Jim Stewart

“So they would be bringing down enormous amounts of food packages to go. All the cooks from down there, they brought meals for like 200 people without question for a month,”

Jim Stewart · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-08

Stewart recalled how Downtown Manhattan restaurant staff brought large quantities of meals to feed Ground Zero workers for a month.

“I think at that point, having something to do was sort of helpful, and it gave you some sort of purpose in a very difficult situation,”

Jim Stewart · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-08

Stewart explained how having a task to do after the attacks gave him purpose during a difficult time.

“I have these pictures that were sent to me from a class where the children, they drew cartoons,”

Jim Stewart · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-08

Stewart described receiving drawings from schoolchildren showing support for the feeding operation.

“I would get a call, and they would go, 'At the airport, there's two pallets of beef from Texas.' It was not just New York,”

Jim Stewart · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-08

Stewart noted that food donations came from beyond New York, including beef from Texas.

“So [Pintabona] looked at me and was like, I should have known better.”

Jim Stewart · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-08

Stewart recalled Pintabona's reaction when the large donation of donuts arrived.

“They said like, 'Keep going. You're doing great.' You know, 'thank you for your efforts.'”

Jim Stewart · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-08

Stewart recalled messages from children encouraging the volunteers and thanking them for their efforts.

“I said, 'All right, let's call this guy.' We called them, and the next day a whole truck with like 20 rolling racks of Krispy Kreme donuts showed up,”

Jim Stewart · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-08

Stewart recalled calling Krispy Kreme and receiving a truckload of donuts the next day.