3 teen sisters launch food rescue on the Upper West Side

3 teen sisters launch food rescue on the Upper West Side

A new, grassroots food organization has launched in New York City – and three teen sisters are behind it. FOX 5 NY's Meredith Gorman has the story. 

NEW YORK - A new, grassroots food organization has launched in New York City – and three teen sisters are behind it. 

Local perspective:

The effort, 3 Sisters Food Rescue, aims to reduce food waste and combat hunger throughout the city, according to the organization's website. It was started by Dahlia, Scarlett and Sonia Basmadjian, aged 16 and 13.

The sisters spent their summer canvassing the Upper West Side, engaging with restaurants and promoting their cause through social media, the sisters told FOX 5 NY. Their organization's Instagram has nearly 200 followers and highlights the work they've done so far in their community. 

According to their website, surplus food is gathered from restaurants on the Upper West Side and is then delivered to food shelters and pantries.

Their partners include CookUnity, a Brooklyn-based meat kit company and Manny's Bistro, a French restaurant located on Columbus Avenue. These partners help to contribute hundreds of meals weekly to Holy Trinity Church, All Angels Church and West End Collegiate Church, all located on the Upper West Side. 

What they're saying:

"I grew up with a family in the restaurant industry, so every single day I was educated in…the injustices of how much food was being put to waste at the end of the day," Dahlia Basmadjian told FOX 5 NY's Meredith Gorman. 

1 in 10 New Yorkers face food insecurity

By the numbers:

According to the New York Health Foundation, more than 1 in 10 New Yorkers face food insecurity, which "is when people can't access the food they need to live their fullest lives," according to Feeding America. Black and Hispanic city residents are more than twice as likely to experience food insecurity, as well. 

What you can do:

The sisters told FOX 5 NY that although their organization is doing well so far, they're looking for more partner restaurants to get involved and encouraged those in need of food to reach out. 

"We're feeding a hundred to two hundred mouths per week, but there is so much more to be done," Dahlia Basmadjian added. 

If your business is looking to donate, or if you're struggling with food insecurity, you can fill out the contact form on the organization's website.