New York Is a dense metropolis where people with too much and people who don't have enough live side by side. New Yorkers became hyper-aware of that disparity when the Coronavirus pandemic brought the city's economy to a halt. The problem was visible in every neighborhood. The Free Store Project founder Myles Smutney saw an obvious solution - New Yorkers with excess could help others meet their needs, and build community in the process. What started as an effort to address an immediate crisis lives on years later, and is addressing new challenges while expanding its reach.

You can learn more about the Free Store at www.thefreestoreproject.com

Throughout the New York Gritty podcast we heard from people in a variety of areas who share the unshakeable belief that New York will mount an epic recovery from the pandemic crisis, that it is just a matter of time. The city bounced back from many crises in the past - the fiscal crisis of the 1970’s, a crime wave in the late 80’s and early 90’s, 9/11, the Great Recession, superstorm Sandy. Through each major event New Yorkers banded together and showed their resilience while waiting for the city to recover. In this season one finale episode, New York Gritty looks at what lessons can be learned from the past to guide the city through its current crisis and the inevitable comeback.

Almost 67 million people visited New York in 2019. Tourists spent over $40 billion while in the city that year. The tourism industry supported more than 403,000 jobs in New York before the pandemic. While domestic tourists started returning in the 2nd quarter of 2021, there's a long way to go before reaching pre-pandemic figures, and international travel is still at a virtual standstill. New York depends greatly on tourist dollars. The outlook is for a big increase in visitors when Broadway reopens in September. But most forecasts say tourism in New York won't reach pre-pandemic levels again until 2024. There's a renewed push to tell travelers that New York is open for business, and it's never been more affordable. An overabundance of hotel rooms means you can spend a night in New York at a good hotel for as little as $100 a night.