NYC children does not always know where their next meal will come from
1M+
average monthly visits to food pantries, soup kitchens, and community food programs among NYC families in 2025
89%
increase in visits to food pantries by children and their families compared to 2019
63%
of NYC households with children struggle to make ends meet—19 percentage points higher than households without children
26%
of children in New York City live in poverty—this is the highest annual child poverty rate observed since 2017
The need for food assistance in New York City is at a record high, and families with children have been particularly hard hit. The cost of living in New York City continues to increase at an unsustainable rate. Food, childcare, and housing costs remain high, and ongoing economic uncertainty is making it even harder for New Yorkers to afford the nutritious food their families need to thrive.
These challenges are often exacerbated during the summer months, when access to free school meals may become limited. Meanwhile, federal cuts and freezes are impacting local soup kitchens and food pantries, and they are having to feed more families with fewer resources.
Desirae, Community member who visits City Harvest’s Sunset Park Mobile Market
“[This Mobile Market] saves me money that I don’t have to spend on food, so I have extra to do something else. [My son] is able to eat lunch and breakfast at school, so we’re more affected during the summer. This means security for me. It means a lot, because I’m able to eat.”
