I’ve been in Brazil for over 60 days now. There are many things I miss about NYC: I miss my bed, I miss my kitchen, I miss my spices, I miss my local Greenpoint spots. But by far what I miss most is Chinatown.

Chinatown was the first to feel the wrath of COVID-19 due to xenophobia and racism and things haven’t gotten any better: according to the Send Chinatown Love website, there are over 6,000 businesses in Chinatown, 700 of them restaurants, and only 38 remain open.

I’ve compiled a few Chinatown-specific initiatives below. If you have the means, I encourage you to donate to any or all. Let’s lift others up when they’re down.

SEND CHINATOWN LOVE

Send Chinatown Love is an organization aiming to help Chinatown restaurants by helping them get online. Many of Chinatown’s mom n’ pop shops are run by immigrants who have little to no English skills - which is why Send Chinatown Love has a team of fluent Chinese speakers that help these restaurants build and maintain websites in order to sell gift cards and take donations. Donate and buy gift cards from the businesses they’ve helped get online here.

HEART OF DINNER (FORMERLY TABLE TO TABLE)

Heart of Dinner is an organization currently cooking and distributing hot lunchboxes to the most vulnerable members of the Chinatown community with a focus on the homebound elderly. Cultural and language barriers often prevent elderly immigrants from asking for/accessing help. Donate here.

WELCOME TO CHINATOWN

Welcome to Chinatown is a grassroots organization raising money to purchase meals for frontline workers from Chinatown restaurants. Feed our nation’s heroes, help the mom n’ pops survive: it’s a win/win. Donate here.

STIR FRY MEALS ON WHEELS

Stir Fry Meals on Wheels is an initiative to provide hot meals for homebound Chinatown seniors. Donate here.

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