City Harvest (United States) facts for kids
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| Formation | 1982 |
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| Founder | Helen verDuin Palit, Harley Brooke-Hitching, Peter Schmidt |
| Type | Non-profit organization |
| Focus | Food rescue, Food waste reduction |
| Location |
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Employees
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160 |
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Volunteers
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20,000 |
City Harvest is a major food rescue group in New York City. This means they collect extra, uneaten food from places like restaurants and bakeries. Instead of letting this good food go to waste, they give it to New Yorkers who need it. It is one of the largest organizations of its kind in the city.
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What Does City Harvest Do?
City Harvest was started in 1982 by Helen verDuin Palit, Harley Brooke-Hitching, and Peter Schmidt. Their goal was to solve two big problems at once: hunger and food waste.
The organization is a non-profit, which means its main goal is to help people, not to make money. It runs with the help of about 160 employees and 20,000 volunteers each year. More than half of the food they rescue is fresh fruits and vegetables.
Helping Neighborhoods
Since 2006, City Harvest has run Healthy Neighborhoods programs. These programs make it easier for people in communities with the greatest need to get fresh, healthy produce. They also offer classes to teach people about nutrition.
City Harvest delivers millions of pounds of food to soup kitchens and food pantries. This allows these local programs to offer a wider variety of healthy food to people.
Teaching Healthy Habits
City Harvest also teaches people how to eat healthy on a budget. They run workshops called Cooking Matters, which were created by another group called Share Our Strength. These classes are for all ages and show people how to find and cook affordable, healthy meals. There are also special nutrition classes for senior citizens.
How City Harvest Grew
In 2005, City Harvest started holding free farmers' markets in low-income areas. Today, they run nine "Mobile Markets" across New York City's five boroughs every month. These markets give away millions of pounds of fresh produce to thousands of residents each year.
To handle all the food they collect, City Harvest opened a large Food Rescue Facility in Long Island City, Queens in 2011. This building has a big cooler and freezer to keep perishable food fresh. It also has space to sort items that don't need to be kept cold.
Leadership and Support
City Harvest has a Food Council made up of over 70 food experts, including famous chefs. The council is led by chef Geoffrey Zakarian. Some of the founding members of the council include:
- Éric Ripert
- Dana Cowin
- Michael Lomonaco
- Danny Meyer
- Drew Nieporent
The organization also holds yearly events like the City Harvest Gala to raise money and awareness for their cause.
Speaking Up for Change
City Harvest works to change the policies that lead to hunger. They talk to leaders in the city, state, and federal government. They support programs that help end food insecurity, which is when people don't have reliable access to enough affordable, nutritious food.
Awards and Recognition
City Harvest has been recognized many times for its important work.
- In 1989, founder Helen verDuin Palit received an award from President George H. W. Bush.
- In 2003, the James Beard Foundation named City Harvest's director the Humanitarian of the Year. This was for their work helping recovery workers after the 9/11 attacks.
- In 2008, Charity Navigator, a group that rates charities, gave City Harvest its highest rating of four stars.
- In 2011, The New York Times Company gave City Harvest an award for its excellent management.
See also
