Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York joined the city’s political, business, labor and non-profit leaders in the We ❤️ NYC campaign that kicked off in Times Square March 20 as Governor Kathy Hochul, Mayor Eric Adams and other leaders began an eight-week campaign to showcase the city’s strengths and mobilize New Yorkers to make sure this remains the greatest city in the world.
It is our moment to declare we are back and celebrate who we are.
Gov. Hochul told the kick-off participants that the campaign marks the emergence of the city from the Covid pandemic, marveling at crowded Broadway shows testifying to the re-emergence of the city. “It is our moment to declare we are back and celebrate who we are.” The city’s greatest days, she said, lie ahead of it.
New York is back.
Mayor Adams declared that there are two kinds of people in the world: “Those who live in New York City and those who wish they could.” In the spirit of recovery from other crises, such as the Great Depression and 9/11, New York is emerging better than ever from the pandemic, he said, declaring that tourism numbers are up and that crime has declined in recent months. He urged New Yorkers to support each other by volunteering at soup kitchens, homeless shelters and senior centers. Such efforts, he said, show us “the best that we are” and enhance the spirit that “New York is back.”
Using the Instagram hashtag #welovenyc, the TikTok handle @welovenyc, and its website www.welovenyc.nyc, the citywide campaign will kick off with a celebration of “the doers” who contribute to the city’s civic engagement.
There are 8,840 Catholic Charities volunteers.
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York is filled with doers. There are 8,840 Catholic Charities volunteers joining with Catholic Charities professionals who everyday feed the hungry, provide aid to the disabled, support children via foster care and day care, counsel teen-agers to stay in school and find employment, assist immigrants and refugees, and provide services to families. The work of Catholic Charities, spread over more than 90 agencies, will be highlighted in the campaign, providing an opportunity to describe to the entire city how the agency assists millions each year, both Catholic and non-Catholic.
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York serves over 8 million meals to more than 600,000 people; supports 46,433 youth in after-school programs; answers 105,000 calls and requests about immigration; provides 56,715 families with connections to resources; provides education to 1,468 disabled children in pre-school programs and gives assistance to 1,434 individuals with emergency shelter.
The themes of the We ❤️ NYC campaign focus on what New Yorkers can do to support post-pandemic resurgence of the city and its neighborhoods.
