Spotlight on Food Assistance from NYC’s Pantry System

One in three adults and nearly half of families with children in New York City experienced food insecurity in 2023, according to the sobering findings of the Spotlight on Food Assistance from New York City’s Pantry System report released in November 2024 by Robin Hood, in collaboration with Columbia University’s Center on Poverty and Social Policy and its Population Research Center.

The report examines food pantry use before and since the COVID-19 pandemic, and uses data to understand more about the New Yorkers who are accessing food through food pantries. The findings underscore that the number of New Yorkers in need of food assistance has increased substantially since 2019, with twice as many families and twice as many working adults in need of food assistance in our city. Now, most of the people who need to turn to food pantries in order to feed themselves and their families are employed. For many, food pantries are a critical tool to supplement inadequate wages and manage the challenges of affording the cost of living in New York City. City Harvest provided data included in the report that show that 87% of City Harvest program beneficiaries surveyed say food pantries help them to manage their budget and save on weekly grocery bills.

The report highlights the pervasiveness of food insecurity in New York City and outlines effective policies to reduce food insecurity and help make a real impact in the lives of New Yorkers and people across the country who are struggling to put meals on the table.