. Recent surveys show families in low income brackets cutting back on food to pay rent, utility bills etc. The recent cuts to Food Stamps are going to make things even harder for people all across America. We've already seen the impact here in the soup kitchen. Unemployment and underemployment are big issues for our guests. Our most recent survey shows over 90% of our guests are unemployed and the vast majority who come here are in their prime working years.

WYCD:  If you have volunteers, are you finding more people involved in helping out, and does it fluctuate throughout the year?

We have 50-60 volunteers every day. We have seniors, college students, school and corporate groups, people who come once a week, or once a month, or even every day. Thanksgiving and the holidays are especially popular. We start to book up in July for Thanksgiving and we usually have to cut this off a month or so in advance. It's wonderful to see such an outpouring of support at this time of year but hunger is a year round problem - you provide a meal for someone today and they are hungry again tomorrow. Our busiest months are actually during the summer when schools are out and more children and families come to the soup kitchen. Often we struggle getting volunteers in the summer as people are away on vacation so that's when we really need help.

WYCD:  Do you have special requests for the types of food/meals that you provide?

There's a huge focus among our chefs on providing a nutritious meal using local and in season produce. Many guests eat here every day so variety is important. In the last number of years we have revamped the menu and we no longer serve any processed foods. All grains on the menu are whole grains. For many guests, this is their only meal, so we ensure it is balanced to provide their nutritional requirements for a day. We provide a vegetarian meal for guests who don't eat meat. Unfortunately, beyond that we're not able to provide for special requirements due to the volume of meals we serve and the budgetary constraints under which we operate.

WYCD:  What are easy ways that your community can help out your organization even if they only have one minute of time to give? What if they have one hour to give?

In one minute you can "Like" us on Facebook - www.facebook.com/holyapostlessoupkitchen or follow us on Twitter - @HolyApostlesNYC.  This helps us get the word out about what we do and raise the profile of the soup kitchen. If you can only spare $1, that will cover the food costs for one meal for a guest. Over 90% of our donations are small donations from individuals. Every little bit helps..

Many thanks to Yvonne and her team at Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen for sharing their insight on hunger in the New York City metro area with us.

We want to express our gratitude to all the organizations across the country and in Canada for sharing their perspectives on the fight against hunger. Though the holidays provide many opportunities to make a difference in our communities, we can continue to help our neighbors year round. By volunteering or donating to your local shelter or food bank, we can help erase hunger close to home and around the world. And remember even if you have one minute, you can help change the world.  

If you want to learn more about Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen and the work that they do, you can visit their website at:
http://www.holyapostlessoupkitchen.org
@holyapostlesNYC

To join What You Can Do in the mission to help change the world, one minute at a time,
please visit us at:

www.facebook.com/whatyoucando
www.whatyoucando.com
https://www.youtube.com/user/WhatYouCanDo365/videos

@whatyoucando

Norman Thomas: Portrait of a Guest of Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen

In this "Portrait of a Guest," Norman Thomas discusses his experience with being homeless and how Holy Apostles provided a "stepping stone" to being again.

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Produced by - On the Leesh Productions
Featuring: Norman Thomas
Directed & Shot by: Alicia Arinella
Edited by: Amanda Blohm & Alicia Arinella
Music by: Buick Audra
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Special Thanks: Yvonne Cassidy, Jordan Rubenstein, Rev.Glenn Chalmers, George Cousins and everyone at Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, and Dennis Arinella

For more information on What You Can Do, please visit:

Facebook - www.Facebook.com/whatyoucando

Twitter - www.Twitter.com/whatyoucando

Website - www.whatyoucando.com

Blog - www.whatyoucandoseries.blogspot.com

Vlog - www.youtube.com/unstoppableminute.com

Pinterest - www.pinterest.com/1minette

For more information on On the Leesh Productions, please visit:

Website - http://www.ontheleesh.com

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/ontheleesh

Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/ontheleesh

Blog - http://www.ontheleesh.blogspot.com

For more information on Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, please visit - 

