From homeless to community leader, 18-year-old student feeds hundreds this holiday season
The New York Knickerbockers have announced South Bronx humanitarianPatrick J. Alvarez as the winner of the Sweetwater Clifton “City Spirit” Award for the month of December. The award, named in honor of Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton, who was the first African-American to play for the Knicks, recognizes those who have made a significant difference in the lives of others. Each month, a winner is chosen by members of the Knicks front office staff and honored at center court of a Knicks game. Winners receive a $2,000 donation in their name to a charity of their choice from the New York Knicks.
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Alvarez began Project Feed Me, a non-profit agency to feed the hungry, as a high-school senior after suffering through a childhood of violence and homelessness. Since its inception, Project Feed Me has fed hundreds, including, most recently, a Thanksgiving dinner for 110 Harlem families at the Children’s Aid Society’s Dunlevy Milbank Center. Alvarezhas taken his project and passion to Syracuse University, where he is a freshman, and created an executive board with classmates to further his mission. In addition, Project Feed Me is a finalist in retailer Best Buy’s nationwide contest, which awards $10,000 to 15 youth-led teams who are changing their communities.
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At tomorrow’s game versus the Denver Nuggets, Alvarez will accept the City Spirit Award at Madison Square Garden. He will donate the award money to Project Feed Me.
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To nominate your hero, or to read more about this month’s winners and other past winners, please visit nyknicks.com.
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This post was written by joepietaro on December 28, 2008
