City Says New Yorkers ‘Cannot’ Go Hungry During the COVID-19 Crisis
Where to find free meals and food delivery resources for adults and children in New York City during the coronavirus pandemic
Social distancing outside of a Department of Education “meal hub” at P.S. 1 Alfred E. Smith School in Chinatown, Manhattan. Anyone in need of food, regardless of employment or immigration status, can text “NYC FOOD” or “NYC COMIDA” to 877-877 to find the closest school to pick up meals, or visit nyc.gov/getfood for a map of free food spots across the city, SNAP benefits and cash assistance information, and home delivery options. Photo by Alexandria Misch for Canal Street News
On Wednesday at exactly noon, the sun shone down on Henry Street as a line formed outside P.S. 1 Alfred E. Smith in Chinatown. Birds chirped as a group of 20 people––mostly seniors––spaced their bodies out around the block to Catherine Street, waiting their turn to safely enter the red door to the elementary school. Majority in attendance at the time wore masks, some equipped with latex gloves and empty bags ready to be filled, but all were there in hopes of a meal––or three.
As of last week, The Department of Education expanded its grab-and-go meal service to adults in addition to children, meaning everyone in the city can now pick up a full day’s worth of free food for individuals and families without registration, identification or documentation from 7:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
“It’s really about ensuring that the tragedy of the pandemic does not become a tragedy around hunger,” Kathryn Garcia, New York City “food czar” and Department of Sanitation Commissioner, said on The Brian Lehrer Show.
While Garcia spoke with callers on WNYC, essential cafeteria workers and staff stationed at the DOE’s 435 designated “meal hubs” served a selection of assorted cold sandwiches, sides (such as “confetti corn salad”), cereals (like apple cinnamon Cheerios), snacks (honey graham crackers and hummus cups), fresh fruit and milk for those in need––some of whom are facing food insecurity for the first time.
“This is a growing problem,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a press conference on Tuesday. “This is a problem that is going to more and more affect the people in our city as they run out of money.”
“Folks are struggling to make ends meet,” the mayor said on site while visiting the P.S. 1 Manhattan meal hub. “New Yorkers who don’t have enough money to pay the rent, to get the medicines they need, to get the food they need. Even though there is some federal help coming, it is not that much and it is going to take too long for many people.”
Even before the novel coronavirus hit New York, over one million city residents were already lacking the resources needed to feed themselves. This means one out of every eight people across the five boroughs does not have “consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life” according to the United States Department of Agriculture. (Or, as the food rescue organization City Harvest quantifies the crisis: Imagine if the entire population of San Francisco was food insecure––and then some.)
With the city on PAUSE and senior centers closed, Garcia told Civil Eats the city is “rapidly trying to expand the capacity to do home delivery” even for those who are normally independent but may now be considered high-risk for contracting COVID-19. The city website says households that qualify are able to place an order every 48 hours for two days worth of meals––with up to four meals per person in the household––though “no household will receive more than eight meals per delivery.”
This service comes at a time when the private sector, through companies such as InstaCart or FreshDirect, experiences unprecedented grocery delivery demand, to which the commissioner commented to one WNYC caller––a Westchester resident who has been self-quarantined for 34 days––that grocery delivery should ideally be left for those who are immunocompromised, and those who are able to make it to the store should do so. Host Brian Lehrer pointed out the complexity of the messaging of staying at home––or not. “We really want those types of [delivery] services to go to those most vulnerable people,” Garcia responded.
“As we deal with the most important moment in the fight against the illness in our hospitals to save lives, there’s a new front opening up and we have to be there for people who need food,” de Blasio said.
“We cannot have any New Yorker go hungry.”
Anyone in need of food, regardless of employment or immigration status, can text “NYC FOOD” or “NYC COMIDA” to 877-877 to find the closest school to pick up meals, or visit nyc.gov/getfood for a map of free food spots across the city, SNAP benefits and cash assistance information, and home delivery options.
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FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION:
The New York City Department of Education is committed to making three free meals available daily for any New Yorker. Any New Yorker who wants one can get three free meals a day at more than 400 Meal Hubs across the city.
Meals can be picked up at all Meal Hubs 7:30 am to 1:30 pm, Monday through Friday
Meals Hubs will operate for children and families from 7:30 am to 11:30 am, and for adults from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm
No one will be turned away at any time
All adults and children can pick up three meals at one time
Vegetarian and halal options available at all sites
No dining space is available, so meals must be eaten off premises
Parents and guardians may pick up meals for their children
No registration or ID required
FROM THE DEPARTMENT FOR THE AGING:
Senior centers are currently closed for congregate programming and meals are being delivered. Call your local senior center with questions about how to receive delivered meals. You can also call Aging Connect at 212-Aging-NYC (212-244-6469) or 311.
