Volume 25 | Winter 2013

WEST SIDE CAMPAIGN AGAINST HUNGER IS A PROGRAM OF WEST SIDE CENTER FOR COMMUNITY LIFEWEST SIDE CAMPAIGN AGAINST HUNGER

You won’t find a harder worker than our own Maria Fabian. Master of the check-out station, Maria knows the pantry’s point system by heart and carefully ensures that each client receives the proper amount of food. Last year, Maria was responsible for an amazing 1,444 hours of the total 23,897 hours of service donated by volunteers.

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Checks should be made payable to West Side Campaign Against Hunger.

You can also donate online at www.wscah.org. West Side Campaign Against Hunger is a program of West Side Center for Community Life Tax ID 71-0908184. Donations are fully deductible to the extent permissible by law. For more information, e-mail or call Maryanne Nigro, mnigro@wscah.org or (212) 362-3662 x127. Mail to 263 West 86th Street, NY, NY 10024.

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We have seen a gradual increase in the number of families turning to us for help since Hurricane Sandy. In October 2013 we provided food to 19% more families than October 2012.

On November 1, all New York City families re-ceiving SNAP/Food Stamps lost $10-15 per person monthly in benefits. That’s a loss of 76 million Food Stamp meals annually in the New York area. We will spend 33% more on food this year to meet the increasing need.

Your support is critical to keeping our shelves full of the healthy food our clients rely on.

THE NEED INCREASES

West Side Campaign Against Hunger | Church of St. Paul & St. Andrew | 263 West 86th Street | New York, NY 10024 (212) 362-3662 | www.wscah.org

VOLUNTEERS

ONE MILLION MEALS 2013 ACHIEVEMENTS

YEAR-END APPEALLetter from the Executive DirectorDear Friends,

I have only known Russell since he entered our chef training in class in June, but I am proud to consider him a friend. You can read his full story inside the newsletter.

When Russell completed the course with honors in late summer, Chef Andrea sent him to a job interview. He didn’t have a telephone number to give the interviewer. He had an email address, but no regular access to a computer. The interviewer tried to follow up by email, got tired of waiting and hired someone else.

You need a phone to get a job. We know how to get phones for low-income people. But only through this experience did we learn about Russell’s obstacle to finding work. Chef Andrea called Russell’s case manager at Bowery Mission and in a matter of days he had the phone he needed.

I am continually learning about the small steps that enable big changes. You may see Russell working next time you visit the Shake Shack on Columbus Avenue. He’s glad to have the opportunity for a fresh start. I know that Shake Shack has found a treasure,

Thank you for your support,

Stewart Desmond, Executive Director

FOOD, COUNSELING & ADVOCACY■ From July through October, West Side Campaign Against Hunger provided healthy food to over 11,106 households containing more than 31,527 people.

■ Volunteers donated 3,851 hours!

■ We partnered with dozens of other organizations in the Lunch for Learning Campaign to help advocate for a free and healthy lunch for all students in New York City!

■ 17 students graduated from the Chef Training Program led by Chef Andrea Bergquist

■ 35 students participated in our ESL classes to improve their English skills under the instruction of Heidi Erlich.

I am continually learning about the small steps that enable bigchanges.

WEST SIDE CAMPAIGN AGAINST HUNGER MISSION

Through a supermarket-style food

pantry, West Side Campaign Against Hunger alleviates hunger and creates a culture that promotes self-reliance and works for change.

West Side Campaign Against Hunger changes our perception of hungry people by working in partnership with them, providing food with dignity, and empowering customers to find solutions.

Board of DirectorsSteven ArestyJudy BassBruce BergquistRobin BidermanGina BoonshoftMonique Cofer-DelbridgeDaniele GerardDavid GoldbergChristine GreenKenneth J. Guest IILawrence HuiElizabeth JensenGayle JohnsonJoanna KapnerRhoda KarpatkinRev. James KarpenEden KidnerSarah KovnerMichael LeeWilliam McAllisterEdwin OrtizAlex PeltzSteve Rogers, Vice ChairCynthia Roney, ChairMargot RosenbergSusan SamuelsRebecca SparksAndrew StrottAndrew TombackJay TorresBarbara Wheeler-Bride

Advisory BoardMark Aaron Tom AsherFrank BranchiniSuzanne DavisBarbara EllisAdam EpsteinFern EstrowRichard FineMarsha FlowersBetsy GotbaumJacob HadjigeorgisWolf HengstHeidi HoDale LindquistCarlyle Miller, M.D.Liz NeumarkJulia ReidheadRabbi Joanna SamuelsJudy SenderowitzMary Riley SmithNancy SolomonDiane VelletriJessica WeberAmy WeintraubArnold Weintraub

West Side Campaign Against Hunger offers a twelve-week Chef Training program to low-income New Yorkers who aspire to work in the food industry. Taught by Chef/Instructor Andrea Bergquist, the course introduces students to the basics of working in a kitchen, including knife skills, sanitation and cooking techniques.