Website - www.holyapostlessoupkitchen.org

Facebook - www.facebook.com/holyapostlessoupkitchen

Follow them on Twitter - www.twitter.com/HolyApostelsNYC

For more information Buick Audra, please visit:

Website - www.buickaudra.com

Facebook - www.facebook.com/buickaudramusic

Twitter - www.twitter.com/buickaudra

Instagram - www.instagram.com/buickaudra

David Leal: Portrait of a Guest of Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen

In this "Portrait of a Guest," David Leal discusses his experience with being homeless and how Holy Apostles has supported him and helped to get him back on his feet.

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Produced by - On the Leesh Productions

Featuring: David Leal

Directed and Shot by: Alicia Arinella

Edited by: Amanda Blohm and Alicia Arinella

Music by: Buick Audra

What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Special Thanks: Yvonne Cassidy, Jordan Rubenstein, Rev.Glenn Chalmers, David Leal and everyone at Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, and Dennis Arinella

For more information on What You Can Do, please visit:

Facebook - www.Facebook.com/whatyoucando

Twitter - www.Twitter.com/whatyoucando

Website - www.whatyoucando.com

Blog - www.whatyoucandoseries.blogspot.com

Vlog - www.youtube.com/unstoppableminute.com

Pinterest - www.pinterest.com/1minette

For more information on On the Leesh Productions, please visit:

Website - http://www.ontheleesh.com

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/ontheleesh

Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/ontheleesh

Blog - http://www.ontheleesh.blogspot.com

For more information on Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, please visit - 

Website - www.holyapostlessoupkitchen.org

Facebook - www.facebook.com/holyapostlessoupkitchen

Follow them on Twitter - www.twitter.com/HolyApostelsNYC

For more information Buick Audra, please visit:

Website - www.buickaudra.com

Facebook - www.facebook.com/buickaudramusic

Twitter - www.twitter.com/buickaudra

Instagram - www.instagram.com/buickaudra

Gerard Gonzalez: Portrait of a Guest of Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen

In this "Portrait of a Guest," Gerard Gonzalez discusses his experience with being homeless and how Holy Apostles has always provided him with the support he needs.

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Produced by - On the Leesh Productions
Featuring: Gerard Gonzalez
Directed & Shot by: Alicia Arinella
Edited by: Amanda Blohm & Alicia Arinella
Music by: Buick Audra
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Special Thanks: Yvonne Cassidy, Jordan Rubenstein, Rev.Glenn Chalmers, George Cousins and everyone at Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, and Dennis Arinella

For more information on What You Can Do, please visit:

Facebook - www.Facebook.com/whatyoucando

Twitter - www.Twitter.com/whatyoucando

Website - www.whatyoucando.com

Blog - www.whatyoucandoseries.blogspot.com

Vlog - www.youtube.com/unstoppableminute.com

Pinterest - www.pinterest.com/1minette

For more information on On the Leesh Productions, please visit:

Website - http://www.ontheleesh.com

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/ontheleesh

Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/ontheleesh

Blog - http://www.ontheleesh.blogspot.com

For more information on Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, please visit - 

Website - www.holyapostlessoupkitchen.org

Facebook - www.facebook.com/holyapostlessoupkitchen

Follow them on Twitter - www.twitter.com/HolyApostelsNYC

For more information Buick Audra, please visit:

Website - www.buickaudra.com

Facebook - www.facebook.com/buickaudramusic

Twitter - www.twitter.com/buickaudra

Instagram - www.instagram.com/buickaudra

Volunteering at Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen

Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen serves more than 1,200 meals every week day, but they wouldn't be able to without the help of their volunteers.  

