What began as a Downtown Los Angeles supper club in 2015—a personal passion project bringing strangers together through shared meals and meaningful human connection—took an unexpected turn when the duo drove cross-country moving to New York City, their intimate gatherings planting the seeds of what would soon take root. 

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As COVID-19 began to impact local neighborhoods in early 2020, they witnessed families struggling with job losses and food uncertainty. Their response was immediate and deeply personal, creating free breakfast and lunch kits for multigenerational families, each accompanied by various books for all ages. Their efforts supporting local businesses and bridging community gaps through the universal language of food and stories.

 

When schools began distributing free meals to families with children, and COVID-19 was officially declared a pandemic, the existing inequities in our communities became starkly visible. Yin and Moonlynn witnessed the compounded challenges facing Asian American older adults experiencing not just a health crisis, but layers of food insecurity and social isolation in a landscape of systemic barriers—including language limitations, technological exclusion, economic constraints, and cultural invisibility. Their neighborhood support efforts rapidly evolved into Heart of Dinner's relief efforts initiative, an intentional response to support those most at risk and living in significantly under-resourced communities. 

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Converging their professional experiences—spanning media production, storytelling, entrepreneurship, and hospitality—they urgently addressed the interconnected crisis of food insecurity, social isolation, and loneliness. They asked themselves one guiding question with each decision: How would we want our own grandparents to be treated? They poured the same care into each detail that they would for their most beloved family members—making sure that Elders would feel truly seen, deeply loved, and embraced by a sense of belonging.

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On April 1st 2020, they cooked the first Heart of Dinner relief effort hot lunches, penning notes of love on each to-go container. Inspired by love letters exchanged throughout their decade-long relationship and childhood memories of their grandmothers' home cooking, they reimagined elder care through the language of love and food. Through raw and intimate storytelling, they ignited a community movement that captured hearts globally. Thousands of donors, partners, volunteers, and local businesses joined together, enabling them to transform their small kitchen initiative into a 501(c)(3) non-profit serving Elders across New York City's boroughs. 

 

Heart of Dinner emerged as a transformative model for community care, offering a holistic approach to supporting communities with historically limited resources—one that honors the full humanity of beneficiaries. By providing culturally nuanced care, supporting local economies, and creating meaningful intergenerational and multicultural connections— their innovative framework has inspired organizations and individuals to reimagine care beyond transactions—effectively open-sourcing a new paradigm of community support.

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In January 2025, Heart of Dinner expanded its mission, launching emergency relief efforts in Los Angeles to address the catastrophic wildfires crisis, highlighting the ongoing need for culturally responsive support in communities often overlooked by traditional emergency responses. As of May 2025, Heart of Dinner is approaching 250,000 meals delivered—a testament to the power of community. This remarkable journey is made possible by our incredible supporters and dedicated team members, each kind and compassionate individual contributing to our shared mission of nurturing and connecting.

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The most meaningful measure of our impact comes from the Elders themselves. One couple we first served in 2020, then ages 89 and 86, shared: "Thank you for caring for us; thank you for bringing us happiness; thank you for giving us something to look forward to each week. You all are our grandchildren. We love you all."

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Heart of Dinner continues to serve with a commitment to love and familial care. We invite you to join our mission of providing care packages of nutrient-dense foods and culturally nuanced sense of belonging to our beloved Elders.

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Heart of Dinner is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, tax ID 85-2676806.