"Hunger Group Launches Pioneering Online Volunteer Match System;
Urges New Yorkers to “Make New Year’s Resolution to Fight Hunger”

At Event at Famous Soup Kitchen in Chelsea, Group Also
Announces 5th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend Serve-A-Thon

In an event at the famed Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen in Chelsea, the New York City Coalition Against Hunger, joined by City Council Member Eric Gioia, announced the launch of a state-of-the-art, online volunteer matching system (http://www.nyccah.org/volunteer), which is now one of the most advanced such systems in the nation.

New Yorkers are now able to search by neighborhood, nearby subways lines, available times, and personal skills sets, etc. to find the anti-hunger volunteer opportunities that fit best with their schedules and abilities. New Yorkers with special skills such as expertise in computers, accounting, public relations, web development, law, strategic planning, or graphic design can also use the system to “adopt” pantries and kitchens that specifically need that type of unique assistance. People who are interested in finding volunteer opportunities but would prefer to do so over the phone can contact Neal Flowerman, the Coalition’s Coordinator of Volunteer Programs, at 212-825-0028, ext. 210.

“Around the holidays, pantries and kitchens often have more volunteers they can use, but after the holidays, they are in desperate need of such help,” said Coalition Executive Director Joel Berg.
“That’s why we are urging all New Yorkers to make a New Year’s resolution to volunteer to fight hunger by signing up to volunteer using our new online system. In particular, we hope that people with special professional skills will ‘adopt’ pantries and kitchens that can benefit from that expertise. Five hours of accounting work can often help these agencies more than 20 hours of serving soup.”

"Many people don't realize it, but there are more than 400,000 children that go to bed hungry in our city. This is a moral issue for everyone," said Councilman Eric Gioia. "Food pantries and soup kitchens are often the last line of defense and the difference between a child going to bed hungry or with food in their stomachs. I urge all New Yorkers to spend some time in the New Year to pitch in and help the fight against hunger. It's now much easier with this new website."

The Coalition also announced that the “5th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend Anti-Hunger Serve-A-Thon,” through which New Yorkers can obtain sponsors and volunteer at soup kitchens and food pantries in all five boroughs of the city, will be held on Saturday January 19 through Monday, January 21, 2008. People can sign up to participate at http://www.nyccah.org/volunteer/mlk-day or by contacting Andrea Dispenza at (212) 825-0028 x202. Said Berg, “Dr. King once said, anyone can be great because anyone can serve. Now all New Yorkers have a chance to be great, honor Dr. King, and fight hunger all at the same time by participating in our Serve-A-Thon.”