Hangry for Change

Join us for Episode 19 of Hangry for Change, Meeting SNAP's March Madness. This February, WSCAH hosted a Town Hall style meeting to share knowledge and sound the alarm for the emergency feeding community. Here on Hangry for Change we felt that the meeting contained vital information that needed wider dissemination. Tune into today to hear from WSCAH CEO Greg Silverman and Chief Program Officer Alyson Rosenthal as they discuss about the ripple effects we’re anticipating across New York City and how we’re preparing as an organization to meet increased demand with dignity, flexibility, and care. Delilah Guzman, WSCAH's Senior Benefits Access Specialist, grounds the discussion in powerful, real-life examples of SNAP recipients navigating new work requirements. Her stories made clear how these policy shifts are not abstract — they directly affect our customers’ ability to put food on the table.

Join us for Episode 18 of Hangry for Change, The State We're In, as Greg Silverman (WSCAH CEO & Executive Director) travels to heart of Albany at a pivotal moment for New York’s emergency food system. Follow WSCAH and our Roundtable partners as we push for urgently needed updates to programs like HPNAP and Nourish NY—changes with the potential to transform emergency food distribution to center the dignity of our customers across the city. Through behind‑the‑scenes encounters with elected officials, advocates, and frontline organizations, Episode 18 continues to explore the complex pressures shaping hunger policy today, and the determined, long‑term fight required to secure a fairer, more responsive food system for all New Yorkers. Featuring: • NYS Assemblymember Micah Lasher • NYS Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal • Andrew Barret, Program Officer, New York Health Foundation • Emma Bessire, Senior Associate, Policy and Advocacy, Citymeals on Wheels • Leah Eden, Founder, Equity Advocates • Judy Secon, Deputy Executive Director, New York Common Pantry

Happy Holidays from all of us at WSCAH! The season invites reflection, and looking back on this whirlwind year can feel dizzying. But as we step into 2026, we want to celebrate what makes WSCAH and our partners across the Roundtable so extraordinary. Join us for a conversation about resilience, community, and action in the face of challenges. We’ll be joined by Mark Levine, NYC’s incoming Comptroller, as we discuss the year that was—from SNAP becoming a political pawn in the national debate to WSCAH responding by increasing food distribution by 50%. We’ll also revisit highlights from the Robin Hood Annual Poverty Tracker Press Conference at WSCAH’s 180th Street warehouse. And keep an ear out for our friends at WWE, who not only sponsored Thanksgiving groceries for 200 families, but volunteered to flex their muscles and wrestle turkeys and pork shoulders into our customers hands. As NYC stands on the precipice of the Mamdani Era, tune in for insights, stories, and a look ahead at how we’ll keep fighting hunger together.

Welcome back to Hangry for Change with Greg Silverman from WSCAH. The old rules no longer apply—long-standing federal, state, and city arrangements are shifting. In November, WSCAH served 80% more people than in October, driven by lingering anxiety from the longest government shutdown ever, which disrupted SNAP benefits for 42 million people. Even with benefits restored, stress persists. WSCAH has responded by increasing our food allotments by 50% through the end of 2025, but amid systemic upheaval, we must ask: What’s next—and how can we work creatively to ensure dignified access to food? That’s where advocacy, research, and technological innovation come in. In this episode, we’re honored to welcome: Craig Willingham, Managing Director of the CUNY Urban Food Policy Institute Ben Kerrick, Managing Partner at Karen Karp & Partners (KK&P) Max Bernstein, Senior Analyst & Staff Consultant at Karen Karp & Partners (KK&P) Katherine Miller, Author of At the Table: The Chef’s Guide to Advocacy, Principal & Founder of Table 81; former Vice President of Impact at the James Beard Foundation; Adjunct Professor at the Culinary Institute of America Tune in for this essential discussion on food security, system change, and the work ahead that can effect real change. Learn about The Roundtable's efforts to develop AI assisted invoice reading and analysis for frontline NYC providers, WSCAH's many years of collaborative advocacy and research with CUNY's Urban Food Policy Institute, and the unexpected power of Chef driven advocacy through the lens of Katherine Miller's book At the Table: The Chef’s Guide to Advocacy.

