On Holy Thursday, Catholic Charities of New York, in partnership with Goya Foods, served more than 450 families at a special food distribution in Washington Heights — offering fresh, nutritious food and a powerful reminder of what it means to put faith into action.
Held outside Catholic Charities Alianza Dominicana Cultural Center, the event brought together community members, volunteers, and leaders to support neighbors facing food insecurity at a time of growing need.
Meeting Urgent Need in Washington Heights
In the early hours of the morning, families began lining up, some arriving as early as 1:00 a.m. By sunrise, the line had stretched around the block, underscoring the urgency many New Yorkers face when it comes to putting food on the table.
Despite cold temperatures and strong winds, more than 450 families received fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, eggs, milk, and Goya staples.
For many, the distribution offered both immediate relief and a sense of dignity and hope.
“It’s important for us to come out to get something to eat,” said Elizabeth Graham of Manhattan, who waited more than two hours in line. “It’s a blessing. Thank God.”
“This is the most amazing event,” added another neighbor. “It’s Catholic Charities giving you the fresh —not old things — but amazing oranges and apples, and good young chicken.”
Archbishop Hicks in Service
In his first public Catholic Charities of New York food distribution visits since his installation, Archbishop Ronald A. Hicks joined volunteers on the front lines, offering a blessing and personally distributing food alongside Catholic Charities staff and volunteers.
“What we are doing here today is faith into action. This is where the Church needs to be,” Archbishop Hicks said. “We go out to the community. We go out where there is a need. If there is someone who is hungry, the Lord says give them something to eat.”
“With everything that is happening, treat people with dignity, see the face of God in each other,” Archbishop Hicks said. “At the end of the day, the respect that we build on is that we are brothers and sisters to each other.”
Standing alongside him, Catholic Charities CEO J. Antonio Fernández spoke to the growing demand facing food programs across the Archdiocese.
“We know that we’re going have more people at our food pantries,” said Fernández. “We rely on companies like Goya to help us with food so we can provide for this because we don’t have the money to do everything we can. There’s not gonna be enough food today for everybody.”
Goya Foods Partnership and a Shared Commitment to Our Neighbors
This effort was made possible through Catholic Charities’ ongoing partnership with Goya Foods, whose support through Goya Gives continues to strengthen the organization’s Feeding Our Neighbors program.
“This year is especially meaningful for us as we celebrate 90 years of Goya Foods,” said Maricela Baez, a spokesperson for the company. “Our legacy is built not just on providing quality products, but on giving back to the communities that have supported us for generations.”
In celebration of its anniversary, Goya has pledged 300,000 pounds of food to Catholic Charities — part of a broader commitment that has already delivered more than 1.8 million pounds of food to support neighbors in need.
Local and state leaders also joined in service and solidarity, including NYC Council Member Carmen De La Rosa, Assembly Member Al Taylor, U.S. Congressman Adriano Espaillat, New York State Senator Robert Jackson, and Bishop Joseph A. Espaillat.
Catholic Charities is also grateful to the dedicated volunteers and board trustee members who gave their time to support the distribution — helping to ensure that every family was welcomed with dignity and care. Together, their presence reflected a shared commitment to ensuring that no neighbor goes hungry.
“Staying in church is important, worshiping, loving, serving God in church. It’s important. But we don’t stay there. We go out. We go out to the community. We go out where there’s a need,” said Archbishop Ronald A. Hicks, offering a powerful reminder that faith in action happens in our communities each day.
Each year, Catholic Charities of New York serves more than 400,000 individuals and provides over 10 million meals through its network of community pantries, soup kitchens, and food programs. On Holy Thursday, that mission was brought to life — one family, one meal, and one act of compassion at a time.
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