In 2010, Russell Brown lost his job as a bus driver and turned to alcohol. Eventually he went to the Bowery Mission to help him get his life back on track. Tim Knapp, Manager of the Career Center at the Bowery Mission, introduced Russell to our Chef Training Program.

On the first day of class, Russell was unsure of how he would get along with Chef Andrea. When Russell asked a question, Chef Andrea gave him a stern look and said, “I haven’t finished speaking yet.” When Russell arrived late on the second day of class, Chef Andrea told him he had made the entire class wait. Russell thought to himself, “This lady and I are never going to get along.”

Russell quickly proved himself wrong. Chef Andrea’s structured approach to the classroom helped him learn. Though Russell was only required to attend two

A STORY OF SUCCESS

NEED HELP?West Side Campaign Against Hunger emergency food pantry is located at 263 West 86th Street in the basement of the Church of St. Paul & St. Andrew. On your first visit, you’ll meet a counselor who’ll help you find long-term help before your visit to the food pantry. You should bring proof of income and household size.

A list of acceptable documents can be found at www.wscah.org

HOURS OF OPERATION: Monday 8 a.m.-12 noon; 1-6:30 p.m.Wednesday to Friday 8 a.m.-12 noon; 1-3 p.m.

FoundationsRobin HoodSingle Stop USAAchelis FoundationCatherine & Joseph Aresty FoundationLily Auchincloss Foundation, Inc.Barker Welfare FoundationMarilyn S. Broad FoundationCole-Birches FoundationColumbia Community ServiceCommon CentsDay Is Done FoundationFeeding AmericaThe Fisch FamilyForward Current FoundationGerson Family FoundationBernard F. & Alva B. Gimbel FoundationGottesman FundJaharis Family FoundationFrances Lear FoundationMarina and Andrew Lewin Family FoundationMcDonald-Peterson FoundationNew York Community TrustNew York Women’s Culinary AllianceFrank Pace Jr. FoundationPosner-Wallace FoundationBarbara Slifka Philanthropic FundMichael Tuch FoundationVenable Foundation

Religious OrganizationsBrick Presbyterian ChurchChrist & St. Stephen’s Episcopal ChurchChurch of St. Paul & St. AndrewCongregation Ansche ChesedCongregation B’nai JeshurunCongregation Emanu-ElCongregation Rodeph SholomSociety for the Advancement of JudaismAdvent Lutheran ChurchBroadway United Church of ChristChurch of the Blessed SacramentChurch World Service, Crop WalkCongregation Beth ElohimCongregation HabonimEpiscopal CharitiesEvangelical Lutheran ChurchFifth Avenue Presbyterian ChurchFirst Hungarian CongregationFourth Universalist SocietyGlobal Ministries, United Methodist ChurchGrace & St. Paul’s ChurchGreek Orthodox Church of the AnnunciationHoly Trinity Lutheran ChurchJewish Community Center in Manhattan

Jewish Theological SeminaryLincoln Square SynagogueMAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger Mechon HadarPresbytery of New YorkRomemuRutgers Presbyterian ChurchSt. Michael’s Episcopal ChurchSacred Center of New YorkSecond Presbyterian ChurchSociety for Ethical Culture of New York CityTrinity Lutheran Church of ManhattanWest End Collegiate ChurchWest End Presbyterian ChurchWest End SynagogueWest Park Presbyterian ChurchYeshivat Chovevei Torah

CorporateGoldman Sachs Gives110 Riverside Drive Tenants CorporationAlfred Dunner, Inc.American Securities Capital PartnersAssurant FoundationBank of AmericaBayer HealthcareCon EdisonGreat PerformancesJP Morgan ChaseJefferies & Co.Kasirer ConsultingLabaton Sucharow LLCManhattan Media LLCMorgan StanleyTiffany & Co.Well Spring Advisers LLCUBS

GovernmentNYS Hunger Prevention & Nutrition Assistance The Emergency Food & Shelter ProgramNYC Council Manhattan Borough President NYC Department of Youth & Community DevelopmentNYC Department for the AgingNYC Emergency Food Assistance Program