Barely a month from Labor Day, with summer memories disappearing in the rear view mirror, we’re back in the driving seat with a challenging road ahead. Before we accelerate into the fall and beyond, it's time for our community to take stock of how far we’ve come and how far we still need to go to serve the food insecure - and to empower each other - in the teeth of unprecedented upheaval. Join us for for a look at the future across a changing emergency food landscape.

This episode Hangry is on the road. We’re taking you to Albany, the State Capital, to a meeting of the Alliance for a Hunger Free New York*. And by New York we mean the State not the City. It’s renaissance has been led by Natasha Pernicka, Director of the Food Pantries for the Capital District. You'll be hearing from her and others later in a special Panel Discussion convened for this podcast from The Linda: Radio WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio in the heart of the Albany. *The Alliance is a new configuration of an older network of emergency food players from across our State. Previously known as the Hunger Action Network of New York State, it was reinvented during pandemic as the Alliance for a Hunger Free New York. https://www.alliancehungerfreeny.org/

In 1831 Alexis de Tocqueville - America’s OG Stan - wrote in Democracy in America: “In the United States, as soon as several inhabitants have taken an opinion or an idea they wish to promote in society, they seek each other out and unite together once they have made contact. From that moment, they are no longer isolated but have become a power seen from afar whose activities serve as an example and whose words are heeded.” Nearly 200 hundred years later - to mark the end of Volunteer month - it’s time to remember, celebrate and renew this special American Spirit. Join us today on Episode 13 of Hangry for Change for a conversation honoring the living spirit of volunteerism that makes our work at WSCAH possible.

Hangry 4 Change explores the most urgent challenges facing the fight against hunger in New York City and beyond. In Episode 12, as the seeds of our new reality are sown in Washington, D.C., we explore how we can maximize our effort to grow the resources for everyone facing food insecurity on this rocky terrain. We remain guided by our optimism that the WSCAH community can continue to innovate and advocate to support those facing food insecurity. Join us today on the steps of City Hall with city and state leaders (including local Assemblymember Micah Lasher), and in conversation with Kumar Chandran (former Senior Advisory & former Acting Undersecretary for Food & Nutrition at the USDA under Biden & Obama).

Hangry 4 Change explores the most urgent challenges facing the fight against hunger in New York City and beyond. In Episode 11, PROTECT 2025 – Supporting Our City and Communities Under Fire, we go behind the scenes of the fight against hunger in New York City. As food insecurity continues to rise and federal support declines, frontline organizations and policymakers are stepping up with bold solutions. Gherell Owens, an expert in emergency feeding operations and a Roundtable consultant, shares insights on innovations happening on the ground. Kavitha Gnanasambandan, co-founder of Blooming Health, explores how technology and collaboration can better support seniors in need. Cheryl Huber from United Way offers a broader perspective on hunger at the city level, and NYC DSS Commissioner Molly Park discusses how the city is responding to the growing crisis. Join us for a critical conversation about the state of emergency food access today—and what it will take to build a stronger, more resilient system for the future.

Hangry 4 Change explores the most urgent challenges facing the fight against hunger in New York City and beyond.  In Episode 10, join current CEO & Executive Director Greg Silverman as we remember Doreen Wohl, West Side Campaign Against Hunger's (WSCAH) extraordinary Executive Director from 1992-2012. Doreen sadly passed away this year, but the legacy of her impact on WSCAH and the emergency feeding system at large continues to be felt deeply today. Doreen's leadership was unparalleled. She was a force of nature—unyielding in her commitment to justice, unafraid to challenge the status quo, and unstoppable in her pursuit of dignity and choice for all. Whether working with city officials, Board members, staff, or volunteers, she never took “no” for an answer and never backed down as she drove community focused change forward. At WSCAH, she transformed emergency feeding, pioneered the nation’s first customer-choice food pantry, integrated customers into our Board of Directors, and focused pantry volunteerism around the customer community. “Dignity, Community, Choice” grew and flourished under Doreen.

