Fresh Direct Partners With Robin Hood Foundation To Help Fight Poverty

Not Just Good Food, Food for Good

   Long Island City, N.Y. – October 21, 2009 – For the 2009 holiday season, Robin Hood, the non-profit organization committed to fighting poverty in New York City, and FreshDirect, one of the nation’s leading online gourmet food providers and grocery delivery services, are coming together to help feed 120,000 New Yorkers in need. A $50 donation made via www.FreshDirect.com/RobinHood will feed a family of eight with a turkey dinner and all the fixings, delivered by FreshDirect to community organizations funded by Robin Hood throughout the five boroughs.

   "Every year as the holidays approach, many New Yorkers worry about making ends meet - and that's especially true this year,” says Mayor Michael Bloomberg. “That's why partnerships like the one between Robin Hood and FreshDirect, which will help many more New Yorkers enjoy a nutritious holiday meal, play such a vital role. As much as we’re doing in City government to help New Yorkers through these tough times, we can’t do it alone – and I applaud Robin Hood and FreshDirect for their initiative.”

   More than 1.3 million people rely on emergency food in New York City. Soup kitchens and food pantries, more than 1,000 of which are supplied thanks to Robin Hood’s grant to the Food Bank For New York City, help families get by when the budget is tight. Demand at these sites is up by 25 percent during the recession.