Food Bank for NYC trying to reverse course on food insecurity for children

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According to 'Feeding America,' nearly 25% of children living in New York City are living in homes that are food insecure. This summer, 'Food Bank for New York City' is working to change that. "In one of the richest cities in the world, our kids are going hungry," says CEO of the organization, Leslie Gordon. Whether preparing free, fresh food for pick up or hosting educational courses, the organization makes nutritious and healthy food accessible to New Yorkers in need. With 800 locations citywide, it has prepared 1.2 billion meals for our neighbors... and counting. "We want to make sure that people have food that just feels like home every time they gain access to it because if its not familiar, then they're not going to eat it and were not doing our best job," says Gordon. According to Gordon, the rate of children living in food insecure homes increased significantly following the pandemic. She says, "416,000 of our kids right here in New York City don't always know where their next meal is coming from or what it's going to be. And that just shouldn't be." This grim statistic has skyrocketed during this time of year. She says, "For many of our New Yorkers, summer means no food for kids. Parents rely on meals and yet when summer comes, its an automatic stressor." She says that thanks to the city's Universal School Meal Program, children are fed at least twice daily during the school year. This has left parents with hungry children in an incredible stressful predicament during the summer. This is where the Food Bank for New York City makes the difference. Its summer meal programs keep school pantries stocked even during summer months, and with other various resources, it is keeping New Yorkers' bellies full. "