Chilis on Wheels

09/23/2026

Celebrate with us!

Join us for a fun, impactful afternoon at Tompkins Square Park as we celebrate Climate Week NYC by supporting a great cause-- bringing meals to those in need and collecting plant-based, shelf stable, non-perishable foods to support New Yorkers facing food injustice—all while taking a stand for the planet!

Date & Time:
Saturday, September 26, 4–6pm
Location:
Tompkins Square Park (Enter at 9th Street & Avenue B)
500 East 9th Street, New York, NY 10009

Why This Matters:

* Nearly 1 in 4 NYC residents—including 1 in 5 children—struggle with food insecurity each year.
* Animal agriculture is a leading driver of deforestation, water pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions—factory farming alone accounts for 14.5% of global emissions.
* By choosing plant-based foods, we can take a bite out of hunger and climate change at the same time!

What to Bring (Non-Perishable, Shelf Stable, Plant-Based Only):
How we define plant-based: Free of all animal products including honey, whey, eggs, and milk.

* Canned or dried beans (chickpeas, black beans, lentils, etc.)
* Shelf-stable plant milks (soy, oat, etc.)
* Rice, quinoa, pasta, and grains
* Nut butters (peanut, almond, sunflower seed)
* Canned vegetables and fruits
* Pasta sauce (tomato-based, marinara, etc.- no cheese or dairy sauces)
* Dried fruit and nuts
* Granola and protein bars
* Oatmeal and cereal
* 100% Fruit juice
*Fruit Preserves
*Bread
*Crackers
*Seasonings

Register here:
https://lnkd.in/gwUJ-Gzq

Can’t Make It?
Support our mission with a donation: https://lnkd.in/gn67wcFh

Come build a kinder, greener with us—see you at the park!

09/17/2026

**SOLD OUT!** Please join the waitlist. 🥗

Join us for !

Every day, New York City serves a million school meals—giving the nation’s largest
school system a powerful opportunity to improve student health while reducing its
environmental footprint.

Join Chilis on Wheels, the Plant Powered School Meals Coalition, and partners for a special Climate Week event exploring how plant-forward school meals can be a practical, scalable, and often overlooked climate solution.

Attendees will have the opportunity to taste an actual plant-based school lunch served in New York City schools and hear from leaders working at the intersection of food, climate, health, and education. The event will also unveil new data quantifying the climate benefits of New York City’s plant-forward K–12 menus and highlight lessons from the city’s efforts to expand healthy, sustainable options for students.

Together, we’ll explore how shifting the food served in schools can reduce greenhouse gas emissions while advancing public health, food equity, and student well-being—and
how New York City’s leadership can help inspire change in school food systems across the country.

The event will feature:
● Samples of a plant-based NYC school lunch prepared by the Office of Food and
Nutrition Services
● New data on the climate impact of New York City’s plant-forward school menus
● A conversation about the connections between school food, climate action, public health, and equity
● Perspectives from leaders and advocates working to build a healthier, more sustainable food system

Come experience what climate action can taste like—and discover the enormous
potential sitting on school lunch trays every day.

🗓 Friday, September 25
⏰11:30am - 1:00 pm
📍New York City Department of Education Office of Food & Nutrition Services: 44-36 Vernon Boulevard, Queens, NY 11101 (Long Island City)

🎟️ Register Here: https://www.climateweeknyc.org/event-search/from-policy-to-plate-climate-action-is-on-the-menu

Sustainability FoodSystems

09/17/2026

How can we collectively come together to help create food systems that nourish our human & beyond human relatives and protect our planet? 🌎

Join Chilis on Wheels, Bread for the World, the Tzu Chi Foundation, Interfaith Public Health Network, and Mercy for Animals during NYC Climate Week for an interfaith and Indigenous dialogue on faith, food, health, and climate resilience.

You'll get to enjoy delicious plant-based bites and hear from faith and community leaders working to transform food systems. There will be an option to join interactive breakout groups after the panel to connect with others working toward healthier, just, and more sustainable food systems.

