WFUV Strikes a Chord for Food Pantries and Soup Kitchens, Nov 2013

For the month of November, Strike A Chord, WFUV's public service campaign, is reporting on the subject of food assistance programs around New York City. WFUV's Stephanie Kuo will air a series of reports on food pantries and soup kitchens beginning the week of November 4 in newscasts at 7:54 a.m. and 3:54 p.m. The news series will introduce us to Chef David Garcelon of the Waldorf Astoria, who has served some of the world's most influential people, but whose heart rests with the homeless men and women across the street from the historic hotel at St. Bart's soup kitchen. The series will also take us to one of the oldest and largest soup kitchens in New York City, as well as take us aboard a traveling soup kitchen in the city.

The news series will culminate with an hour of public affairs programming on the subject of food assistance programs on Saturday, November 9. At 7 a.m., Fordham Conversations, with host Robin Shannon, will feature interviews with Tony Butler, the executive director of the St. John's Bread and Lifefood and public assistance program, and Dr. Dale Lindquist, Managing Director of the Beck Institute on Religion and Poverty at the Graduate School of Social Service at Fordham University. Dr. Lindquist is also a filmmaker who developed the documentary "Our Daily Bread: Feeding the Hungry in New York City".

Then at 7:30 a.m., George Bodarky, host of Cityscape, will talk with Heather McGreevy, volunteer engagement manager at Food Bank for New York City, which distributes food to community-based member programs citywide, and Ken Shapiro, a volunteer at the organization. Cityscape will also visit a food pantry in Riverhead, New York, to talk with volunteers about what inspired them to get involved.

"Food pantries and soup kitchens play a vital role for a countless number of people in the New York metropolitan region," says Bodarky. "In working on this campaign, I had the opportunity to meet and talk with several volunteers who give of themselves selflessly to help those who rely on emergency food assistance. I was inspired and impressed by their work, and I'm confident their stories will help to inspire others to get involved and make a difference in their communities."