Hunger in NYC
No New Yorker should have to worry about where their next meal will come from.
Visits to New York City soup kitchens and food pantries are currently at record high levels. Food, childcare, and housing costs are extremely high amid an affordability crisis in our city, making it hard for our neighbors to buy the nutritious food their families need to thrive. And as recent historic cuts to federal food assistance go into effect, we know that even more New Yorkers will need to visit food pantries in order to put food on the table.
The True Cost of Living Report shows that most households below the True Cost of Living—80%—include adults who are working. Nearly one third of households that are struggling to make ends meet have two or more workers. The fact that so many working New Yorkers need to rely on food pantries to put meals on the table is a stark reminder that wages are not keeping pace with rising costs. Food is what’s known as an elastic expense: You can’t “cut down” on rent or hospital bills, but you can visit a food pantry to stretch your limited budget further. A household may experience food insecurity for a brief period of time (for example, while a parent is between jobs) or for much longer (for example, a senior living on a fixed income). City Harvest is committed to being here—rescuing fresh produce and delivering it for free to New Yorkers across the five boroughs—for as long as we are needed.
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46%
of working-aged households in New York City are struggling to make ends meet
That means nearly half of working-aged households do not make enough to afford basic fixed expenses like rent, utilities, and medical bills, according to the True Cost of Living report released by The Fund for New York City.
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1.4 M+
New Yorkers are experiencing food insecurity
Too many of our neighbors are experiencing food insecurity—particularly in the marginalized communities that have been disproportionately harmed by decades of policy inequities and systemic failures and that City Harvest has long served. No New Yorker—no matter who they are or where they come from—should have to worry about where their next meal will come from.
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1 in 4
children in New York City is experiencing food insecurity
While economic challenges hit every corner of New York City, the effect on families with children has been particularly pronounced. Last year, average monthly visits to food pantries, soup kitchens, and community food programs across the five boroughs by families with children more than doubled compared to 2019.
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67%
of food pantry visitors in NYC are employed
Research from Robin Hood and Columbia University shows that most people that visit food pantries have a job, a reflection of the extreme unaffordability of our city.
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47 M+
visits to NYC soup kitchens, food pantries, and community food programs last year
There were over 3.3 million more visits to NYC soup kitchens and food pantries last year compared to the peak of the pandemic.
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89%
increase in monthly visits to NYC food pantries and soup kitchens since 2019
According to a City Harvest analysis of FeedNYC data, average monthly visits to soup kitchens and food pantries across the city are up 89% compared to pre-pandemic levels.
