“Food is a necessity, not a luxury,” says Lakisha Morris, Division Director of Housing and Food Stability, a reminder she often shares when describing the mission of Catholic Charities.
Each month, the Lt. Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Community Center hosts a nutrition class in partnership with the Food Bank for New York City. This program does more than provide access to fresh fruits and vegetables. It teaches participants how to turn those ingredients into healthy, nutritious meals that support long-term wellness.
At Catholic Charities, our mission has always been to provide help and create hope for our neighbors in need. Every year, we distribute millions of meals to hungry New Yorkers through a network of soup kitchens, community food pantries, pop-up events, and special meal deliveries. We know that food is essential, but nutrition is what truly helps people thrive. Food is important to have. But nutrition is really important for an individual to stay healthy and truly have what they need on a daily basis.
That’s where Brenna De Souza, a Community Nutritionist with Food Bank for New York City, comes in. Every month, she brings educational tools to neighborhoods across New York, helping individuals learn how to eat healthier and live longer, more fulfilling lives. “They don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables,” says De Souza. “There’s so much processed food, which we know is high in sodium, sugar, and cholesterol, and very little nutrition. I think it’s mostly due to a lack of information.”
She believes nutritional education is important, especially for vulnerable populations. When people attend these classes, they begin to make better food choices, choices that can help control blood sugar, manage blood pressure, and reduce the risk of chronic disease. “We’ve had so many testimonies,” she says. “People went back to their doctors with better blood pressure and cholesterol levels. When the doctors asked what changed, they said, ‘I’m just eating more fruits and vegetables.”
In one recent class, De Souza taught participants how to read nutrition labels, a skill many had never learned before. She asked, “How do you choose your groceries? By brand, price, or label?” While many participants said they looked at labels, they didn’t understand what made something “good” or “bad.” She taught them. When it comes to sodium, 5% Daily Value or less is low. 20% or more is too high. Just knowing that helps them make better decisions.
But knowledge alone isn’t enough. It’s also about access and affordability. That’s why the program includes tips for budget-friendly meal planning, such as:
- Shopping at farmers markets
- Using SNAP benefits, which often offer bonus dollars
- Choosing store-brand items
- Cooking with seasonal produce
- Storing food properly to reduce waste
De Souza recalls visiting a pantry where many people were throwing away spaghetti squash simply because they didn’t know what it was or how to prepare it. “After I showed them how to cook it, they started taking it home. It’s about breaking that barrier of the unknown.”
That’s the heart of this partnership: bridging the gap between access and understanding. Catholic Charities and the Food Bank for New York City work together not just to feed people, but to empower them. It’s not just about providing food. It’s about providing knowledge, too.
At Catholic Charities, we care about the meals that New Yorkers receive. We make sure our neighbors have what they need so that they can live a well-balanced life. Providing nutritious food and knowledge will fuel a healthier New York for all.
Learn more about our food programs: https://catholiccharitiesny.org/what-we-do/food/
