Help us nourish NYC’s Asian Elders with food, love, and joy every week.

Looking to support our emergency relief efforts supporting Elders impacted by the LA wildfires? Click here to help Asian American Elders affected by the crisis.

Below, learn about supporting Heart of Dinner's ongoing mission to nourish and uplift Asian American Elders through sustaining and further building our weekly care package program.

We believe that addressing food insecurity, isolation, and loneliness starts with thoughtful care that uplifts and honors our Elders—just as we would care for our own grandparents.

Quick Links to Learn More about Heart of Dinner:

• Click here to visit Heart of Dinner's official website with more information including volunteering opportunities.
• Click here to watch Fortune's video "Aging Asian Americans face high rates of social isolation and poverty" and Heart of Dinner's work in addressing this directly

Your Gift Fuels Year-Round Care and Emotional Connection

The hardships our Elders face didn’t begin with the pandemic—and they won’t end without sustained support. In 2025, we invite you to be part of our ongoing journey to nourish nearly 700 Asian American Elders every week with culturally thoughtful care packages distinctly designed to reduce food insecurity and loneliness, and foster love, belonging, and joy.

Heart of Dinner’s signature care packages include handwritten notes in the Elder’s native language and hand-decorated bags filled with vibrant illustrations—each a symbol of care and connection across generations. This tradition, inspired by our founders’ personal love stories, has set Heart of Dinner apart as a nonprofit redefining what it means to care for our Elders holistically.

Why Your Support Is Critical in 2025

The challenges Asian American Elders face go far beyond hunger:

• 1 in 3 Asian Elders in NYC lives below the poverty line—a rate significantly higher than the citywide average, highlighting deep economic inequities.

• 28% of Asian American older adults over 65 live in poverty, compounded by social isolation, language barriers, and cultural divides. These challenges make accessing essential resources nearly impossible for many.

• Language, socioeconomic, cultural, and technological barriers contribute to higher levels of psychological distress and depression. Asian Elders are particularly at high risk of severe social isolation, a condition strongly associated with depression, anxiety, and physical health decline.

• Older Asian American women face disproportionately high suicide rates compared to their peers, driven by loneliness, stigma surrounding mental health, and a lack of culturally responsive care.

Without access to culturally thoughtful meals, emotional connection, and community care, many Asian Elders remain at risk of hunger, isolation, and mental health crises.

Our approach at Heart of Dinner is holistic, meeting our Elders’ needs for physical nourishment, emotional connection, and social belonging equally. Since our founding, we’ve delivered over 200,000 culturally meaningful meals and fostered countless moments of joy and connection—all made possible by the incredible generosity of supporters like you.

To meet ongoing evolving challenges, Heart of Dinner needs the flexibility to use funds where they’re needed most—whether that’s sustaining home deliveries, hiring culturally trained drivers, or investing in our infrastructure to expand our reach. Your support helps us remain agile so that we can provide consistent care no matter what comes our way.

The Impact of Your Gift

Heart of Dinner’s care packages are more than deliveries—they’re love letters across generations. Each package tells our Elders: “We see you. You matter. You are loved.”

Each Heart of Dinner care package includes:

🍱 2–3 days’ worth of culturally thoughtful meals that we purchase from local small business partners owned by BIPOC, women, and LGBTQIA+ entrepreneurs.

💌 A handwritten note of love and encouragement in their native language, offering comfort and connection.

🎨 A hand-decorated bag, lovingly illustrated to brighten their week and remind them they are seen and cherished.

Here’s how your contribution makes a difference:

• $30 provides one home-delivered care package filled with meals and love.

• $300 nourishes five Elders with weekly care packages home-delivered to them for two weeks.

• $1,200 nourishes 10 Elders for a month with culturally thoughtful meals, notes of love, and joyful human connection.

• $3,120 sustains an Elder couple for an entire year with culturally meaningful meals, love, and joy.

• $10,000 funds half the care packages needed to serve nearly 700 Elders for one week.

• $20,000 provides ~3,500 nourishing meals and heartfelt connections to Elders across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and The Bronx—bringing hope, companionship, and life-changing impact to those who need it most.

Every contribution supports Heart of Dinner’s holistic mission—allowing us to care for our Elders, sustain operations, and grow thoughtfully. Unrestricted gifts provide the foundation we need to respond to immediate needs while building long-term solutions.

How You Can Help in 2025

1. Make a One-Time Gift: Your donation today fuels our mission year-round.

2. Join Our Monthly Giving Circle: Recurring donations help provide consistent, reliable support so we can plan and grow sustainably.

3. Host a Peer-to-Peer Fundraiser: Create your own fundraiser and invite your community to support our beloved Elders.

Every action you take creates a ripple effect of love and care that reaches across generations.

Join Us in 2025 to Nourish and Uplift Our Beloved Elders

Your transformative support fuels life-changing impact every week. Your gift today isn’t just a donation—it’s a lifeline for our Elders.

Your generosity fuels every aspect of our work, from delivering warm meals to strengthening our infrastructure to serve with greater care. By contributing to our general fund, you’re giving us the ability to sustain what works and grow where it’s needed most. 💛 Donate now to support Heart of Dinner’s 2025 mission.

Our Origin Story: Care Rooted in Personal Love

Heart of Dinner was born from a deep, instinctive love for our Elders—just as we care for our own grandparents. Our handwritten note tradition began when our co-founders Yin Chang and Moonlynn Tsai, romantic partners of 10 years, wrote love notes to each other as loving reminders of appreciation despite their busy schedules. One founder’s childhood memories of love notes left by her mom during early mornings also shaped this meaningful gesture that made them feel seen and embraced.

From this deeply personal tradition came the heart of Heart of Dinner’s mission: handwritten notes and hand-decorated bags that foster comfort, connection, and belonging alongside meals for nutrients and survival. This approach fosters emotional well-being, showing our Elders through tangible action that they are seen and cherished.

Since our founding in 2020, we’ve delivered over 200,000 care packages, each filled with fresh, nutrient-dense foods and bundled in hand-illustrated bags adorned with joyful, uplifting messages of love. These care packages nourish holistically—even creating moments of joy in the week of someone who might otherwise feel invisible or alone.