NEW YORK - Multiple times a day, Chun Rosenkranz dons protective gear to venture out into what feels like a ghost town. With a mask across his face and gloves on his hands, he delivers sandwiches to one of the city’s most vulnerable populations - those experiencing homelessness.

Knowing what it’s like to go through difficult times, Rosenkranz is inspired to help others. The Upper West Side resident is a recovering addict and was formerly incarcerated.

"I wanted these sandwiches to be gourmet, I wanted them to be delicious. Having been incarcerated I know what food tastes like when people think you don’t have any value or worth. And I wanted these sandwiches to be the opposite of that," Rosenkranz said.

Celebrating everyone’s value and worth is Rosenkranz’ primary focus. In 2016, he founded the "I’ll be There Project", a movement that encourages people to participate in daily acts of kindness - something that helped him on his road to recovery. 

And now, as the coronavirus continues to spread, Rosenkranz knows kindness is needed more than ever. ​He, too, was sick at home for almost three weeks fighting the virus himself. But he says he’s one of the lucky ones, with access to healthcare and a warm bed and that those without homes have been left in the dark, with little information.

“Some were asking like what’s going on, some of them didn’t even know what was happening, why everything was being shut down?” Rosenkranz said.

Rosenkranz also writes notes on the sandwich bags like “you matter” and “I love you” - just a simple message to show how much he cares.

“If someone is experiencing homelessness or experiencing addiction it doesn't define the whole of who they are. It’s just a piece about them, but they’re a person first," Rosenkranz said.

So, for giving out not only necessities, but compassion to the city’s homeless, Chun Rosenkranz is our New Yorker of the Week.