After graduating college, Erin Dinan spent some time abroad volunteering in Africa. When she returned, she knew she wanted to do something to make the world a better place, but she wasn’t sure how. Shortly after moving to New York City to pursue a career in photography, Erin’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Erin was devastated and wanted to find something that would keep her mind occupied while also doing something good.
After a chance encounter with a homeless man where Erin gave away half of her sandwich, she decided to dedicate herself to addressing homelessness in New York City by raising awareness and giving out sandwiches. In 2011, Erin founded One Sandwich at a Time to make and donate sandwiches to homeless shelters and soup kitchens in New York. With the help of over 300 volunteers, One Sandwich at a Time has given out over 30,000 sandwiches to feed the hungry.