Grammy-nominated rapper Fat Joe is helping to tackle food insecurity in New York City by launching a monthly grocery giveaway aimed at helping families struggling with rising living costs.
Hip-Hop Helps
Hundreds of residents lined up around the block outside Fat Joe’s UPNYC store in Washington Heights for the first food distribution event on June 20, which marked the beginning of a recurring initiative that will provide free bags of fresh produce and grocery staples to New Yorkers each month, NY 1 reported.
The program is being held in partnership with Food Bank For New York City and the Shawn Carter Foundation, founded by Jay-Z and his mother, Gloria Carter.
Distributions will rotate among Fat Joe’s three UPNYC locations in Washington Heights, Inwood, and the Mott Haven neighborhood of the Bronx. Organizers say additional giveaways are scheduled for July 18 and Aug. 15, with plans to continue the program every month.
“People are really hurting right now in many, many ways,” Fat Joe, who has an estimated net worth if $4 million, said during the launch. “People don’t know whether to pay the light bill or feed the family. It’s really bad out here.”
The Bronx native said his commitment to giving back was inspired by his late mother, who regularly helped neighbors despite raising her family in public housing.
“We from the projects and my mother always kept the door open,” he recalled. “There would be random people from the building making sandwiches in the kitchen. She always had a big heart for giving back.”
Gloria Carter added, “I was raised on a block where we considered ourselves a village. The neighbors looked out for you because you were family.”
According to Food Bank For New York City, approximately 1.4 million New Yorkers experience food insecurity. Summer can be especially challenging because many children lose access to free or reduced-price school meals while classes are out.
With grocery prices continuing to strain household budgets, organizers said they hope the monthly distributions will become a dependable lifeline for New Yorkers facing difficult financial choices between paying bills and putting food on the table.
