I spent the day with Wake Forest Alum, Matt James, on a local food tour designed especially for low-income students at P.S. 188 in Manhattan, NY. Matt developed ABC Food Tours as a way to show at-risk kids (many of whom live in temporary housing and domestic abuse shelters) not only amazing culinary bites, but also what it takes to run a business and build up your community in the process.
It was a hot, humid day in NYC, but Matt was all smiles and energy. He spent most of the afternoon walking backwards and keeping students engaged, sharing fun facts about the restaurants we were visiting, asking NYC trivia questions, and high-fiving kids who answered correctly.
“Somebody be my eyes!”
Matt leads students through the Lower East Side while educating about the history of the neighborhood.
First stop at Pause Cafe for Acai bowls.
All smiles at Miss Lily’s in Lower East Side
Matt has partnered with multiple restaurants and cafes throughout the L.E.S. to be part of the ABC food tour experience.
Thanks to Matt for allowing me to tag along and to Wake Forest Magazine for another great assignment. It’s always inspiring to see fellow alum doing amazing things out in the world. Go Deacs!
The end of a fun and educational day for students at P.S. 188!
Some post-walk portraits in Tompkins Square Park
