Published by Bloomberg on May 29, 2025. Original post here.
Food as a Pathway to Health
At a recent New York Common Pantry (NYCP) graduation, 62 residents of East Harlem and the South Bronx marked the completion of a program focused on a goal that is simple, urgent, and deeply personal: using food as a pathway to better health.
The moment reflected the kind of community-centered work at the heart of Bloomberg’s long-standing partnership with New York Common Pantry. Since 2013, Bloomberg has supported NYCP’s mission to reduce hunger and promote dignity, health, and self-sufficiency across New York City through employee volunteering, hands-on support, and financial investment in food access and nutrition education programs.
One example is Live Healthy! Food MD, a three-month program that connects participants from East Harlem and the South Bronx with fresh produce, nutrition education, health screenings, and practical guidance from NYCP’s team. Through hands-on programming, NYCP helps participants take practical steps toward their health goals while strengthening the connection between food access, prevention, education, and neighborhood care.
The program reflects a broader idea behind the partnership: access to healthy food is not only about what is on the table today. It is also connected to long-term health and families’ ability to make choices that help them thrive.
The impact is personal for Live Healthy! Food MD participants like Blanca, who put what she learned into practice every day.
“I participated in the nutrition classes and Recipe Club and have started walking and counting my steps every day,” said Blanca. After the program, she received good news: “The doctor said I no longer have hypertension and don’t need to take medication anymore. I tell everyone about the program.”
A Partnership Built Over Time
Over more than a decade, Bloomberg employees have shown up consistently for New York Common Pantry, filling more than 4,700 volunteer spots and contributing over 15,300 hours across 268 volunteer events. Employee volunteers have helped pack and distribute fresh, nutritious food for families in East Harlem, the Bronx, and beyond.
“Bloomberg has been a generous partner to New York Common Pantry for 13 years, supporting many of our food programs and health initiatives. Their donations have helped to feed thousands of hungry New Yorkers, including their frequent and generous in-kind giving: food drives, food rescue, and the annual Million Meals campaign,” said Stephen Grimaldi, Executive Director, New York Common Pantry.
The work reflects what strong community partnerships can make possible: NYCP brings deep on-the-ground expertise and direct relationships with New Yorkers, while Bloomberg contributes sustained support, employee engagement, and resources that help the organization reach more people.
Through year-round food access projects, Bloomberg employees help prepare meals, sort donations, distribute groceries, and support hunger relief organizations addressing immediate needs and longer-term challenges. From new hires to long-time employees, Bloomberg volunteers help make service a year-round part of the company’s culture.
Programs like Live Healthy! Food MD show how food access can become a starting point for better health beyond the pantry.
Local Action, Global Reach
World Nutrition Day is a moment to recognizethe connection between nutritious food, health, and opportunity. Bloomberg’s partnership with New York Common Pantry offers a clear example of local action with lasting impact: supporting families today while helping build healthier communities for the future.
That same commitment extends globally. In 2025, through the company’s Million Meals campaign and other hunger relief efforts, Bloomberg employees joined partners across cities where Bloomberg has offices to help distribute more than 8 million meals to community members facing hunger.
From New York to São Paulo, San Francisco, London, Tokyo, and beyond, Bloomberg teams are helping expand access to nutritious food, one local partnership at a time.