‘Dumplings Gotta Give’ Dumpling Drive Raised $2K and Donated Over 425 Bags of Dumplings to Food Pantries in Chinatown

Welcome to Chinatown has always tried to find new ways to connect local businesses with the local community. To celebrate National Dumpling Day on Sept 26th, Welcome to Chinatown and ciaooo! mag organized a dumpling donation drive from Chinatown favorites 88 Lan Zhou and Super Taste to support Project EATS and UA3. This was a twin effort to not only support these at-risk businesses but to also provide good food to those in need. With your help, these donations provided 88 Lan Zhou and Super Taste with $1,000+ in business, each, and 425 bags of dumplings donated to the two food pantries.

Food Bank for New York’s latest Hunger Report revealed 75% of food pantries and soup kitchens had an increase in visitors compared to 2019. Of those food pantries reporting an increase in visitors, a whopping 91% reported an increase in first time visitors, including a 71% increase in laid-off or furloughed workers.

In less than 7 days, Welcome to Chinatown and ciaooo! Mag raised $2K and donated over 425 bags of dumplings. An additional week of dumplings went to Project EATS, sponsored by Welcome to Chinatown, to support their increased pantry needs. After seeing Welcome to Chinatown’s drive, Bean N Bean generously donated 200 sandwiches to Project EATS.

Through Welcome to Chinatown’s campaign, Project EATS has been able to provide fresh, hot meals from Chinatown small businesses to community residents in the LES.

The impact of your donations
Project EATS’s Farmacy patient, Joanne, travels from Far Rockaway to the LES every Friday to pick up a free food bag at 168 Broome. If it weren’t for the rice donations, she wouldn’t have had enough to eat that week.

Geno is a senior who lives in NYCHA Seward Park extension and travels in a motorized wheelchair. He lines up at 7am each Friday for a free produce bag and has come to count on Welcome to Chinatown’s hot meal donations to supplement his public benefits.

With the addition of packaged meals provided by Welcome to Chinatown, Project EATS has been able to serve more residents in the LES community who not only appreciate cooking with fresh vegetables but who also enjoy eating a delicious, cooked meal.