Earlier last week, the Jets tackled hunger and spread holiday cheer with the Food Bank For New York City in West Harlem. Players were on hand at a neighborhood soup kitchen to help distribute turkeys, prep meals, and serve pre-Thanksgiving dinners to over 600 hundred guests.
"This is awesome," said Henry Belin, chairman of the board of directors for the Food Bank. "The Jets have come out here to help us distribute food and put some smiles on the faces of some hungry people in our neighborhood. One in five New Yorkers, one in five children go without food. So for the Jets to come and bring this visibility to the work that we do on a daily basis is incredible.
"We work hard to try to give out at least 400,000 meals a day through our member agencies and the Jets have really made a difference by coming out. They have been doing this for years and we really appreciate the sacrifice that they have made on their day off."
Defensive lineman Leger Douzable, punter Ryan Quigley and tight end Zac Sudfeld realize that this is a time for giving rather than receiving.
"It's a blessing to come out here and show families that we do care," said Quigley. "To do it with my teammates shows you what kind of organization that we are. We really do care."
"It's absolutely awesome," said Sudfeld. "We come to Harlem and it's always a blast. You get to interact with people who come in and they are so grateful. To be able to give back, especially this time of year, it's a great opportunity for us and an event we as players love doing."
"I think it's a monumental thing for a team that a lot of people look up to," Douzable said. "One of the biggest cities in the United States, to actually be out in the community and give back says leaps and bounds about the Jets organizations and what they stand for."
The Food Bank For New York City has been the city's major hunger relief organization working to end hunger throughout the five boroughs for more than 30 years.
For than more 10 years, the Jets have been working with the Food Bank and the overall mission is to show the community that the Green & White care and want all New Yorkers to care about people in need.
"Thanksgiving to me is the quintessential American holiday," said Jets team president Neil Glat. "No one should go hungry during that holiday. It's a special time with family, but you have to remember that not everyone can have that same kind of Thanksgiving. So these events and food banks really fill a void that is tremendously important for society."