📅 Thursday, Sept. 24 | 4–6 p.m. ET
📍 229 E 60th St.
New York, New York, 10022

VIRTUAL OPTION AVAILABLE
Register today and join us!

https://www.climateweeknyc.org/event-search/rooted-in-faith-action-for-food-health-and-climate-resilience

09/15/2026

As we head into , we are reminded of the power and importance of local resources and intitiaves— for the planet, for all Beings, for everyone 🍎

Pictured above is our community fridge inside the JC Public Library— a place where anyone can grab a climate-friendly bite and learn about climate action. Libraries are near and dear to our hearts. Do you also love the library? 📚

A huge thank you to Peter for filling the JC Library Community Fridge today 💚

🌎 And stay tuned! Tomorrow we will be posting the NYC Climate Week events we are organizing and participating in. Would love to see you there!

08/19/2026

We want to be like these two when we grow up! 😍

What a delight to meet these beautiful elders ! Our favorite couple! They came out in their weekend best to celebrate and engage on plant-based nutrition.🥗 You had to see their glow in person! They were so excited to win the cookbook—and came back multiple times to check if they had won. It was so heartwarming! ♥️

What a blessing to be in intergenerational spaces where we can celebrate culture and what Earth provides. Thank you !

08/12/2026

We had an incredible time at !

A HUGE thank you to all our amazing volunteers for showing up and showing out! Due to their incredible efforts, ~100 letters were sent to Congress to demand a healthier, more equitable and sustainable food system! Thank you Shana, Rocky, Ben, Peter, and Chris! ❤️❤️❤️

08/06/2026

06/22/2026

🥗 Thank You 🥗
School officially ends on June 26 in New York City. Last month, we had the opportunity to eat lunch in schools across the five boroughs—what a treat! Above is one of the lunches we ate in the Bronx. Fully plant-based and delicious!

Before school officially ends, we want to give a HUGE thank you to all the chefs, cooks, directors, janitors, and delivery personnel for their tireless work all year across the largest school district in the nation—New York City Public Schools. Feeding approximately ONE MILLION students isn't easy, yet you make it look spectacular! Thank you food service staff!

And of course, thank you farmworkers for feeding the nation!

02/05/2026

🚨 ACTION ALERT: Join us to demand a more equitable & just food system in New York! We’re calling on individuals and organizations in New York State to urge State Legislators to invest in ending hunger, strengthening sustainable food systems, and protecting fair labor practices.

🌱INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS TAKE ACTION:
Find your NY State Senator: www.nysenate.gov/find-my-senator | Deadline: Feb 6 at 12 PM

Individual call/email script:
“I’m a constituent of Senator [Name] from [City/Zip code]. I’m calling to urge Senator [Name] to support a $2 million investment in a statewide network of community-rooted Local Food Councils (LFCs) in the FY 2026–2027. New York needs both strong anti-hunger programs and long-term, community-led solutions. I respectfully request that my Senator sign on to Senator Rachel May’s letter of support, so that final budget will secure a healthier, more democratic future for all New Yorkers. Thank you.”

Organization call/email script:
“I’m a constituent of Senator [Name], representing [organization] and it’s supporters. I’m calling to urge Senator [Name] to support a $2 million investment in a statewide network of community-rooted Local Food Councils (LFCs) in the FY 2026–2027. New York needs both strong anti-hunger programs and long-term, community-led solutions. I respectfully request that my Senator sign on to Senator Rachel May’s letter of support, so that final budget will secure a healthier, more democratic future for all New Yorkers. Thank you.”

🤝 Why? Local Food Councils (LFCs) help communities work together to make food systems stronger, fairer, and more reliable. They connect residents, farmers, businesses, and local leaders to respond to food emergencies, support local food, and ensure people have better access to healthy, affordable meals. New York already has 13 Local Food Councils serving communities across the state.

Together, we can build a more democratic food system for all New Yorkers. 💪🌱

01/30/2026

Proud to call Equity Advocates our partners in the fight for food justice and sovereignty along with dozens of other organizations across New York State! January 28 is officially Anti-Hunger Advocacy Day!