The City Harvest food rescue organization in New York City launched its annual High Holidays Food Drive on Sept. 8, which calls for kosher food donations that will be provided to Jewish New Yorkers experiencing food insecurity, the organization stated.
The month-long drive will run through the Jewish High Holiday season and end on Oct. 13.
“Right now, the need for food assistance in New York City is the highest on record as people face high costs for rent, food, and other essentials, Carlos Rodriguez, chief policy and operations officer at City Harvest, told JNS. “This food drive is a powerful way for our community to come together and ensure that our Jewish neighbors have access to the food they need, particularly during the holidays.”
According to UJA-Federation of New York, one in five Jewish households in New York struggles to make ends meet, Rodriguez said.
Last year, the High Holidays Food Drive collected nearly 8,000 pounds of food for City Harvest to deliver to kosher food pantries across New York City’s five boroughs. This year, the organization in its entirety seeks to provide as much as 7.9 million pounds of food to 24 kosher community food programs throughout the city.
“City Harvest is committed to sourcing culturally desired foods that meet the preferences, dietary and religious needs of New Yorkers from all backgrounds,” Rodriguez told JNS.
The organization, which also runs a Passover Food Drive in the spring, has operated a kosher food rescue program since 1999. In that time, it has delivered more than 106 million pounds of food, including fresh produce and kosher meat, to kosher community food programs throughout New York City.
“In the United States, nearly 40% of the food that is produced is wasted. Much of this food is high-quality and healthy to consume,” Rodriguez said. “By redirecting that food to our neighbors in need, City Harvest is fighting hunger and food waste through food rescue.”
