Mario Batali : About Mario : Charities: The Food Bank for New York City

About the Food Bank For New York City
More than two million New York City residents are at risk of going hungry. The majority of them are women with children, the elderly, the disabled and the working poor. Food Bank For New York City, the city's primary supplier of food for the hungry, helps provide the food for over 250,000 free meals served each day by more than 1,200 nonprofit community food programs in the five boroughs. Last year, the Food Bank distributed over 67 million pounds of food and was recognized as Food Bank of the Year by America's Second Harvest, The Nation's Food Bank Network. Its efficiency allows for 96 cents of every dollar donated to be directly used to help the people most in need.



	Mario with friend and fellow board member Stanley Tucci "cut it up" at the Food Bank's 2006 CANS Film Festival.

Since 2003, Mario has been a vital part of the Food Bank, serving on its
board and participating in numerous hunger awareness campaigns.
He and his wife Susi have made the Food Bank For New York City their
principal charity. They have worked on the conception and production
of the annual Can-Do Awards gala and auction and many campaigns
and fundraisers such as October's NYC Goes Orange and Time Out
For Hunger. Mario is one of the organization's celebrity
"Go Orange Ambassadors."

Most recently, Mario agreed to be Roasted, Battered and Fried – the
centerpiece of a celebrity roast in November, which benefits the Food Bank.
Mario has also partnered with Shade Tree Greetings and their Esquire
"What I've Learned" greeting card series. Quotes from Mario's interview
are featured on five of these cards, and a portion of the proceeds from
sales will go to the Food Bank of New York City The greeting cards
will be available for purchase in early 2007. For further information about the cards and where to purchase them, visit Shade Tree's website: www.shadetreegreetings.com.
Go to www.foodbanknyc.org to find out more about the Food Bank — how to volunteer, donate and to get a Hunger Awareness Pin to be an "Ambassador" like Mario. Also, sign up for E-News.