WHAT WE DO
We address food insecurity, social isolation, and loneliness among Asian American older adults living in significantly under‑resourced and underinvested communities.
Every Wednesday, Heart of Dinner delivers hand‑decorated care packages filled with culturally thoughtful meals from local small businesses and handwritten notes of love to 800 Elders across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and The Bronx. In 2025, we brought this same care to Elders in Los Angeles facing wildfire displacement and crisis.
Each care package is designed to nourish body, heart, and spirit, reminding our Elders that they are loved and deeply seen.
WHAT WE DO
Turning care into action
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We raise energy and funds from our global community of supporters who we lovingly call "Big Hearts".
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Then, we support local restaurants and food distributors by purchasing each prepared lunchbox and cases of Asian heritage crops.
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We rally kind individuals to volunteer their time and creativity by handwriting notes and decorating bags to nurture emotional connection with our beneficiaries.
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Finally, we hand-deliver Heart of Dinner's signature care packages of culturally thoughtful foods and loving messages to our Elderly beneficiaries who are faced with loneliness and barriers of accessing essential resources for survival.
IMPACT (AS OF MAY 2025)
800 Elders nourished weekly.
Nearly 250,000 meals delivered to homes.
Love notes transforming loneliness into belonging.
Personalized bags bringing joy to homes with art and color.
Fosters a global community of love across generations & cultures.
Since our founding, Heart of Dinner’s leadership has been honored to envision and steward the growth and sustainability of a compassionate ecosystem that nourishes and uplifts Asian Elders facing inequities. This work has been made possible by the generosity of our donors—including leadership partners, peer-to-peer fundraisers, and grassroots supporters—and the unwavering dedication of our staff, volunteers, and trusted partners in local restaurants, food businesses, and farms.
IN THE MEDIA
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"Aging Asian Americans face high rates of social isolation and poverty. This group often lacks adequate support systems. But one New York City nonprofit is looking to change that—one meal at a time." - Fortune features Heart of Dinner and its impact
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“They created Heart of Dinner to cook fresh food that older Asians in New York City would be familiar with...and deliver it all with a personal touch.” - The New York Times mentions Heart of Dinner
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"Uplifting AAPI Voices: A TIME Summit
Join TIME for our second-annual Uplifting AAPI Voices Summit, a celebration held in recognition of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Guests will share essential perspectives on identity, creativity, and impact—as well as the intersectional path toward equity." - TIME features founders Yin Chang and Moonlynn Tsai as speakers to discuss the origins and building of Heart of Dinner
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GET INVOLVED
Want to help? We’d love to hear from you.
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We urgently need volunteers to help us create 700 decorated bags each week. Our Elders cherish these bags, often keeping them to find comfort and hope when they feel alone. Your creativity will bring lasting joy and dignity to those who need it most.
Urgent Call for Help: We Need 700 Decorated Bags Every Week!
Jacqueline Russo Eng
Owner-Baker, Partybus Bakeshop
Working with Heart of Dinner has definitely been a huge help with keeping the business going and sustaining our employees. My whole staff is here working a full day and it feels really good. I think if not for Heart of Dinner bringing so many great people and businesses together, I would feel a lot darker right now.
