Asian American Community Orgs and Rep Dougherty Feed Over 200 People in Northeast Philadelphia on Valentine’s Day
즉시 출시
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Media Contact
Erica Maria Cheung, (915) 637-3318
PHILADELPHIA, PA – On Valentines Day, State Representative Sean Dougherty (PA-172) joined Asian American community based organizations (Asian Americans United, Asian Food Collective, and Asian Pacific Islander Political Alliance) to distribute culturally-specific foods to Asian communities in Northeast Philadelphia. Rep Dougherty and a group of over 30 volunteers distributed eggs, napa cabbage, noodles, and other produce and pantry items to over 200 people at Kai Yuan Temple (1815 Cottman Ave), a Buddhist temple that distributes food regularly to community members.
Pennsylvanians across the state have been struggling to access food due to the Trump administration’s slashing of SNAP benefits in 2025. Northeast Philadelphia’s Asian and refugee communities have been hit particularly hard due to the region’s lack of resources and lack of access to public transportation. This has been especially hard during this winter’s extreme cold temperatures. The food distribution also came at a particularly meaningful time for many Asian community members who celebrate Lunar New Year, which starts this Tuesday, February 17, 2026.
“It was a perfect day to show love and that’s exactly what we did. We showed love to the Northeast Philadelphia community that loves us back. I’m so grateful and thankful for these Asian American community based organizations and all of their volunteers,” said State Representative Sean Dougherty.
“Sharing food with each other is a way many of our own families express love. It feels especially fitting to be distributing groceries with some of our own favorite food staples on Valentine’s Day,” said Hanna Kim, founder of Asian Food Collective. “It’s especially important to provide culturally relevant food because food security programs have been severely cut over the past few years. Food is more than sustenance, it holds cultural and social significance. By providing culturally relevant food, we’re also providing dignified support for our community members.”
“Too often, Asian Americans are left behind, because their struggles with hunger and food insecurity are ignored.Temples like Kai Yuan are a critical lifeline for feeding neighbors with open arms and no judgment. Starting the new year with this food distribution is a powerful way to bring people together,” said Vivian Chang, Executive Director of Asian Americans United.
"Even before the threats to SNAP last year, our communities have been struggling with rising costs and often difficulty affording culturally-important foods,” said Sunhee Volz, Policy and Organizing Program Manager at API PA. “It's so important that we fight for our communities to have not just the basics, but what we need to thrive.”
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Asian Americans United is a grassroots community organization that supports Asian American communities to exercise leadership and unite against oppression.
Asian Food Collective is a volunteer-led organization focused on building Pan-Asian/Asian American communities through cooking and eating together.
Asian Pacific Islander Political Alliance is a statewide civil rights and political organization directly advocating for the needs of Asian Pacific Islanders in Pennsylvania.