The NYC Food Bank

Last night because of a jet lag and hypoglycemia I was awake at 5:30 in the morning. So I got up and padded into the kitchen for a snack.

After I'd finish eating I wandered to the living room window to gaze out at the first glimmers of dawn over the skyline of Manhattan.

Down below I noticed this:After a night of collecting plastic and glass bottles from the garbage of NYC several people had brought their not inconsiderable loads to the Fine Fare grocery store's recycling center across the street. Which I don't believe opens until 8.

Half awake I grabbed my camera to take a picture of this phenomena, as if it was a sighting of a rare white tiger in the wild. In reality these people, or people just like them, are probably always here at this time, every day, regardless of the weather, hoping to make enough money to buy something to eat for themselves and their families. To at least start the day off with something in their stomachs.

It sent a chill up my spine and then I went back to my cozy bed, with my full stomach and went back to sleep.

I'm reminded of an advertisement I see on the side of buses here in the city often it's from the NYC Food Bank and the ad is very simply this fact:

1 in 5 New Yorkers depend on the Food Bank to eat.

In writing this blog I am always trying to be aware of how much things cost and how is it possible for people to buy real food who have limited means. The farmers at the green markets all take food stamps and right now especially, there are lots of dollar bag specials at the end of the day.

From the Food Bank's website:

In New York City, one of the richest cities in the world, food poverty is around every corner. Throughout the five boroughs, approximately 1.4 million people — largely comprised of women, children, seniors, the working poor and people with disabilities — rely on soup kitchens and food pantries. In addition, the number of New Yorkers experiencing difficulty affording food for themselves and their families has increased by 60 percent to approximately 3.3 million since 2003.

Food for thought.