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Produced by - On the Leesh Productions

Featuring: Rev. Glenn Chalmers, Yvonne Cassidy, Joyce Sturges, Shirley Temple-Cooke, Donna Brennan, Nicholas Perriello, Barbara, Joseph, David, Jay, Elizabeth, Karoline, George, Mathieu, Nadia,  and Guests of Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen

Directed by: Alicia Arinella

Shot by: Amanda Blohm, James McGann and Alicia Arinella

Edited by: Amanda Blohm and Alicia Arinella

Music by: Buick Audra

What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Special Thanks: Yvonne Cassidy, Jordan Rubenstein, Rev.Glenn Chalmers, Joyce Sturges, Shirley Temple-Cooke, Donna Brennan, Nicholas Perriello, Barbara, Joseph, Jay, David, Nadia, George, Karoline, Mathieu, and everyone at Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, and Dennis Arinella

For more information on What You Can Do, please visit:

Facebook - www.Facebook.com/whatyoucando

Twitter - www.Twitter.com/whatyoucando

Website - www.whatyoucando.com

Blog - www.whatyoucandoseries.blogspot.com

Vlog - www.youtube.com/unstoppableminute.com

Pinterest - www.pinterest.com/1minette

For more information on On the Leesh Productions, please visit:

Website - http://www.ontheleesh.com

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/ontheleesh

Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/ontheleesh

Blog - http://www.ontheleesh.blogspot.com

For more information on Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, please visit - 

Website - www.holyapostlessoupkitchen.org

Facebook - www.facebook.com/holyapostlessoupkitchen

Follow them on Twitter - www.twitter.com/HolyApostelsNYC

For more information Buick Audra, please visit:

Website - www.buickaudra.com

Facebook - www.facebook.com/buickaudramusic

Twitter - www.twitter.com/buickaudra

Instagram - www.instagram.com/buickaudra

Elizabeth Harrison: Portrait of a Guest of Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen

In this "Portrait of a Guest," Elizabeth Harrison discusses her experience with being homeless and how Holy Apostles has helped to get her back on her feet.

---

Produced by - On the Leesh Productions

Featuring: Elizabeth Harrison

Directed & Shot by: Alicia Arinella

Edited by: Amanda Blohm & Alicia Arinella

Music by: Buick Audra

What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Special Thanks: Yvonne Cassidy, Jordan Rubenstein, Rev.Glenn Chalmers, Elizabeth Harrison and everyone at Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, and Dennis Arinella

For more information on What You Can Do, please visit:

Facebook - www.Facebook.com/whatyoucando

Twitter - www.Twitter.com/whatyoucando

Website - www.whatyoucando.com

Blog - www.whatyoucandoseries.blogspot.com

Vlog - www.youtube.com/unstoppableminute.com

Pinterest - www.pinterest.com/1minette

For more information on On the Leesh Productions, please visit:

Website - http://www.ontheleesh.com

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/ontheleesh

Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/ontheleesh

Blog - http://www.ontheleesh.blogspot.com

For more information on Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, please visit - 

Website - www.holyapostlessoupkitchen.org

Facebook - www.facebook.com/holyapostlessoupkitchen

Follow them on Twitter - www.twitter.com/HolyApostelsNYC

For more information Buick Audra, please visit:

Website - www.buickaudra.com

Facebook - www.facebook.com/buickaudramusic

Twitter - www.twitter.com/buickaudra

Instagram - www.instagram.com/buickaudra

Spotlight on Hunger: WYCD Interviews FeedMore in Central Virginia.

This holiday season, What You Can Do is teaming up with Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen to help raise awareness and fight hunger in New York City. As 1 in every 5 New Yorkers face hunger, Holy Apostles plays a crucial role in providing food, support and hope to people in need.  

The What You Can Do team is based in New York, so we have the opportunity to collaborate with many organizations inspiring change throughout our city. Since fans watch What You Can Do from around the world, we thought this holiday season would be a good time to highlight different perspectives on hunger. More than 49 million Americans face hunger today, with over 15 million of that number being children. 

We interviewed representatives from food banks and hunger organizations across the country and in Canada, asking about involvement in their communities, services they offer, trends they are seeing in their communities etc. 

Our sixth spotlight is on FeedMore, a hunger relief organization servicing the Central Virginia region. 

