NYC nonprofit fights food insecurity and trains workers

EV Loves NYC Supports Food-Insecure New Yorkers

EAST VILLAGE, Manhattan — EV Loves NYC is dedicated to feeding New York City. They offer a variety of meals, including popular burgers and West African dishes.

“My job is something where, when you go home, you are so proud of what you did during the day because you are helping people,” says EV Loves NYC Operations Manager Diamy Bah. “It’s like a family now. Some of the people just come here to be a part of the community.”

EV Loves NYC, which stands for its East Village home base, is a nonprofit organization. They build community for New Yorkers facing food insecurity and advocate for long-term solutions through various support services.

Programs Offered by EV Loves NYC

EV Loves NYC operates two programs. On Sundays, they run a community-commissary kitchen out of the Lower East Side Girls Club. This program provides between 2,000 and 2,500 meals. From Monday to Friday, they operate Cafewal, which focuses on job training for community members. This program teaches skills for restaurant work and long-term employment beyond the food industry.

“I think of New York as a sanctuary city. It was that way for me,” says Ann Shields, communications director at EV Loves NYC. “I was moving away from things as much as I was moving toward something, and I think that’s true for a lot of people. But, the city needs to be a more welcoming place.”

Since their start in 2020, EV Loves NYC has built a close-knit community. They welcome regulars and newcomers alike to enjoy food from diverse cultures.

Impact of EV Loves NYC

In 2025, EV Loves NYC served over 150,000 nutrient-dense hot meals to food-insecure New Yorkers.

“Our current total since April 2020, when we were founded, is 675,000 hot meals served and over nine million pounds of groceries distributed to New York City households,” states EV Loves NYC Executive Director Tyler Hefferon.