Berenice Katzen Cohen is one of the most dedicated and witty members Hunger Action has been lucky enough to have. A retired New York City school teacher, Berenice started volunteering with Hunger Action four years ago. She initially helped with mailings and database updates, and has expanded her role to include membership recruitment, events coordination, fundraising, and much more.

Berenice lives in Yonkers and spends most of her time with Hunger Action at the New York City office. She was a key coordinator of Feast for Famine, Hunger Action's spring fundraiser. She recruited restaurants, solicited items for the silent auction, and conducted outreach for the event.

In addition to helping with events, Berenice is a constant source of energy and inspiration for our work. She encourages staff to ask critical questions and approach our work with a fresh perspective. Berenice recently hosted Hunger Action's annual staff retreat at her lake house near Albany for the second year in a row. During the retreat, staff described Berenice as dedicated, generous, spunky, motivational, spirited, and honest. Berenice has been equally enthusiastic about her appreciation for Hunger Action. She noted, "I have always admired the hard work and dedication of the staff and value the fact that Hunger Action works to end the root causes of hunger."

Last May, Berenice helped organize an Empty Bowls fundraising event in Westchester to fight hunger. Local residents were invited to share a simple meal of bread and soup and hear presentations on hunger. The price of admission was the purchase of a handmade bowl by local artists, which started at $5. Proceeds from the sale of bowls benefited Hunger Action and the Lord's Pantry, a Westchester County-wide meals-on-wheels service to families with AIDS. Berenice was instrumental in proposing the event idea, planning the event, and traveling throughout the county to solicit bowl donations. Special thanks also goes out to the cosponsors, Westchester Community for Humanistic Judaism (WCHJ) and The Community Unitarian Church at White Plains.

Berenice is active with many other activities including acting as the Social Action Committee Chair at WCHJ and volunteering at a shelter in Westchester. We also know her artistic side, having seen some of her pottery and watercolor works.