An interview with Jeff Baldwin, Media and Public Relations Manager for FeedMore, in Richmond Virginia.

WYCD:  Please tell us a little about your organization and the community that you serve.

FeedMore is Central Virginia’s core hunger-relief organization made up of the Central Virginia Food Bank, Meals on Wheels, and the Community Kitchen. The FeedMore programs provide hunger relief to our region’s most vulnerable populations, particularly children, families and seniors. FeedMore serves 31 counties and 5 cities in Virginia.

WYCD:  How long have you been in operation?

FeedMore was created on July 1, 2008 with the merger of the Central Virginia Food Bank and Meals on Wheels Serving Central Virginia. As the new organization was born, an unprecedented economic downturn brought a challenging combination of limited financial resources for nonprofits across the country, as well as historic increases in demand for services. The FeedMore merger was timely, for by working together, the Food Bank and Meals on Wheels maximized efficiencies and available resources to better serve those in need.


WYCD:  What types of services do you provide to your community?

FeedMore offers hunger-relief programs such as our Central Virginia Food Bank, which partners with a network of 360 agencies (food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, etc.); our Meals on Wheels program, which delivers freshly prepared, nutritious meals to 1,000 of our region's homebound and elderly population, our Children’s Programs; such as Kids Cafe, which is a network of over 60 after-school meal and snack sites, and the BackPack Program, which provides weekend meals to 2,000 chronically hungry children each week.

WYCD: Which services are the most popular and why do you think that is? 

All of our programs at FeedMore are very active. In Central Virginia, 206,770 individuals are food-insecure, meaning they do not know where their next meal is coming from. This number includes nearly 51,000 children and represents nearly 14% of the entire population.

WYCD:  Have the overall numbers of visitors changed in the last few years?

We don’t really have visitors per say. We serve our partners through our Central Virginia Food Bank, who in turn serve clients. We also serve clients directly through our Meals on Wheels and Children’s Programs.

WYCD:  Has the demographic of your visitors changed over the last several years?

No. Hunger does not discriminate. 

WYCD:  What are the most prevalent issues in your community, and do you feel that this reflects the current trends around the region?

Hunger is a real issue facing most communities throughout the country and Central Virginia is not immune.

WYCD:  If you have volunteers, are you finding more people involved in helping out, and does it fluctuate throughout the year?

FeedMore relies on a team of 250 volunteers to operate each and every day, so while we always have a wonderful team, we are in constant need for new faces and talents.

WYCD:  Do you have special requests for the types of food/meals that you provide?

We are always in need of donated non-perishable foods high in protein, such as peanut butter, canned meats and fish, cereals, pastas, canned vegetables and canned fruits.

WYCD:  What are easy ways that your community can help out your organization even if they only have one minute of time to give? What if they have one hour to give?

The easiest way to help FeedMore if you only have one minute is to make a secure online donation at www.feedmore.org. At FeedMore, a $5 donation equates to 25 meals, and 98 cents of every dollar supports FeedMore’s programs and services. If someone has an hour to give, we encourage them to become a FeedMore Meals on Wheels volunteer delivery driver. These volunteers are the individuals that deliver the freshly prepared meals to our clients.

We want to send many thanks to Jeff and his team at FeedMore for sharing their insight on hunger in the Central Virginia region with us. As we strive to end hunger across the country, they show us how we can take positive action as individuals and members of our communities. By finding ways to make a difference, one minute at a time, we can help erase hunger in our neighborhoods and around the world.

If you want to learn more about FeedMore and the work that they do, you can visit their website at:  https://feedmore.org
@FeeMoreInc



If you want to learn more about Holy Apostles in New York City, you can visit their website at:
http://www.holyapostlesnyc.org
@holyapostlesNYC

To join What You Can Do in the mission to help change the world, one minute at a time,
please visit us at:

www.facebook.com/whatyoucando
www.whatyoucando.com
https://www.youtube.com/user/WhatYouCanDo365/videos

@whatyoucando

Spotlight on Hunger: WYCD Interviews the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, in Trenton New Jersey.

