Matthew Wexler, a chef at Good Commons in Vermont, hits the streets of New York City and beyond to discover the places and people that make him feel Good. This is the first in a four-part “Do Good” series about interesting volunteer opportunities throughout the outer boroughs.
What: Adopt a Food Program
Where: Soup kitchens and food pantries throughout the five boroughs
When: 6-month commitment during 2010
Why: To help the approximately 1.3 million New Yorkers who rely on emergency food. To the average passer-by, there is nothing unique about the door at 2241 Church Avenue in Flatbush—except for the 50 people lined up outside of it on this cold December morning. They represent an alarming number of city residents having difficulty affording food. The 2nd floor food pantry, operated by CAMBA, sees upwards of 2,400 visitors a month. I have arrived to bag a few groceries and find out more about CAMBA’s participation in the newly launched Adopt a Food Program.
Part of Mayor Bloomberg’s New York Service initiative, CAMBA is one of a hundred or so food pantries citywide participating in the Adopt a Food Program, which is being coordinated in cooperation with the Food Bank For New York City. “It’s great that we have so much response during the holiday season,” shares CAMBA’s Director of Homelessness Prevention Programs/Legal Services Janet Miller, “but it’s really the rest of the year that has such a strong demand.”
I’m quickly thrown into the hustle of the morning’s activities by Anne Christian, project coordinator for the food pantry. She is refreshingly optimistic, given the marked increase in people accessing emergency food and the visibly limited resources. Her small but dedicated team includes Young Adult Borough Center (YABC) interns, a social service graduate student, and a handful of volunteers. Together they are a true melting pot, exemplifying an area that was once home to Barbra Streisand and the Brooklyn Dodgers and is now primarily African and East Indian.
The YABC interns stock the shelves with grits, dry cereal, shelf-stable milk, and a limited assortment of canned vegetables. The refrigerators sit mostly empty except for a few dozen eggs and some carrots and collard greens that have seen better days. Clients can only access the pantry once a month and these items, regardless of their condition, are priceless. CAMBA’s pantry operates as a client-choice model, allowing participants to choose products from the shelf as if they were in a grocery store. Not only is it more dignified, but it is also more effective. Clients receive foods that they actually want to eat, cutting down on waste. And with such a high demand, every can counts.
I am assigned as a bagger and quickly discover that working the line isn’t as easy as it may appear. Cans roll of the counter. A bag splits with the weight of too many items. I inadvertently crush a box of cereal. It’s humbling. . . because I know these minor missteps are with goods worth their weight in gold to the people standing before me. And yet nobody grumbles or complains. They do not ask for the manager or throw a tantrum as I have been known to do at my worst retail moments. Their appreciation transcends my fumblings and I receive “thank you’s” in an array of global accents.
As the day wraps up, I ask Anne why people should consider the Adopt a Food Program. “When you’re helping to provide people with nutritious food, it makes them happy. They realize that somebody cares, and that’s a great feeling.”
To learn how you can be part of the Adopt a Food Program, visit nyc.gov or the Food Bank For New York City.
(CAMBA, 1720 Church Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 718.287.2600)
Matthew Wexler is a freelance writer and chef. His online musings can be found at his blog, Roo de Loo. To sample his cuisine, take a visit to Good Commons.
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram