{"id":32622,"date":"2025-07-02T13:02:15","date_gmt":"2025-07-02T13:02:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/32622\/"},"modified":"2025-07-02T13:02:15","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T13:02:15","slug":"hunger-hero-campaign-aims-to-feed-nyc-kids-facing-hunger-as-school-year-ends","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/32622\/","title":{"rendered":"Hunger Hero campaign aims to feed NYC kids facing hunger as school year ends"},"content":{"rendered":"

When the final bell rang at P.S. 177 in Brooklyn, families did not just head home with their kids \u2014 they left with dinner, too.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

Celebrity chef Eitan Bernath told amNewYork that he helped distribute 500 meal boxes to families at school pickup.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\u201cKids were carrying them home with their parents, some even coming back for seconds. It was a real community moment,\u201d said Bernath.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

Celebrity chef Eitan Bernath joined HelloFresh, the world\u2019s largest meal-kit provider, City Harvest, NYC\u2019s leading food rescue program, and No Kid Hungry, a non-profit dedicated to ending childhood hunger, as an ambassador. Helping hand-deliver fresh meals as part of the new Hunger Hero Campaign, aimed at tackling the surge in food insecurity when school cafeterias close for summer.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Bernath shared how he personally distributed boxes, but that is not all he delivered. He helped shine a spotlight on a troubling reality: 1 in 4 New York City children do not always know where their next meal is coming from, a crisis that only gets worse during the summer when free school meals are not available.\u00a0<\/p>\n

To help ease the burden, HelloFresh launched the Hunger Hero campaign in partnership with City Harvest and No Kid Hungry. The initiative donated 1,500 meal kits to thousands of local families, each box filled with nutritious meals identical to those delivered to HelloFresh customers.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s important about this is the meals that were being distributed to the people in need\u2026 are the exact same meals that HelloFresh customers are buying\u2026 People who are food insecure deserve to eat just as delicious, just as nutritious, just as incredible food as those of us who can afford to buy our own food,\u201d Bernath said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Volunteers<\/a>Volunteers came together as a part of the Hunger Hero campaign to help hand out food to New York families facing food insecurity.Photo courtesy of HelloFresh<\/p>\n

Each box includes fully prepared meals like chicken tikka masala, oatmeal cups, and even French macarons \u2014 offering families both nutrition and sweetness.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The idea for the Hunger Hero campaign didn\u2019t start in a kitchen \u2014 it started in the classroom.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

After conducting research on families experiencing food insecurity \u2014 and surveying teachers who witness the impact firsthand \u2014 the results were eye-opening.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cTeachers were saying they\u2019re nervous about children not having food when they\u2019re not in school,\u201d said Jeff Yorzyk, Senior Director of Sustainability at HelloFresh.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Yorzyk\u2019s commitment to food access is rooted in decades of sustainability work. As a former environmental consultant, he traces his passion back to a moment in the 1990s while hiking in the mountains, wondering how to prevent waste before it happens.\u00a0<\/p>\n

That reflection led him to business school \u2014 and eventually to HelloFresh, where he became the company\u2019s sustainability lead in North America.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\u201cSustainability is a massive issue with many moving parts,\u201d he said. \u201cAt HelloFresh, we try to focus on the areas where we can truly move the needle.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Food insecurity, he realized, was one of those areas. The company\u2019s infrastructure and product model offered a unique opportunity to get fresh food to people who need it.<\/p>\n

What followed was a call to action, bringing together HelloFresh, No Kid Hungry, City Harvest, and celebrity chefs to launch a campaign determined on feeding kids when they need it most.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

From there, HelloFresh leveraged its nationwide supply chain to make the initiative possible. Yorzyk explained that the company\u2019s weekly production model \u2014 built to serve millions of customers \u2014 allows them to identify excess food in real time and redirect it quickly to local food rescue organizations.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause of our weekly turnover cycle, we\u2019re able to move food to charities while it\u2019s still incredibly fresh\u2014often retail quality,\u201d he said.\n<\/p>\n

Feeding people at a large scale often comes with waste, but for HelloFresh, addressing hunger also means tackling that waste head-on. As Yorzyk explains, the company\u2019s approach to sustainability goes hand-in-hand with hunger relief.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have this massive investment in food, in terms of labor and actually the carbon footprint of making that food and getting it places,\u201d he said. \u201cWe really feel a responsibility to make sure it gets to people to eat, rather than going to a landfill\u2026 It belongs in people\u2019s mouths.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

What sets this effort apart from previous hunger relief programs, Yorzyk explained, is its focused response to childhood hunger during a critical moment.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

As NYC food banks near capacity and local pantries are pushed to their limits, the end of the school year marks a dangerous tipping point. Millions of children who rely on school meals will face heightened food insecurity in the weeks ahead.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Photo courtesy of HelloFresh<\/p>\n

\u201cFood insecurity for adults\u2014we look at that and that\u2019s a big problem. But when we think about the developmental years of a person, when someone is growing up and experiencing food insecurity, it reduces their ability to focus on academics\u2014and on growing up,\u201d Yorzyk explained.\u00a0<\/p>\n

By teaming up with public figures like Eitan Bernath and organizations like City Harvest and No Kid Hungry, the campaign aims to meet a dire need \u2014 and shine a spotlight on a crisis that is worsening as federal programs like SNAP face potential cutbacks.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Since launching in New York, the Hunger Hero campaign has already made a visible impact. At P.S. 177 alone, 500 meal boxes were distributed in just a few hours, each one packed with chef-designed, ready-to-eat meals. Across the city, a total of 1,500 boxes, containing up to four full meals, were delivered to neighborhoods where the need is greatest.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Beyond the meals themselves, the campaign has helped raise awareness about summer hunger, prompting conversations and encouraging others to step in and help.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cEverybody can be a hunger hero,\u201d says Yorzyk.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

The campaign is not stopping in NYC. Hunger Hero events are already planned for cities like Atlanta and Phoenix later this Summer with HelloFresh continuing to expand its reach.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Because for HelloFresh, fighting hunger is not a one-time effort \u2014 it is a long-term commitment to feeding communities and minimizing waste. But most importantly, making sure no child is left behind without a meal.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

To learn more about the Hunger Hero campaign, find local meal distribution events, or to make a donation, visit hellofresh.com\/pages\/nokidhungry<\/a>. New Yorkers in need of fresh meals can also access resources and support through cityharvest.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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