SPRING/ SUMMER 2014 THE NEWSLETTER OF God’s LOVE WE DELIVER | NUTRITION: OUR SIGNATURE DIFFERENCE | GODSLOVEWEDELIVER.ORG A MESSAGE FROM Karen Pearl fter such a long and cold winter, Meal programs like God’s Love We I was happy to see the arrival of Deliver, which delivers nutritious meals Aspring, and to leave the snow to the severely ill in the New York behind. I’m sure our drivers are particularly metropolitan area, and other programs glad, and I’m proud to say that our delivery such as food banks and pantries will be team did an amazing job bringing nutritious forced to confront head-on the void left meals to our clients despite difficult road by the cut in SNAP benefits. Many organizations that are already stretched thin conditions these past few months. the coming weeks, the building will start may not be able to meet the subsequent Of course, we could not do this to take shape, and with it our vision for demand. Our most vulnerable neighbors – without so many of you who braved the expanded services to more people living the sick, the elderly and the young – will elements and came out to support us — as with life-altering illnesses. In terms of suffer as a consequence. We hope that volunteers, at events, and online through fundraising, we have raised more than congress will recognize the true impact of social media. The many dozens of corporate $31 million towards our $36 million goal. these cuts and reverse this course. volunteer groups along with hundreds of And, we just launched our “1,000 Tiles While we are fighting for better policies individual volunteers each week help to for Love” campaign, which many of you to support our clients, other heartwarming make God’s Love a special place in our have been asking about. You can now things are happening. With the first sunny community. Thank you for your purchase a tile in honor or in memory week of spring, we again celebrated dedicated service. of a loved one. These tiles will be displayed Authors In Kind, hosted by bestselling in the lobby, and all these gifts will …we just launched author and God’s Love Board Member support our new building. You can find Linda Fairstein. This year’s lineup of stellar full information about the Tile program our “1,000 Tiles for authors for our annual literary luncheon at glwd.org/tilesforlove. The great news is included Barbara Ehrenreich and Robin that we are on schedule to return to our Love” campaign Cook, as well as Chef Michael Anthony expanded home in SoHo in early 2015. from the Gramercy Tavern. While Michael On a less positive note, we were dismayed Of course, all of our efforts are in spoke about the new Gramercy Tavern to see the recent, needlessly cruel food stamp service to our vulnerable clients, and I am Cookbook, I’m also delighted to share that cuts passed by Congress. These cuts have happy to report the findings from our Michael has joined our board. Thank you painful implications for those who count recent client survey: 91% of our clients say to everyone who helped make this year’s on government assistance to feed their that our program helps them live more luncheon such a special event. families, including many of our clients. independently, 90% say that the meals they If you happen to walk by our SoHo Research shows that malnutrition is receive help them eat more nutritiously building at Sixth Avenue and Spring associated with poor medical care outcomes than they would otherwise, and 88% Street, you will notice that there is not and is one of the leading causes of report reduced household food anxiety as much of the old building left. Believe me, hospitalization nationwide. These drastic a result of our program. That’s the that’s a good sign as tremendous progress is cuts will force many food-insecure enormous difference you are making. Your being made on our building expansion. All individuals to make critical choices contribution matters. Your volunteer demolition has been completed, the pilings between nutritious food and cheaper, service matters. Thank you so much for that will support the new structure over unhealthy food – and sometimes even helping to nourish so many of our our former loading dock have been driven, medication – ultimately putting them neighbors in need. at increased risk for long-term and even and the steel is being carefully added to more severe health problems. build the third, fourth and fifth floors. In Like everyone, these price increases pose a challenge for God’s THE Love. From the very beginning we have held to three core principles: because hunger is a crisis that IMPACT demands an urgent response, we will never charge a client for a meal; we will deliver a new client’s first meal OF on the next delivery day; and we will never have a waiting list for our services. SURGING To defray these increases, we don’t have the option to switch FOOD to less-expensive ingredients, raise prices or reduce services to maintain our program. Because our clients are PRICES severely ill, their diet demands food cooked for their unique medical circumstances. ederal forecasters are predicting that food prices will rise With the help of our community, we were able to stay true as much as 3.5% this year, the biggest annual increase to our principles throughout the recession. A new challenge in three years, as drought in parts of the U.S. and other awaits us this year. We hope you will join with us this summer F to help us weather rising food costs and deliver vital nutrition producing regions drives up prices for many agricultural goods. In the U.S., much of the rise in the food cost comes from to those who desperately need it. higher meat and dairy prices, but prices also are higher Figures are from a Wall Street Journal Article entitled, “Food Prices Surge as for fruits and vegetables according to government data. Drought Exacts a High Toll on Crops” appearing on March 18, 2014 had been there for us during very James Strickland: With difficult times. This winter was particularly difficult, us from the beginning weather-wise, and delivering was no easy feat. What kept you going? We e frequently talk about the for dinner. There had a severe winter this year. I made dedication of our volunteers, were so many it through the snow and ice like all the many of whom have been wonderful, W generous restaurants other volunteers and delivered the with us for 5, 10, 15 years, or more. providing food. God’s Love also had meals. James Strickland has been volunteering donation cans which were placed on for 27 years. James is one of our very Is there anything you’d like to share counters and tables in various businesses with our God’s Love community? I’ve first volunteers, back before we even had throughout the boroughs. I had two known God’s Love for all these years and a kitchen or a building to call our own. routes to maintain placing empty cans, I like it just as much now as I did in the It’s amazing to think of all the lives he retrieving money, replacing cans and beginning. I really like being a part of it has touched over nearly three decades returning cash to the office coordinator. and it helps a lot of people. I’m behind by sparing a lunch hour to bring a meal How did you find out about God’s this organization all the way. I’ll and some company to his fellow New Love? As a social worker, I was informed volunteer as long as I’m feeling good Yorkers in need. of God’s Love during a staff meeting and can handle it. I love how it gets me regarding client services in the homeless out of the house, and I love doing Name: James Strickland shelter where I worked at the time. something worthwhile. Volunteer shift: I deliver meals What do you enjoy most about People tend to think that NY is a very during lunchtime to clients throughout volunteering? I really enjoy being a part hard, cold city, but I have found that Manhattan on Mondays, Wednesdays, of God’s Love, and participating in an New York has the nicest people. I’ve and Fridays as needed. organization with so many wonderful, been all over this country and NYC has Volunteering since: I have been a loving, caring, giving and compassionate some of the nicest people I’ve ever met volunteer since 1987. In the early years people. I began to volunteer soon after who really care about one another. New before God’s Love had its own cooking the loss of my partner. I wanted to be York is a very large city and God’s Love facilities, volunteers like myself picked a part of being there for those in need brings us all together as a smaller up meals at restaurants (donated and to honor his memory and to give back community. We’re helping those who prearranged) to take to clients after 5pm for all my family, friends and others who need help. God’s Love Delivers to Viola Calendar ince the age of seven, Viola Davis nice and they make sure I am getting the Midsummer Night Drinks has been caring for her family. right food!” One of the after – effects of Saturday, June 21, 2014 She has fond memories of chemotherapy treatment is a loss in Southampton S having to use a chair to help her stand appetite, and Viola tells us that the glwd.org/midsummernightdrinks over the stove to cook dinner for her vegetables, chicken, beans, rice and loved ones, which included her ten more are delicious, and she is excited to Heritage of Pride March siblings.