Feeding Your Pride Since 1985

Happy Pride Month!

Much has changed in New York City since the historic uprising at the Stonewall Inn that has come to mark the start of the Pride movement 50 years ago. For nearly 35 of those years, God’s Love We Deliver has been supporting sick and vulnerable New Yorkers, starting with those affected by HIV/AIDS.

In 1985, a hospice worker named Ganga Stone paid a visit to an AIDS patient that changed her life. The patient, Richard Sale, was too ill to cook for himself. Ganga’s compassion took hold, a meal was prepared and delivered on the next visit, and an epiphany was born: Something as basic as delivering a meal could bring dignity and recognition to a desperate situation.

What was an individual act of compassion became a community effort. Restaurants began donating meals, lovingly delivered by volunteers, and soon after, we moved in to our first kitchen at Amsterdam & 86th. In our earliest days, we were amazed to cook and deliver 50 meals each week. Today, we prepare 7,500 meals daily!

And we’ve been cooking and delivering ever since.

This June we are celebrating the 50th Annual Heritage of Pride March and WorldPride! For more than 28 years, God’s Love We Deliver has supported the March, which is hosted by NYC Pride. Year after year, it is a wonderful celebration of our mission, clients, volunteers, and community. It ties back to our roots and our unwavering commitment to those living with HIV, to diversity, and to LGBTQ+ rights.

God’s Love has always been a friend to the LGBTQ+ community which has played such a critical role in our history and mission. As staff, volunteers and supporters, we reflect on our community and history, and remember that our strength always comes from our diversity that delivers caring, respect, dignity and love every day.