Realizing the growing demand, City Harvest—New York City’s largest food rescue organization—is stepping up their game. Even with cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) looming, they’re committed to helping their residents with food insecurity. The organization has expanded its distribution network through local food pantry partners in areas with a high concentration of SNAP recipients, ensuring that those in need receive essential food resources.
City Harvest’s CEO, Jilly Stephens, is just as alarmed. She has predicted the impacts of cutting funds for SNAP participants, and spoken out on that issue. In an open letter, she called attention to families’ desperate need for food assistance during this difficult time. She noted City Harvest’s commitment to rescuing and transporting more food than ever to anyone who needs it, anywhere in New York City.
As the government shutdown stretches on, so too does the chance for increased demand for food assistance. Stephens stated, “As the government shutdown continues, even more of our fellow New Yorkers could find themselves in need of food assistance. No matter what happens in the weeks to come, City Harvest is committed to being here rescuing and delivering as much food as we can for anyone in our city who needs it.”
Collaborative Efforts to Address Food Insecurity
Feeding America, a national network of food banks, is part of the response to the crisis too. OFBCI was created in 2020 to coordinate the faith community’s statewide emergency food response! They hope to provide 1 million free meals through their Project DASH initiative. This national effort showcases the unification of food assistance programs and the value of fostering local partnerships.
Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, the CEO of Feeding America, remarked on the critical role that food banks play in communities across the country. She noted, “Food banks and community partners will do everything in their power to help — this is what they do every day. The stark reality is that for every meal the Feeding America network provides, SNAP provides nine.”
Activists, like the Food Recovery Network, are fighting tooth and nail. They rescue excess food from businesses to deliver directly to those who need it. This initiative allows food businesses to donate excess food resources effectively, contributing to a more sustainable approach to addressing hunger.
Innovative Solutions for SNAP Recipients
Given all the hardship SNAP recipients are going through these days, more companies are working to help their SNAP partners do even more. Gopuff is donating an additional $10 million worth of groceries targeted exclusively at SNAP recipients. Gopuff’s program is offering $50 in credit for qualifying items. With it, you can get delicious delivery at lightning-fast speeds, including in under 15 minutes!
DoorDash is doing its part too, even donating free delivery services to SNAP recipients. These efforts are a testament to the increasing acknowledgement among businesses of their duty to support communities disproportionately affected by food insecurity.
Freedge, a nonprofit open-source sharing resource, connects people with community refrigerators that are filled and cared for by members of underserved neighborhoods. While this grassroots approach meets their food security needs on the ground, it creates social ties in the community to support one another.
Accessing Food Resources
To further assist those in need, wide variety of tools exist to better connect individuals with local food assistance programs. FoodFinder is a free nationwide resource that helps Americans locate food pantries—our nation’s most common source of charitable food assistance—anywhere in the compact 48 states. This free-to-use platform simplifies the process of finding essential support for families struggling to access nutritious meals.
With organizations working collaboratively and innovative solutions emerging, there is hope that New Yorkers and others facing similar challenges can find the assistance they need during these difficult times.
