About Food Bank For New York City

Food Bank For New York City recognizes 27 years as the city's major hunger-relief organization working to end food poverty throughout the five boroughs. As the city’s hub for integrated food poverty services, the Food Bank tackles hunger on three fronts: food distribution, income support and nutrition education. All of the organization’s work is guided by its research on food poverty in New York City.

For more information, visit foodbanknyc.org

MBF Supports Food Bank For New York City

Announcements:

Spring, 2012
The MBF and FBNYC Community CookShop pilot program which kicked of last summer was a big success reaching far more families than we could have anticipated. Currently we are making a few adjustments to the curriculum and preparing to kick off the program again in food pantries and soup kitchens across the five boroughs this summer.

August, 2011
MBF & FBNYC Community CookShop Pilot Program Gets Underway
The Community CookShop pilot program rolls out to eight food pantries and soup kitchens located throughout the five boroughs. This six part family-oriented health and nutrition education program, developed as a joint venture of MBF and FBNYC, engages parents and their children in practicing strategies to get the best value for their money, maintain a healthy lifestyle and prepare tasty and affordable meals.

Community CookShop participants:
- Prepare simple, healthful recipes created by Mario Batali using ingredients found in food pantries.
- Practice budget-saving planning, selection and storage techniques.
- Find out about services that can expand their family's food budget.
- Receive recipes and ingredients to use at home with their families.
- Learn how food choice affects health.

Feedback from participants:
Community Kitchen and Food Pantry of West Harlem, Manhattan
Would you make today's recipe at home?
"Yes, for my daughter's birthday party." (Translated from Spanish.)

St. John's Bread and Life, Brooklyn
"I learned that certain foods that I cooked separately I can put in a salad and it really tastes great…This class was great. I'm a diabetic and I'm learning how better and healthier I can eat to help me obtain lower sugar level. Wish the class could be longer instead of 6 wks."

January, 2011
MBF grant awarded to the Food Bank For New York City for the development of the Community CookShop pilot program. Based on the Food Bank’s CookShop model - which offers hands-on learning and multiple exposures to healthy food for low-income children, teens and adults - Community CookShop will be the Food Bank’s first program to feature intergenerational workshops that allow children and their parents/guardians to build nutrition knowledge and cooking skills side by side. Community CookShop will be introduced in the summer of 2011 at New York City food pantries and soup kitchens, where participants can also access critical hunger relief services.

Beyond the monetary contribution and support, MBF will be working with the Food Bank to develop the Community CookShop curriculum, incorporating recipes from Mario Batali.

We are thrilled to help support this innovative new approach to nutrition education within the Food Bank community! More updates to follow as they become available.