For Alex Cohen, Philanthropy is the Highest Calling
For Alex Cohen, growing up in the working-class Manhattan neighborhood of Washington Heights launched her on a mission to give back to people in need—particularly, because she was once among them. "I was the recipient of a lot of generosity early in life," the president of the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation tells T&C. "Growing up, we ate a lot of rice, beans, and plantains. They're delicious, but lack nutrition. My dad wouldn't buy fresh fruit because if we didn't eat it, it would go bad and we'd waste money. We didn't have money to waste."
Now at a position in life where she is able to donate to philanthropic causes, the owner of the New York Mets and president of the Amazin' Mets Foundation has worked tirelessly to give back to the efforts that hit close to home. One of them is City Harvest, a non-profit organization in New York City that provides fresh food and an education on nutrition to those in need, which Cohen has been involved with since 2009. This week, the organization honored her and musician John Legend for their longtime support of its food rescue and delivery work over the years at its annual gala. " I am extremely grateful for this honor and it is humbling. But, it's also very foreign to me. The things I do, I don't do for anyone to tell me that I did a great job. Giving back is just something that I love," Cohen says.
It's also something that was taught from a very young age, despite not having much for herself. Philanthropy is a bit like dating: board members of organizations will try to get deep-pocketed individuals to get excited about their causes in hopes that they will write a fat check in return. "I was never switched onto giving back, especially for a cause like this," Cohen says. "My mother was very religious, and even when we had toys we didn't use she was always adamant that we gave them away to someone else in need. Eventually, my mother ended up working at what would be considered a thrift store. She would bring me along and I would help her sort through the donations, brushing the hair of the dolls that were given to us to help make them presentable."
In 2001, she and her husband founded the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation which is committed to inspiring philanthropy and community service. Since its inception, the organization has donated more than $1.2 billion to organizations across underserved communities, art, Lyme disease research, and sustainability. Recently, Cohen donated $116 million to LaGuardia Community College, making the school's largest donation to date. In 2021, Cohen donated $20 million to City Harvest, which funded the establishment of a new Brooklyn headquarters for its food rescue and delivery operations. Because of the new building, City Harvest is able to store and distribute twice as much food across the five boroughs.
"But, it's not just about writing a check," Cohen says. "We are on the ground with our volunteers. Volunteers make just as much of a difference as the people who are writing the check. We need to honor the people who are doing the work. I think if philanthropists got their hands a little dirty and saw where their money was going towards, they would be inspired to give more."
Cohen recalls a particular project in Washington Heights that she did in 2019 with City Harvest right before COVID hit. "It's where I got to know Jilly Stephens [City Harvest's Chief executive officer], who is incredible. I didn't know what to expect and there were a lot of emotions. I went down the line of people waiting to come in. I asked what they thought of City Harvest and how it benefited them." According to Cohen, a lot of them weren't initially knowledgeable in the produce that they offered, but that they liked "putting a Spanish spin on them to taste a little better."
"It makes me feel good that we are supporting something that changes not only the lives of these people but changes their health and gives hope that people care for them," Cohen says. "All of this, for me, is about paying the kindness that was shown to me early on in life forward."
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