Miles Sylvester ’21 Tops $5K to Help City Harvest

Miles Sylvester ’21 has raised just over $5,000 for City Harvest – and you can help him donate even more! His efforts thus far will bring an incredible 18,555 pounds of food to those in need, via City Harvest, New York City’s largest food rescue organization. You can help Sylvester reach his new goal of $6,000 by donating to City Harvest via his GoFundMe page.

According to City Harvest, nearly 1.2 million New Yorkers face hunger each year – a situation that has grown worse due to due to COVID-19. Rising unemployment has caused financial crises for many families, and children who would ordinarily receive free/subsidized meals at school have been unable to do so during the pandemic. “It’s a really messy situation,” Sylvester noted.

The New York City resident has fundraised for City Harvest since he was a sixth-grader. “I know that, especially in New York City, [food insecurity] is a huge problem. A lot of people just need help, so I've always wanted to do my best to see what I can do to help,” he explained.

He was impressed with what his research turned up on City Harvest and decided to support their efforts. Sylvester began with a food drive in his apartment building, moved on to cupcake sales in his middle school, and now focuses on gathering monetary donations. While he can’t be onsite to hand out food, Sylvester said that hearing the reactions of people who have been helped is “awesome – a really good feeling.”

The Fifth Former enjoys doing what he can to serve others. At Lawrenceville, he volunteers for the School’s Friday Fun program, which brings local kids to campus for an afternoon of play. He’s also a School Tour Guide and a member of the student-led Alliance of Black Cultures club.

For additional information, please contact Lisa M. Gillard Hanson, director of Public Relations, at lgillard@lawrenceville.org.