On the Front Lines Feeding New Yorkers in a Crisis
As New Alternatives takes on an increased role, one man embraces the challenge
BY MATT TRACY
On the busiest day of the
week in the midst of a
worsening coronavirus
crisis, Darrell Wimbush
arrives at work in the mid-afternoon
and prepares for a daunting
evening ahead.
Wimbush works in multiple capacities
at New Alternatives, an
organization that provides services
for LGBTQ homeless youth
including case management, programs
for HIV-positive youth, life
skills, and more. The crisis has
placed new and unforeseen burdens
on service providers like New
Alternatives that are continuing to
step up with in-person offerings
— especially meals for individuals
facing food insecurity — in a city
where such services have dwindled
since many service providers were
forced to abruptly shut their doors
and shift to remote operations in
an effort to promote social distancing
and prevent the spread of the
coronavirus.
New Alternatives already offered
meals to those in need, but Wimbush,
who normally carries out
security-related duties in addition
to cooking, started noticing an
uptick in demand in recent weeks
and found himself standing at the
front lines in the fi ght to absorb it.
“I’m hearing from multiple clients
that a lot of places are closing
down that they usually go to during
the day,” Wimbush explained.
“I’m usually at work four days a
week. Now I’m working every day.”
For the time being, Wimbush
dedicates one day per week to cooking
and preparing food for dozens
of clients per day, though he said
it is possible he will soon have to
start cooking twice per week to
keep up with demand.
The organization’s food offerings
also include a Sunday dinner,
which tends to feed anywhere
between 50 and 80 clients during
normal times.
Notably, Wimbush is playing a
remarkably crucial role in one the
most important areas of the crisis:
He alone is responsible for cooking,
ACTIVISM
Darrell Wimbush of New Alternatives spends hours preparing food for clients during a crisis that has placed a strain on service providers.
preparing, and handing out food to
numerous clients who are most at
need. In short, the food security of
countless clients remains in his
hands — and he is handling that
pressure with seeming ease.
“I’ve been offered volunteers and
co-workers have asked for help, but
I’ve done this many times,” Wimbush
said, referring to his previous
work experience that entailed
cooking for large groups. “I’m used
to cooking for 200-plus people. So I
wouldn’t really need any help.”
On a cooking day in the coronavirus
era, Wimbush arrives at
New Alternatives’ location at Metro
Baptist Church at 410 West 40th
Street in Manhattan at 2 p.m. and
begins removing food from the
freezer to be prepared and heated
up for distribution to clients.
He also organizes toiletry items
for distribution, but those goods,
too, are in shorter supply, marking
yet another sign of the times. Previously,
clients were able to choose
between different toiletry options,
but not for now.
From 3 p.m. until 6 p.m., Wimbush
hands out food to clients
while simultaneously fi nding time
to engage with them and ask about
their day, about their health, and
about their lives, adding an extra
element to the experience that
could make all the difference for
those who are confronted with signifi
cant stressors stemming from
the crisis.
Wimbush allows the scene to
wind down from 6 p.m. until 6:30
p.m., at which point he enters the
commercial kitchen at the church
— complete with two large hot
stoves, a griddle, two ovens, and
two sinks — to begin cooking and
preparing future meals. Two weeks
ago he cooked lemonade fried
chicken with rice and cabbage,
and last week he cooked baked ziti,
among other items.
“That goes until 1 or 3 a.m.,”
Wimbush said.
Do the math and that workload
represents between six-and-a-half
and eight-and-a-half hours in the
kitchen — all of which comes after
food is distributed.
The food he prepares is provided
from multiple sources, with most
of it being donated. The organization
also received some food donations
from restaurants during
COURTESY OF DARRELL WIMBUSH
the earliest days of the crisis when
they were trying to quickly get rid
of food before it expired. Wimbush
does make some trips to supermarkets
for certain necessities,
such as meat.
Wimbush’s dedication to his
work means he, too, is risking his
health to serve others at a time
when many people worldwide have
retreated from public life to avoid
getting sick. He works with gloves
and masks and makes sure he
suffi ciently washes his hands and
food to protect himself and others.
Like everyone else, Wimbush realizes
that the future is uncertain.
Nobody really knows when the
crisis will fade away — and the increased
demand at organizations
like New Alternatives will only
grow as health and economic woes
continue to put a strain on the fi ve
boroughs. But regardless of how it
shapes up, Wimbush is up to the
task.
“It’s not as hard as it sounds,” he
said. “My higher-ups have asked
if anything is needed or if I need
a break or extra help. It’s nothing
but support from everybody at my
job and the church.”
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