In August of 2021 HLF partnered together with Garden of Dreams Foundation on a Hunger Initiative project. Together we donated a total of $100,000 to 4 separate organizations to support food insecure children and their families in New York City in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. We wanted to share the heartwarming update received from one of our partners, The Urban Outreach Center:
The Urban Outreach Center is so grateful for the support of this pilot program from Henrik Lundqvist Foundation and Garden of Dreams Foundation — it has been a great success! We have reached hundreds of new East Harlem families through these satellite mobile pantry pilot sites with tens of thousands of meals worth of fresh produce and pantry staples, along with recipes and social services. At our E 124th Street site, we have a single father of two young boys, who relayed to our volunteers that this pantry location — not far from their apartment — has played a vital part in his ability to not only put healthy meals on the table for his kids, but to expand his financial capacity by saving on their grocery budget. After being unemployed for most of the pandemic, he started a new job working with a homeless shelter last month and plans to volunteer with our mobile pantry program with his kids in the coming year. With the help of this funding, we have been able to prove this model as one that is effective, efficient, and meets the needs of our food-insecure neighbors — and we will continue to expand it in 2022 to more satellite sites! The Urban Outreach Center just celebrated its million meals served milestone for 2021 — and we hope you know that accomplishment is the accomplishment of your Foundations right along with us. Thank you.
