To our God’s Love community,

First, I hope that everyone is ok after the storm and that those who lost power have had it restored. This has been an exceptionally trying week for our City, and will remain so for months to come for so many in New York and New Jersey.

I want to say thank you to our incredible God’s Love community. So many hearts and hands worked together to figure out our operations, order new food, make “Sandy Bags,” clean the kitchen, throw out food, box meals in inventory, deliver food to clients and shelters, gas up our vans, welcome and lead our volunteers, restore our email and data systems,  clean the building and so much more — for days in the dark and cold, and through the weekend after power was restored.

Together with our wonderful volunteers, we accomplished so much:

• We assembled and distributed 2,300 emergency meal kits containing non-perishable food items.
• We saved 8,000 frozen meals we had in inventory and delivered them to clients and to evacuees and others displaced by the storm. We provided meals at Project Hospitality on Staten Island, the Bowery Mission, the Community Kitchen & Food Pantry in West Harlem, and to St. John’s Hospital (where the evacuees from The Rockaways sought shelter).
• We delivered to the homes of 750 God’s Love clients, who were grateful for their food and humbled us by their concern for our safety out on the road.

This work was the result of incredible dedication and resourcefulness on the part of so many who walked or biked miles to our building and those who reached out to friends and family to spread word that we needed help. Thank you for coming together to ensure that our food would help those in greatest need.

By the time we shut the door Sunday in the late afternoon, our kitchen was cleaned and sanitized, Sandy bags were counted for yesterday’s delivery and our IT systems and phone were up and running. And, everyone who participated in the effort felt great that we were able to reach so many displaced people as well as our clients.

I am extremely proud of our staff and volunteers who have the biggest hearts and deepest dedication.

As we roll into this week, I know we have a lot to catch up on. It will take some extra effort from staff and volunteers to make up for the “lost” week. I want to thank them in advance for putting in that special effort.

On behalf of thousands of vulnerable New Yorkers at risk for extreme hunger during Hurricane Sandy, thank you. Once again, the God’s Love community has shown incredible leadership, and affirmed this organization’s role as an essential food resource and emergency provider for our amazing city.

Now, as we rebuild our food reserves, please consider supporting this work by making a donation.

With deep gratitude for each of you,

Karen