Being in New York and New Jersey right now as teams of volunteers are pitching in to help clean up and provide food and shelter for those affected by Hurricane Sandy (thank you!), I’m reminded more than ever of groups that put this much effort into helping people get much needed nutrition all year round. I’d like to put the spotlight on God’s Love We Deliver, an amazing organization constantly operating in and around New York City. This group delivers high quality, nutrition-packed meals to NYC residents living with serious illnesses who might not otherwise be able to provide these healthy meals for themselves.

I was first introduced to God’s Love We Deliver back when Joan Rivers was competing for them on Celebrity Apprentice. Don’t you love when celebs put their fame to good use and actually expand the scope of education? Joan did an amazing job showcasing what the cause was all about: delivering fresh, hot meals to men and women living with HIV/AIDS, cancer, or other weighty illnesses in and around NYC. My entire family was immediately struck by what a great effort it is. Dropping off canned goods to those in need is one thing: hand delivering vitamin-rich, homecooked meals to those who need them most is another thing entirely.

God’s Love We Deliver also offers illness-specific meals and counseling, so that customized nutritional needs can be met. Bedridden folks recovering from illnesses get more than the food, though: the personal interaction with volunteers may be the only smiling faces that visit them or offer some help. As the slogan goes, it’s God’s love that is actually being delivered.

The New York fashion world is also closely linked to the cause: icons such as Heidi Klum, Tim Gunn, and Anna Wintour have lended their efforts to the cause! This especially means a lot to me, and it reminds us that our own neighbors may be those most vulnerable.

Because the hub of God’s Love We Deliver is located in lower Manhattan, they’re right in Sandy’s path. Not only did people need them more than ever, but they had to deal with the limited transportation, power outages, internet failures, and food shortages that all of us in the area faced. I was so excited to see updates on their Twitter feed telling us that they were back in action!

To donate, get involved, or read more about the mission, please head over to glwd.org.