AgenciesCity HarvestFood Bank for New York CityUnited Way of New York CityCommunity Service SocietyCoalition for a Livable West SideMitchell-Lama Residents CoalitionRisk Management Association New York Chapter

Goods and ServicesB.R. Guest HospitalityBarney GreengrassBella LunaBistro D’AlsaceBodrum RestaurantBrooklyn BreweryCeleste RestaurantCity DinerCream of the Crop CSAColumbus Avenue BIDComfort YeCSA at Ansche Chesed/HazonCSA at Central Park WestCSA at Manhattan School for ChildrenDizzy’s Club Coca-ColaDuane ReadeEli’s BreadErnesto’s JewelryFairway MarketFirst Press Public RelationsGastronomie 491GoyaGreat PerformancesGristedesHycoJacob’s PicklesJoe: the Art of CoffeeMani MarketLa MirabelleMurray’s Sturgeon ShopOrwasher’s BakeryRoxbury Farm CSASarabeth’s WestShake ShackStarbucksSymphony VetTelepanTrader Joe’sTyson FoodsVai RestaurantYes We Can Food Drive

SchoolsBeacon SchoolB’nai Jeshurun Hebrew SchoolJonas Bronck Academy MS 228Calhoun SchoolCollegiate SchoolColumbia SchoolColumbia UniversityCongregation Rodeph Sholom SchoolCUNY Elementary SchoolDarien High SchoolDwight School

Ethical Culture Fieldston SchoolFashion Institute of TechnologyHeschel SchoolHostos CollegeMechon HadarNew York UniversityPS 1PS 75PS 84PS/MS 161SAJ Hebrew SchoolSolomon Schechter SchoolTeacher’s CollegeTrinity SchoolWest End Synagogue Hebrew School

Dedicated Donations’ In memory of Bob Goldstein: Anna Harrington Elizabeth Harris John SwadbaIn honor of Jack Rosenthal’s Bar Mitzvah Arthur and Hilda Wenig Judith Schwartz Louise Sonet Lisel & Stanley GoodmanJudith & Mort Berkowitz In honor of Michael Stewart & Kevin McMullenJudith Weil Epstein & Lloyd Epstein In honor of Sam SolvasalloNora C. Gaines In memory of Dora & Harry GinsbergDenise & Herman Hagedorn In memory of June MullerSarit Horowitz In honor of Shoshi RosenbaumDeborah Karpatkin & Ian Benjamin In honor of Rhoda KarpatkinMary & Bob McKuin In honor of Kameron KordastaniConstance G. Rubin In honor of Susan Savel

WE THANK OUR MANY SUPPORTERS

And, of course, all our many generous individual donors!

classes per week, he found himself attending all four classes, getting as much practice as he could. In addition to honing his knife skills, Russell was picking up a remarkable amount of kitchen Spanish, which would help him find employment.

At the end of the twelve weeks, Russell graduated near the top of his class. Since graduation, he has been one of the most active graduates in looking for employment, applying for every job he found and attending numerous interviews.

To help Russell on his job search, Chef Andrea worked with him to create a resume and get a cell phone, along with providing job leads. The job search can be discouraging. Russell was told that he would hear something in a few days . . . then nothing happened. Finally Stewart and Chef Andrea recommended him for an interview at Shake Shack, a long-time supporter of West Side Campaign Against Hunger. After an interview at the Upper West Side location, Russell received a call welcoming him as a new member of the Shake Shack team.

Through the Chef Training Program, Russell gained valuable skills and also saw a great improvement in his self-esteem. He is now well on his way to a productive and successful future. At West Side Campaign Against Hunger, we know that job training and placement are key ways to eliminate hunger.

PARTNERSSingle StopSingle Stop USA is a national non-profit organization that works to ensure that individuals have access to the benefits and services for which they are eligible. With the technical and financial support of Robin Hood and Single Stop, we are able to offer “single stop” services that allow our clients to access many public benefits (such as SNAP/Food Stamps) at the West Side Campaign Against Hunger offices. In 2012 alone, Single Stop helped 156,821 families access more than $470 million in benefits through health insurance, SNAP and financial, legal and tax preparation services.

MATCHING & PLANNED GIVINGMany companies offer Matching Gift Programs that can double, even triple the amount of your gift. Please ask if your workplace matches employee donations. Also consider making a Planned Gift to West Side Campaign Against Hunger. Through the charitable gift planning process, you and your family can receive financial and tax benefits while providing support for New York’s hungry. For more information contact: mnigro@wscah.org.

Though Russell was only required to attend two classes per week, he found himself attending all four classes, getting as much practice as he could.