Brooklyn’s “Plants to the People” is Giving Away Free Vegan Food to First Responders

There are silver linings. Just yesterday we learned that Brooklyn-Borough President and prominent vegan Eric Adams has partnered with the hunger-relief organization Community Solidarity and animal rights advocacy group Mercy for Animals to deliver vegan food to those Brooklyn residents who are most in need during the pandemic.

This new partnership is being called "Plants to the People," and one of its first initiatives was to hand out food purchased from local Brooklyn-based plant-based restaurants to workers on the front lines of the relief efforts. Among the first people to benefit: Police officers, firefighters and hospital employees at Maimonides Medical Center.

This new partnership not only seeks to aid those who are food insecure (an estimated 1.2 million New York City residents fall into this category) or those who are working as first responders on the front lines of the pandemic but also benefits local restaurants that have seen a drastic downturn in business since the shelter-in-place orders that are keeping customers in their homes. Restaurants given patronage by the initiative include Brooklyn Whiskers Bakery, Bar Velo, Monks Meats, byChloe, and Urban Vegan Kitchen.

"Our first responders remain on the front lines of providing aid, services, and comfort to those in our borough and across this city during these difficult times," Adams says. "We must be consistent in thanking them in ways, big and small while being vigilant in keeping them in our thoughts, prayers, and relief efforts for the duration of this crisis. I thank the Shorefront Coalition and the Pakistani American Youth Society for helping to organize this initiative, and our first responders throughout the city who perform heroic acts every single day.”

This effort isn't Adams first attempt to spread the message about the importance of healthy living and the benefits of plant-based eating to his local community: He recently teamed up with Hip Hop is Green to host a Healthy Rap Battle, regularly shares information about reaching for healthy choices on his Instagram, helps spearhead initiatives like Brooklyn's Fresh Vibes Market, and hosts 'tel-exercise' remote workout videos on his IGTV.

We love to see a Borough President or local leader so in touch with his community's needs, who also promotes plant-based knowledge and efforts to his constituents. Keep up the great work, B.Prez Adams, and a big thank you to the workers on the front lines of this pandemic!