New Yorkers who are hungry this holiday season can find help at the helpNYC.info Resource Navigator.
The Free Holiday Meals & More listing campaign is in its third year of connecting New Yorkers in need to events that provide food pantry distributions, hot meals, food delivery, and other community events that are open to the public.
helpNYC has seen a 105% jump in traffic to their website over this time last year.
“Since our holiday food listings were posted, over 2000 New Yorkers have visited the navigator website to seek information on where they can find holiday food assistance this year,” said Rue Parkin, the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the nonprofit. “Since the pandemic, the need for food has exploded. Families have to forgo paying the bills in order to put food on the table. New Yorkers are resilient, but we are because we take care of each other. This holiday season there is no reason for any New Yorker to go hungry. There is help available.”
“For over two years I experienced street and shelter homelessness in the early 2000s, the food pantries, and soup kitchens that provided me with meals and a place to be with others during the holidays saved my life. If it was not for the programs that we list, and many more, on the helpNYC.info Resource Navigator I would not be here today. Losing my family at a very early age is traumatic, and the people in these food assistance programs became my family. For that, I am grateful, and is the reason I do this work to connect people in need to those who care.” Rue continued.
All listings on the helpNYC.info Resource Navigator are verified through a rigorous listing process with the organization to ensure New Yorkers in need receive the services they need.
The helpNYC Free Holiday Meals & More listings campaign lists Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza, New Year, and general holiday community events. Organizations, community leaders, and others are encouraged to list their holiday meals and community events with helpNYC at helpnyc.info/holiday/register. Registrations will be accepted until December 30, 2021.
New Yorkers in need this holiday season should visit www.helpNYC.info/holiday to find help in their neighborhood.
Rue Parkin is available for interviews via Zoom. Please email rue@helpNYC.co or call/text 929-220-3027.
Image captions: Volunteers at a recent Food Distribution in the Bronx hosted by Senator Alessandra Biaggi and Council Member-Elect Marjorie Velazquez on Saturday, November 19, 2021. For more photos on Instagram, please visit here.
Free Holiday Meals & More Listings Campaign, please visit here.
For Event Registration, please visit here.
For Campaign Social Media, please visit here.
