Feeding a need
Radio deejay brings hunger fight to Harlem
IT’S TIME to kick hunger to the curb — one can at a time.
The Daily News and City Harvest’s campaign to feed hungry New Yorkers has generated 237,504 pounds of food to date, said Cara Taback, spokeswoman for the city’s leading hunger relief agency.
That’s on par with the yield netted during the same time frame last year, but organizers are not breathing easy. The demand for assistance, they say, has gone up, outpacing the supply.
The 500 agencies and food banks in City Harvest’s network have recorded a 43% increase in visitors of since 2008.
“(It) really shows that food insecurity remains high in New York City despite other signs of economic recovery,” said Jilly Stephens, executive director of City Harvest.
Local radio stations 77WABC, Radio 103.9, Nash FM 94.7 and 95.5PLJ launched a “Food Challenge,” in which radio personalities compete to see who can collect the most food.
Radio 103.9’s DJ Marc Clarke held a food drive in front of the world-famous Apollo Theater on Thursday and collected more than a dozen cans.
Bernadette Brent spotted the food drive station as she strolled up 125th St. and rushed to a nearby store to pick up a can of beans.
“I have a heart and I have a heart for other people,” said the 50-year-old Harlemite.
“I wanted to contribute. I know how it is not to live comfortably.”