Category: Features & analyses
Recent years and the global pandemic have highlighted the vulnerability of immigrant populations in New York to major health and economic crises, particularly in the metropolitan area. Unfortunately, these communities have been facing barriers to healthcare for a long time, with limited access to fedral and state social welfare programs. There is hope, however. In 2020, thanks to the collective effort of donors and organizations, millions of dollars were distributed to immigrant New Yorkers left out of federal stimulus funding....
I first volunteered with Food Bank for New York City in July of this year, in the Community Kitchen and Pantry in Harlem, as part of the Grab-and-Go Pantry Distribution program. I had been looking for an opportunity to spend part of my weekends in a fruitful way, and support an organization whose mission I believed in. Through this experience, I have had the chance to register and greet members of the community, distribute fresh produce and pantry items, and meet and work with other volunteers who bring different backgrounds and stories but share similar motivations.
Last week, I sat down with Aaliyah, a Food Bank employee, to find out more about the organization and her experience working there.
At the beginning of July, I flew back home to Australia, for what was the first time in three and a half years since I had left. While I had seen my parents and sister, and a number of extended relatives and friends, in that time, there were several people who mean a lot to me, that I had not seen: my four grandparents, family friends that I had known all my life, and friends from high school, university, and college.
Daniella, our WSWL Outreach & Special Events Assistant and LEAD Alumna, recaps last month’s Sunset on the Roof event, celebrating our Spring 2022 We Speak We LEAD cohort. I guess you know virtual love… until the day finally comes to meet that person face to face. You know what feeling I mean, right? A virtual life. This is exactly what the pandemic has given us – visits, classes, meetings, interviews, even celebrations through a screen. Since the pandemic separated us in 2020,...
