Beastie Boys’ Mike D Has Served 19,000 Free Meals To Hurricane Sandy Victims

Beastie Boys’ Mike D has served over 19,000 free meals to New Yorkers who were affected by Hurricane Sandy, which hit last October.

The rapper, whose real name is Michael Diamond, has been running a food truck in Brooklyn, which he has entitled Rockaway Plate Lunch, in conjunction with the restaurant owner Robert McKinley.

The truck has been providing “a very complete, warm, flavorful meal” to those who have suffered, which are “certainly a lot more nutritious and balanced than a fast-food option,” according to the musician.

These dishes have been chicken, vegetables, beans, and rice dinners, and Mike D also added about their decision to provide these foods to the people, “We were conscious of giving people something that they were familiar with but at the same time was hearty and warm.”

Speaking about the project, Diamond stated, “We saw right away all these people living without any power, without any businesses being open and therefore, no food. We saw the immediate need for warm food, but we didn’t have time to put together a long-term cohesive plan; we just had to react quickly.”

The truck still operates, but only on a limited schedule, but that hasn’t stopped Diamond and McKinley from looking to help out the community even further. Diamond said, “There’s still the need for warm food out there, but our real goal for this summer is to help revitalize the local economy.”

He added, “So we’re trying to switch the truck over from giving away food, to charging for food but having it become staffed, run and operated on every level by citizens of the Rockaways.”

It has been reported that they have served around 500 people a day during their enterprise, and Diamond was convinced to help after he examined the devastation of Sandy just days after she had hit.

What do you think of Mike D’s actions?