This holiday season, What You Can Do is teaming up with Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen to help raise awareness and fight hunger in New York City. As 1 in every 5 New Yorkers face hunger, Holy Apostles plays a crucial role in providing food, support and hope to people in need.  

The What You Can Do team is based in New York, so we have the opportunity to collaborate with many organizations inspiring change throughout our city. Since fans watch What You Can Do from around the world, we thought this holiday season would be a good time to highlight different perspectives on hunger. More than 49 million Americans face hunger today, with over 15 million of that number being children. 

We interviewed representatives from food banks and hunger organizations across the country and in Canada, asking about involvement in their communities, services they offer, trends they are seeing in their communities etc. 

Our fifth spotlight is on the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, a hunger relief organization based out of Trenton, New Jersey.

An interview with Dennis Micai, Executive Director for the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen.

WYCD:  Please tell us a little about your organization and the community that you serve.

TASK has been meeting the needs of the hungry in the Greater Trenton, NJ area for more than 30 years. We provided 210,000 meals over the past year. In addition to our main site at 72 1/2 Escher Street, we have six satellite sites - 3 in Trenton, 2 in Hightstown and 1 in Princeton. In addition to our meal programs, we have an Adult Education Program, two arts programs (A-Team with traditional artists and SHARE with performing artists, writers, and musicians), a fully equipped computer lab, an on site social worker and various programs throughout the year for children. More details may be found on our website: www.trentonsoupkitchen.org.

WYCD:  How long have you been in operation?

TASK has been in operation since 1981.

WYCD:  If you offer a variety of services, which ones are the most popular and why do you think that is?

Obviously, our most popular program is our feeding program. However, the AEP and Arts Programs are also hugely popular.

WYCD:  Have the overall numbers of visitors changed in the last few years?

Our meal counts have consistently risen over the past several years to an all-time record of 210,000 (8% increase over prior year) in the FY year ended June 30.

WYCD:  Has the demographic of your visitors changed over the last several years?

(Are you seeing an increase in certain age groups, races, economic status, genders or the marital status of people needing your services?)

Our demographic has changed. We see more seniors, more young families, less homeless people (as there has been a concerted effort in Mercer County to house the homeless). In addition, we have seen more young males from outside the Trenton area coming to the city for services.

WYCD:  What are the most prevalent issues in your community, and do you feel that this reflects the current trends around the region?

The most significant issue in Trenton is safety. Crime has increased since the layoff of more than 100 police officers due to budget cuts. In addition, a poor school system, lack of jobs, and unaffordable housing continue to be major issues.

WYCD:  If you have volunteers, are you finding more people involved in helping out, and does it fluctuate throughout the year?

Our volunteer base remains stable at approximately 3,500 per year.

WYCD:  Do you have special requests for the types of food/meals that you provide?

We encourage people to donate money instead of food. Since we are members of the local food bank, we can purchase food at 15% of retail, therefore we can access 7 times the amount of food that someone purchasing at retail could. We are also always in need of personal hygiene products that we distribute to our patrons.

WYCD:  What are easy ways that your community can help out your organization even if they only have one minute of time to give? What if they have one hour to give?

If time is limited to 1 hour or less, the best way to help is to make a financial donation. We also always appreciate those that join us in advocating for the needs of the hungry.

We want to send many thanks to Dennis and his team at the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen for sharing their insight on hunger in the Greater Trenton area with us.  As we strive to end hunger as a nation, they help show us how cities across the U.S. are making a difference in their communities. By finding ways to take action, one minute at a time, we can help erase hunger in our neighborhoods and even around the world.

If you want to learn more about their work, you can visit the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen website at:
http://www.trentonsoupkitchen.org
@TASKsoupkitchen


If you want to learn more about Holy Apostles in New York City, you can visit their website at:
http://www.holyapostlesnyc.org
@holyapostlesNYC

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