Founded at the onset of COVID-19, Heart of Dinner works to fight food insecurity and isolation experienced by Asian American seniors—two long-standing community issues heightened by the pandemic.
We now serve elders in Lower Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, delivering weekly hot lunches, fresh produce, and bulk ingredients while supporting local small businesses during their COVID-related recovery process.
Nourishing NYC’s East Asian elders with love and food every week.
OUR STORY
Originally a supper club bringing people together around a shared meal and sense of community, the duo quickly evolved their idea as the pandemic hit. Their late-night conversations about the global impact of COVID-19 and the heightened racism towards Asian Americans soon became questions around how to create positive change. Shortly after, Heart of Dinner’s #LovingChinatown relief efforts was born.
On April 1st 2020, the duo cooked the first-ever Heart of Dinner #LovingChinatown hot lunches for those most vulnerable around Manhattan's Chinatown area, with a focus on homebound elders. Then with the help of a growing community of volunteers and partner businesses, Heart of Dinner has been able to expand its reach throughout Brooklyn and Queens, delivering over 70,000 meals as of May 2021. Our community of restaurant partners, in-kind donors, volunteer drivers, note-writers, and brown bag illustrators make Heart of Dinner the love-powered initiative it is today.
Heart of Dinner is fiscally sponsored through Edward Charles Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, tax ID 26-4245043. Help us hit our ambitious goal to provide 250,000 meals to our senior community with a tax-deductible donation through our fiscal sponsor.
Heart of Dinner was founded in September 2015 by partners in life and love, Yin Chang and Moonlynn Tsai.
Yin Chang
ABOUT US
CO-FOUNDER
Storyteller and actor Yin Chang is the founder/creative director of 88 Cups of Tea, an online platform and podcast for writers looking for guidance and inspiration. Ranked in Apple's top 15 Literature & Arts podcasts, 88 Cups of Tea has been featured in Apple's top 20 podcasts showcasing Asian and Pacific American voices with Yin as the podcast host. As a TV/film actor, she is most recognized for her role in beloved teen drama, Gossip Girl. As a short film producer and director, Yin's work has gathered over 13 million views.
Moonlynn Tsai
CO-FOUNDER
Moonlynn Tsai is a Taiwanese-American restaurateur who grew up in Carlsbad, California, spending time at her parents’ Chinese-American restaurants leading front-of-house operations, back-end admin work, and marketing. Before committing to a career in hospitality, Moonlynn dabbled in various odd jobs, including buying and selling snuggies and shake weights on eBay. Over the past decade, she has combined her passion for community building and bringing restaurant concepts to life such as Original Gravity, San Jose’s first craft beer bar, and Michelin Bib restaurant Pine & Crane in Los Angeles and was the investor and former co-owner/operator of the critically acclaimed restaurant Kopitiam on East Broadway in New York City.
IN THE MEDIA
Press
The Beauty of Giving: Meet four powerhouses devoted to helping their communities rise above
Moonlynn Tsai And Yin Chang On Serving The Elderly And Fighting Pandemic Racism: Bringing meals to those in need while overcoming the dual challenges of COVID and prejudice.
Delivery with Heart: Moonlynn Tsai and Yin Chang are feeding Chinatown’s most vulnerable
Home is where the heart is: Heart of Dinner's Moonlynn Tsai and Yin Chang Pulled Together Their Community to Care for Chinatown's Homebound Elderly
Out on the Frontlines: This Queer Couple Is Feeding NYC’s Chinese Elders With a Loving Touch
Meet 2 women providing hot meals to elderly Asian Americans in their community
People Are Writing Notes to Comfort Elderly Asian New Yorkers
BIPOC Entrepreneurs Have Been Hit Hard by the Pandemic—But as They Work to Save Their Businesses, They're Also Giving Back
Providing food to older Asian people in New York with a personal touch
Heart of Dinner Is Helping Chinatown’s Most Vulnerable—With Food, Letters, and Love
