On July 30, 2025, the Episcopal Diocese of New York, in partnership with the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, invited the whole Diocese to take part in a simple but powerful act: give the equivalent of what you spend on one day’s food to support World Central Kitchen’s work feeding people in Gaza.
The response was extraordinary. Together, we raised more than $50,000, enough to provide 100,000 meals to people facing famine. World Central Kitchen, founded by Chef José Andrés, has been on the ground in Gaza preparing food, baking bread, and offering clean water in the midst of catastrophic hunger. On one recent day, they served 120,000 hot meals during a brief pause in the fighting.
The campaign also invited people across the Diocese to sign onto a statement calling for more humanitarian aid and to share the message of compassion online and with friends. In the first 24 hours alone, over $29,000 in gifts poured in. This collective generosity bore witness to our shared conviction that, as Bishop Matthew Heyd reminded us, the only miracle recorded in all four Gospels is Jesus feeding the hungry.
We know that deep, generations-long trauma underlies the current crisis. Since the conflict began in Israel and Palestine, our Diocese has spoken out, prayed, and acted to stand against violence, antisemitism, Islamophobia, and the suffering of innocents. Supporting World Central Kitchen was one way we could help alleviate starvation and express our faith in action.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who gave and shared. One act, one day’s food, one ripple of care, together we made a difference.