Citizens 4 Humanity (C4H) is a volunteer-driven, grassroots organization based in Hampton Bays, NY whose mission is to feed, serve and nurture vulnerable persons and their families. Master Chef Marco Barrila and his wife Sheila began the mission 10 years ago when Marco, expressed to his wife that he was tired of witnessing food going to waste. With a special gaze on single moms and their families, along with community members and seniors who are isolated and alone, Marco and Sheila rallied friends, solicited donations of goods and services, and set to work. They began by delivering over 75 gourmet meals on Thanksgiving that very first year. And that is how Citizens4Humanity was born!
Since their humble beginnings, C4H has expanded their services through partnerships with local schools, government and churches and provides groceries, clothing, furniture, and professional services to the most vulnerable citizens throughout the east end. This past year, the terrible effects that the pandemic were witnessed by all: unemployment, isolation, and worst of all, despair. Citizens are needed to come together and help heal those among us who are suffering. Their annual Thanksgiving and Holiday meal program offers a way to give back, locally, for a very worthy cause.
Last year, C4H and their group of over 25 volunteers led by master Chef Barrila, prepped, cooked, and packaged over 150 complete gourmet turkey dinners. These meals were then delivered directly to the doorsteps of over 64 households for Thanksgiving. A host of additional meals were delivered for the freezer, providing meals throughout the month, leading up to Christmas. With the current economic conditions, food shortages, and steep rise in grocery prices, C4H is already witnessing a large increase in this year’s requests for assistance. With the support of the local community, C4H plans to deliver prepared foods along with some pantry foods for hungry children and their families. What better way to celebrate Thanksgiving than to make a conscious decision to help your neighbors in need?
