Volunteers in vests assisted people through the line. Photo by Mike Greenlar | Centeral Current. 
Tai Shaw, at left, bids a man farewell after helping him with a donation box. Photo by Mike Greenlar | Central Current. 
A woman walks away with a donation box. Photo by Mike Greenlar | Central Current. 
Tai Shaw helps a woman with a donation box. Photo by Mike Greenlar | Central Current. 
A couple walks through the donation line. Photo by Mike Greenlar | Central Current. 
People wait in line at the CNY Blessing Box annual winter food distribution event. Photo by Mike Greenlar | Central Current. 
Tai Shaw, who runs a food pantry from the back of his business CNY Uniforms Plus in Syracuse, oversaw the distribution of hundreds of boxes of food this weekend, mostly to New American families. Photo by Michael Greenlar | Central Current 
Tai Shaw shows off a freezer full of fish the day before the CNY Blessing Box annual winter food distribution event. Photo by Mike Greenlar | Central Current. 
People wait in line at the CNY Blessing Box annual winter food distribution event. Photo by Mike Greenlar | Central Current. 
Tai Shaw, at center, with volunteers at the Winter Food Distribution event outside CNY Uniforms Plus, on Dec. 11, 2022. Photo by Mike Greenlar | Central Current. 
Joe Walker, who helps run the food pantry in the back of CNY Uniforms Plus, gets a high five during the food distribution. Photo by Mike Greenlar | Central Current. 
Onondaga County Legislator Mary Kuhn volunteered at the winter food distribution event as people arrived. Photo by Mike Greenlar | Central Current. 
People move through the line at the food distribution event. Photo by Mike Greenlar | Central Current. 
People wait in line at the CNY Blessing Box annual winter food distribution event. Photo by Mike Greenlar | Central Current. 
A man accepts a donation box. Mike Greenlar | Central Current. 
People wait in line at the CNY Blessing Box annual winter food distribution event. Photo by Mike Greenlar | Centeral Current. 
A family moves through the line at the CNY Blessing Box event. Photo by Mike Greenlar | Central Current. 
A woman carries a donation box. Photo by Mike Greenlar | Central Current.
Tai Shaw, who runs a food pantry from the back of his business CNY Uniforms Plus in Syracuse, oversaw the distribution of hundreds of boxes of food this weekend, mostly to New American families.
The Winter Food Distribution event organized by Shaw’s nonprofit CNY Blessing Box is in its third year. In the first year, the group distributed 98 boxes. The distribution this year happened Sunday from noon to 2 p.m.
“Hunger has no color,” Shaw said of the message of the event. “We feed anyone, no matter their status or color.
Shaw, with workers and volunteers, expected to serve at least 300 families from across the globe. They color-coordinated boxes by regional origin and religion, to be sure recipients got ingredients they are able to eat and familiar cooking with, Shaw said.
He said one of his goals of the event was not just to provide food, but “food dignity.”
“We want to be careful to meet their needs and make them feel included,” Shaw said.
Boxes this year included dentist kits with toothbrushes, toothpaste and floss, and more than 20 items for each family, including salt from Syracuse Salt Co.
This year’s sponsors included The Gifford Foundation, Food Bank of Central New York, Central New York Community Foundation, New American Forum, Eastwood Rotary and Chase Bank. The event had about two dozen sponsors overall.
