SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — The snow didn’t stop volunteers at the Blessing Box food pantry from coming out to make sure neighbors in need got food for the holiday season.
On Sunday, December 11, the Syracuse Blessing Box food pantry helped over 400 refugees in need, beating their expected total of 300, providing food, scarfs, hats, mittens and blankets as well a generous welcome to Central New York.
Tai Shaw helped put together the Blessing Box food pantry which helps to feed refugees and new arrivals every week.
“This is our third annual food distribution we are feeding the refugees, the new Americans, but really we are feeding everybody,” Shaw said, “We have a food pantry every Wednesday here from 12-2 but once a year we want something big.”
With the help of the Food Bank of Central New York, they were able to feed a few hundred people Saturday afternoon.
“It’s my favorite day because I go home tonight and sleep and know that four or five hundred people will not go hungry tonight or this week,” Shaw said.
He knows firsthand how important that is.
“I’m a refugee myself, that was 40 years ago and I understand the struggle of what hunger is like,” said Shaw, “I want to make sure that everyone has a seat at the table.”
