35th Anniversary Page

New York City may look different now than it did in 1982, but the core of our work remains the same: we are neighbors helping neighbors.

Thirty-five years ago, City Harvest pioneered food rescue when a handful of New Yorkers stepped up to help our neighbors in need. Since then, fueled by compassionate supporters like you, we have rescued and delivered over 600 million pounds of food to feed our city. We are New Yorkers helping New Yorkers. We are so grateful to our City Harvest family – all of the volunteers, food donors, soup kitchens, food pantries, community members and organizations, financial supporters, Board, Food Council members, and Generation Harvest who continue to step up to help us feed New York City one day, one meal, one person at a time. Together, We Are City Harvest.

We have accomplished so much since 1982, but there is more we must do. Today there are still more than 1.2 million New Yorkers, including 1 out of 5 children, who face hunger. This September, stand with us for Hunger Action Month and help us make sure every New Yorker is able to find healthy, affordable food for themselves and their families.

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It takes a city.

As we reflect on this milestone, we’re asking members of our City Harvest family like you why you support our work. Whether it’s about how you felt the first time you saw a City Harvest truck rescuing food in your neighborhood or a special experience you had volunteering with us, we want to hear from you. Share your story with us at [email protected] or on social media with #WeAreCityHarvest.

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I remember doing a food pickup at Le Bernardin. It was incredible to see the way City Harvest is able to connect those with so much and those with less, in a city where the two often do not intersect.

Gabrielle Mizrahi, City Harvest Employee

I saw the longest line I had ever seen in NYC at my first Mobile Market, which was a cold and rainy day. Three hours and 14,000 lbs. of food later, I understood what City Harvest was all about.

Gibson Durnford, City Harvest Volunteer

Growing up in Washington Heights, I felt like I was part of a larger community. My parents taught us to help our neighbors and even strangers if they needed it.

Alex Cohen, Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation

I’m amazed by the unending generosity of New Yorkers: from strangers wanting to lend me a hand at rescues, to the fabulous restaurateurs and farmers donating food, to all the donors who make it all happen.

Mary Miller, City Harvest Volunteer

City Harvest is at the heart of our family. Feeding people is what we love to do, and to be able to do it with our children at a Family Repack Day helps all of us get involved.

Geoffrey Zakarian, City Harvest Food Council Chair

I drove around the city on a City Harvest truck collecting 5,000 pounds of produce from local businesses. It was heartwarming to see how they were moved by City Harvest’s dedication to ending hunger in New York.

Susanne Hatje, Mandarin Oriental

Who we serve, it’s a lot of people. But for the 45,000 households that come to us, there are 45,000 more in this neighborhood that need food, who we aren’t reaching.

Pastor Maureen Rush, Children of the Light Ministries

It was incredibly humbling to stand in the sun at a Mobile Market last summer handing out watermelons and sweet potatoes to people who had been in line for hours to get fresh food for their families.

Gail Simmons, Food & Wine Magazine, Top Chef Judge

City Harvest is more than a partnership. It’s a family, and our clients and volunteers are happy to send our best wishes to you for the commitment to fighting hunger in New York City.

LaNeda Mondesir, Harding Ford Vision

July will mark my 5th year, and my route takes me through the Brooklyn streets where I grew up and live today.

Daniel Angustia, City Harvest Driver

My first time at a Mobile Market – I was preparing fried rice with vegetables, a dish chosen based on the produce available that day. It was overwhelming to see what a simple dish could mean to people!

Chef Eric Ripert, Le Bernardin

NBA Cares partnered with City Harvest during NBA All-Star 2015. One of our most memorable events, members of the NBA family packed over 160,000 pounds of food, benefiting 10,000 people in need.

Todd Jacobson, Social Responsibility, NBA

On behalf of all employees at Moët Hennessy USA, we could not be more proud to be part of the City Harvest family and join forces to continue to bring positive change to the communities who need it most.

Irina Manoliu, Moët Hennessy USA

City Harvest means community. From the staff and chefs on the Food Council to the volunteers and anyone who has a donated a dollar or a can of food, we are a community collectively striving to end hunger.

Emma Bengtsson, Aquavit

One of my first memories of NYC was riding my bike and seeing your Mobile Market on 155th Street, which is right around the corner from my house – and it actually choked me up because these are my people.