Goya Foods, the largest Hispanic owned food company in the United States, donates 300,000 pounds of food to Catholic Charities of New York’s new Food Distribution Center, located in the low-income community of the South Bronx at Catholic Charities’ South Bronx Community Center, 402 E. 152nd Street, Bronx, New York.
In an effort to increase access to quality food and nutritious meals, the new Catholic Charities Community Services Food Distribution Center will service a network of community-based interfaith partner pantries and soup kitchens to assist the food insecure and hungry of the Bronx and Northern Manhattan. Once complete, the 1,050 square foot site will have the capacity to receive, sort and distribute approximately 100,000 lbs. of food per month, which equates to providing 80,000 meals per month to community residents. Goya will deliver a bulk order of products to the new center during each month throughout the year. “Goya is proud to partner with Catholic Charities of New York and support the mission of its new Food Distribution Center,” said Bob Unanue, President of Goya Foods. “We are eager to work closely together in an effort to feed those who go without nutritious meals and to reassure that the center is fully equipped with enough healthy food each month.”
The new Food Distribution Center will support Catholic Charities of New York’s pre-existing “Feeding Our Neighbors” emergency food programs, which provided 5 million meals through purchased and donated foods throughout the Archdiocese of New York in FY2015. “Feeding Our Neighbors” has a network of 30 affiliated food programs and parishes including affiliations with UJA-Federation and the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies.
“The new Food Distribution Center in the Bronx will speak to the core of our Catholic message,” said Cardinal Timothy Dolan. “As the Gospel of Mathew (25:31) says, ‘For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.’ The new Food Distribution Center will help the food insecure and hungry throughout New York City and serve as a community-based food bank for local programs and parishes. This is a great way for the Church to act on the words and teachings of the Gospel.”
“For nearly 100 years, Catholic Charities of New York has been feeding the hungry,” said Monsignor Kevin Sullivan, Executive Director of Catholic Charities. “We are establishing this new Food Distribution Center in the Bronx to continue our essential mission. The new Food Distribution Center will help the food insecure and hungry throughout New York City, support our emergency food programs and serve as a community-based food bank in the Bronx.”
The new FDC will also serve as a community-based food hub for local programs and parishes in the Bronx and Upper Manhattan and provide support and technical assistance to help with capacity building, enhancement of program operations and assistance with identifying potential funding opportunities.
This program will operate in collaboration with City Harvest and The Food Bank for New York City. City Harvest will provide fresh produce, baked goods, juice and other supermarket items; The Food Bank of New York will supply fresh produce and dry goods such as canned food, cereals, pasta, beans, frozen meat and dairy.
The FDC will serve as a symbol of help and hope for one of New York’s struggling communities. The program will afford Catholic Charities of New York the opportunity to expand their emergency food services and community outreach efforts in the Bronx to benefit hundreds of hungry families. Catholic Charities of New York believes that by establishing a local food distribution center solidifies an essential mandate to our mission of serving others, and it will help with answering the on-going call to action against hunger throughout the Archdiocese.
About GOYA: Founded in 1936, Goya Foods, Inc. is America’s largest Hispanic-owned food company, and has established itself as the leader in Latin American food and condiments. Goya manufactures, packages, and distributes over 2,500 high-quality food products from Spain, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America. Goya products have their roots in the culinary traditions of Hispanic communities around the world; Goya’s combination of authentic ingredients, robust seasonings and convenient preparation make Goya products ideal for every taste and every table. For more information on Goya Foods, please visit www.goya.com
About Catholic Charities
For nearly 100 years, Catholic Charities has provided a vast array of human services, including: protecting and nurturing children and youth; feeding the hungry and sheltering the homeless; strengthening families and resolving crises; supporting the emotionally and physically challenged; and welcoming and integrating immigrants and refugees. Catholic Charities work touches almost every person's need and strives to have no boundaries. For more information, visit www.catholiccharitiesny.org.
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