The need is palpable here in Corona, Queens, some mothers we spoke to at this food bank say they depend on community pantries to supply their families.
“I try to ensure that my children do not die of hunger because we go to these organizations to be able to help my family,” they say.
According to a report by the organization City Harvest, food insecurity, especially for families with children, is much higher than before the pandemic.
The report highlights that the rising cost of living, including food, childcare and housing, makes it more difficult for many families to eat well, especially in the summer when there is less access to free school meals.
“And we need to do more, that’s what our colleagues at the many community dispensaries in the five boroughs of New York are telling us.”
Additionally, the study indicates that child poverty increased by 66% in 2022, reaching the highest level since 2015.
And six out of ten households with children in New York are struggling to cover their expenses.
It also highlights that more than a million New Yorkers in the city visited community pantries.
“The lines are getting longer every day and there are no organizations that cover all the demand for food that is needed. Because? “Not all of us are being given food,” says Evelyn.
In parallel, State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli published a report pointing out that one in nine households with children in New York faces food shortages.
DiNapoli highlighted that the end of certain federal benefits after the pandemic coincided with an increase in prices, leaving many families with fewer resources.
“So, more support for food programs from Washington and Albany really benefits the entire food production cycle and also benefits our farmers,” the official maintains.
Dinapoli added that New York’s 2024-25 state budget includes funding for a new federal food program that will benefit two million children over the summer.
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