Posted on October 1, 2012 by SARAH MURPHY PRESS RELEASE — COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS LAUNCHES CORPORATE AND LAW FIRM SPONSORSHIP CAMPAIGN Sponsored Vans To Help Deliver Hot Meals to Thousands of Homeless and Hungry New Yorkers NEW YORK – The Coalition for the Homeless announced today the launch of its Corporate and Law Firm Sponsorship campaign benefiting the Grand Central Food Program (GCFP), a mobile soup kitchen that delivers life-saving meals to nearly 1,000 people each night on the streets of New York City through a fleet of vans. Sponsors of the program will have their logos added to the Grand Central Food Program vans as they stop at over 31 sites throughout the city, 365 days a year. Initial sponsors of the program include Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP, Lane Office, Troutman Sanders, and Proskauer Rose LLP. The sponsors, in addition to providing important financial support, will encourage interested employees to volunteer for the GCFP to help distribute hot meals to homeless and hungry New Yorkers. “After severe cutbacks in government funding in the past few years, we’ve been struggling to serve all those on the streets who rely on the GCFP,” said Dave Giffen, Executive Director of the Coalition for the Homeless. “It’s been truly inspiring to see New York’s legal and corporate communities respond by stepping up to help us continue this critical program at a time when homelessness in New York is skyrocketing. We would love to see all of the major NYC firms involved in this campaign.” “The Sponsorship Program is an easy way for our firm to both support and get more directly involved with Coalition’s great work,” said Paul Pearlman, Managing Partner of Kramer Levin. “Being part of an effort that’s serving such a basic and critical need of homeless people in this city is very meaningful to all of us.” As homelessness in New York City hits record levels, with more than 47,000 people – including 20,000 children – sleeping in emergency shelters tonight, relief services throughout the city are being stretched thin. Nearly half of all food pantries and soup kitchens already turn people away on a daily basis. “We are honored to be one of the first corporate sponsors of the Grand Central Food Program,” said Gregory F. Burke, President of Lane Office, which is sponsoring two vans in October. “We already have several evenings scheduled when our staff will be coming out as volunteers to help hand out the meals. It’s extremely rewarding for everyone in our company to be involved in this.” The Corporate and Law Firm Sponsorship remains open to additional sponsors. To inquire about sponsoring a Grand Central Food Program van, contact: development@cfthomeless.org
