Location: New York, N.Y.
Region: New York City
Founding: 2020
Founders/leadership: Mark Buhrmester; Daniel Puerto; Alejandra Ruiz; Eddie Valentin, founding volunteers

Founded in June 2020 in Jackson Heights in Queens — once the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic — Love Wins NYC began as a community-based, collective effort for the LGBTQIA+ community; offering a safe environment to access free, high quality, and fresh produce, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, immigration status, or religion.

Love Wins NYC is a volunteer-led organization combating food insecurity — especially prevalent within low-income LGBTQIA+ and immigrant communities, who often face discrimination when seeking assistance from non-LGBTQIA+ competent institutions — across New York City. Operating eight monthly food pantries throughout the city, Love Wins NYC provides bundles of fresh, nutritious produce to over 30,000 New Yorkers annually.

Love Wins NYC prides itself on creating a safe space for LGBTQIA+ and gender non-conforming people, but eagerly helps anyone in need during these difficult times. Recognizing that not everyone feels comfortable going to a church-based food pantry, the organization operates out of Friend’s Tavern, an LGBTQIA+ bar in Jackson Heights, Queens, to ensure a welcoming environment for all.


Read more about Love Wins NYC and MSC’s visit to one of their monthly food pantries on the Move Blog.

Read more about Love Wins NYC’s annual Regalos Night fundraiser on the Move Blog.