By Katie Vasquez
Grocery bags aren’t just handy for holding all the necessary goods, they are helping people in need fill their stomachs with a good meal in the Diocese of Brooklyn.
That’s because Food Bazaar Supermarkets and St. John’s Bread & Life in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn are teaming up a campaign called “Together, We’re Feeding Hope.”
For every bag purchased for $5 at the dozens of Food Bazaar locations in the New York City area, 100 percent of the proceeds go to Bread & Life.
The fundraiser kicked off at the beginning of March, and it’s been doing well so far.
“It’s a way to say, ‘I’m doing something positive during Lent, and I’m taking that time to think about that,'” Sister Caroline Tweedy, the executive director of St John’s Bread & Life, tells Currents News. “$5 will feed somebody for a day.”
“We did some quick math, and, we sold thousands and thousands of bags, which equates to over $50,000,” executive vice president of Food Bazaar Supermarkets, Edward Suh, explains of how the sales have done thus far.
He also says his stores pair perfectly with the Bed-Stuy food pantry’s mission.
“They provide meals and food to the people that need it the most,” he tells Currents News. “A lot of our locations, in fact, most of our locations are in areas that are a bit distressed, and we feel it’s our responsibility as a member of that particular community to give back in our own way.”
It comes at a time when families are struggling, and Bread & Life is seeing more and more people asking for help.
“It’s mostly older folks who are struggling,” Sister Tweedy observes. “They tell you they have to make a decision between rent and medical expenses, and so food is always at the end.”
Guests like Dawn Brabham are proof that the donations will go far.
The Brooklyn resident has relied on Bread and Life for two decades. The organization helps “a great deal, especially with the high prices,” she says.
The limited-edition tote will be available in stores until April 21, 2025.