Hangry 4 Change explores the most urgent challenges facing the fight against hunger in New York City and beyond.  Episode 9 features innovators who are reimagining how the sector is serving hungry New Yorkers across the city and state. Hear from WSCAH's very own John LeBreton (Chief Financial and People Officer), Karen Karp (Food entrepreneur, consultant, and founder of Karen Karp & Partners), Renee Filette (Executive Director of Dutchess Outreach and board director of the Alliance for a Hunger Free NY), and Evan Ehlers (Founder of Sharing Excess).

Hangry 4 Change explores the most urgent challenges facing the fight against hunger in New York City and beyond.  In Episode 8, we shine a light on the powerful role of faith communities in fighting hunger across NYC. Listen today to hear from three incredible leaders in the fight against hunger.

Hangry 4 Change explores the most urgent challenges facing the fight against hunger in New York City and beyond.  Episode 7 journeys back to school. In this episode we’ll be talking to our partner leaders in food and education, and celebrating the role schools can play in nourishing New Yorkers in need.

Hangry 4 Change explores the most urgent challenges facing the fight against hunger in New York City and beyond.  Episode 6 examines the impact of hunger on older adults in America. Our host, Greg Silverman, visits seniors in need and explores the issue with veteran thought leader and non-profit pioneer, Robert Egger, founder of DC Central Kitchen.

For 45 years, West Side Campaign Against Hunger (WSCAH) has been serving some of New York’s most vulnerable people. Our podcast Hangry 4 Change explores the most urgent challenges facing the fight against hunger in New York and beyond. Episode 5 explores the challenge posed by the influx of asylum seekers to New York over the last two years. It features interviews with community leaders and organizations stepping in to feed those in need. We hear from politicians seeking to fight against the mayor's deep cuts in financial support for asylum seekers and the emergency food sector.

For 45 years, West Side Campaign Against Hunger (WSCAH) has been serving some of New York’s most vulnerable people. WSCAH has evolved into one of New York's leading nonprofits fighting the battle against hunger in the city and beyond. Our podcast Hangry 4 Change explores the most urgent challenges facing the fight against hunger. Episode 4 looks at the problems facing New Yorkers who rely on SNAP and the consequences for emergency food providers. Beset by a large backlog and system failures, New York City's Human Resources Agency (HRA) has come under criticism and legal challenge. This episode features Representative Jim McGovern, a leading voice for the hungry on Capitol Hill, reflecting on the politics of food insecurity in this election year.

Since 1979 West Side Campaign Against Hunger (WSCAH) has been serving some of New York’s most vulnerable people. WSCAH has grown to nourish and sustain tens of thousands of New Yorkers from all over the city, driven by three words: DIGNITY, COMMUNITY and CHOICE. Episode 3 brings the WSCAH story from COVID to the present, introducing the listener to WSCAH's brand new food storage and distribution hub in Washington Heights. Featuring interviews with academic and community leaders, this episode demonstrates the breadth and depth of WSCAH's commitment to fighting hunger in New York and beyond.

Since 1979 West Side Campaign Against Hunger (WSCAH) has been serving some of New York’s most vulnerable people. WSCAH has grown to nourish and sustain tens of thousands of New Yorkers from all over the city, driven by three words: DIGNITY, COMMUNITY and CHOICE. Episode 2 tells the story of WSCAH's evolution under the leadership of its CEO & Executive Director, Chef Greg Silverman. With a collaborative mindset, Greg established The Roundtable: Allies for Food Access, a collective of NYC’s largest food pantries across the city emergency food sector. He discusses how the Roundtable shaped the sector's response to COVID. Hear from Roundtable partners, WSCAH staff and the head of New York City’s Office of Food Policy, Kate Mackenzie.

For 45 years, West Side Campaign Against Hunger (WSCAH) has been serving some of New York’s most vulnerable people. Beginning in a basement of a church with donations from concerned neighbors in 1979, WSCAH has grown to nourish and sustain tens of thousands of New Yorkers from all over the city, driven by three words: DIGNITY, COMMUNITY and CHOICE. Episode 1 takes you on a journey through time with CEO & Executive Director, Chef Greg Silverman, in conversation with the people who began WSCAH’s story and how, from humble beginnings, WSCAH became one of the leading anti-hunger organizations in the city and state. We hear from customers, staff, and volunteers that have been instrumental in ensuring WSCAH continues to be a resource for our community.