Increasing Shortages at Food Pantries

“Food pantries across the city are seeing longer lines”, reported the NY Times earlier this month. A  dramatic increase in the number of people visiting food pantries has caused severe shortages in pantries across the city. At locations like the St. Francis of Assisi food pantry in Morris Heights, families and individuals facing hard times form long lines at the door. Ines Gonzalez, the pantry coordinator for St. Francis, explained that some parents feed their families by bouncing from pantry-to-pantry on a weekly basis.

Unfortunately, the food shortage is no news to me. Back in August, along with emergency food providers and anti-hunger advocates, I visited a Staten Island food pantry to survey current emergency food programming. We observed exactly how much pantries struggle to feed their communities on meager funding.

In my two terms as Public Advocate, I have urged the city to increase funding for emergency food programs and support policies – like an increase in food stamps access – to fight hunger in the city. Although the city has made it somewhat easier for eligible people to apply for food stamps, much more still needs to be done.

(On November 10th, I will be honored at the West Side Campaign Against Hunger's 30th Anniversary Gala, where I will speak about the progress we have made and the work that is left to be done.)