Announcing Meals for Unity: PbP NY’s 2024 Beneficiary Partner

Each year, Project by Project selects a national campaign to champion. In 2024, we are focused on engaging our community to campaign for food insecurity in AAPI communities.

Why? Access to affordable, quality food is a basic human right. Unfortunately, with inflation and rising costs of living, it has become more difficult for our communities to achieve equitable access. Food insecurity goes beyond hunger; it is intertwined with language assistance, physical health, health care access, mental health, social assistance, and opportunities for work.

The PbP NY Steering Committee has chosen Meals for Unity as this year’s beneficiary partner. Meals for Unity is a non-profit whose mission is to “provide meals and connection within the AAPI community.” The nonprofit was founded in March 2021, following the increase in violence against the AAPI community. Volunteers distribute meals particularly to the elderly across 4 boroughs in NYC, partnering with local businesses, restaurants, and other nonprofits to help vulnerable communities.

Founded by Brian Pham, Kat Vu, and Kristani Alcantara, Meals for Unity targets a very serious problem: 1 in 4 of Asian senior residents in NYC are food insecure. Beyond the AAPI community, 1 in 3 NYC adults live in a household at risk of food insecurity. In response, between 2021 and 2023, 500+ volunteers in Meals for Unity have distributed 14,000+ meals. The meals are also culturally appropriate to marginalized communities, and funds are circulated back to local businesses and organizations. Volunteer for their meal distribution events which occur every month! Find out more here.

We are excited to be working together with Meals for Unity to tackle food insecurity in the AAPI community.