Food pantries in NYC saw a record number of visits in 2024, according to a NYC Independent Budget Office (IBO) report released on Tuesday.
The analysis shows that more than 8 million food pantry visits occurred throughout the year.
Looking back further, the report found that the number of people served at food pantries in NYC doubled after the COVID-19 pandemic, and then increased to 8 million in 2021 — including those visiting multiple times.
As of the last quarter in 2024, New Yorkers made a record number of 8.4 million visits to food pantries.
The Bronx was the hardest hit, having the highest food insecurity rate in the city at 20.2% in 2022.
“As we prepare for Thanksgiving, it is important to remember that many New Yorkers rely on food pantries and soup kitchens for multiple meals and have increasingly done so in the past three years, with more than 8 million visits in April through June 2024 alone,” Cassandra Stuart, the budget and policy analyst who wrote the IBO report. “Looking at current rates of food insecurity by borough, IBO notes that there is still potential to increase access in certain areas, such as the Bronx.”
The report was prompted by a request from CUNY’s Urban Food Policy Institute to the IBO. The budget office reviewed the Human Resources Administration’s Community Food Connection (CFC) program, which provides funding to more than 500 soup kitchens and food pantries in the city.
Through the CFC, food insecurity organizations receive a credit allocation, which they can use to purchase goods from a vendor as frequently as needed.
The analysis found that the CFC received a federal funding boost through the American Rescue Plan Act, which led to an increase in the number of food pantries and soup kitchens opening in the five boroughs.
However, city funding has remained the same at $58 million, on par with 2022 levels.
Meanwhile, NYS Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Wednesday, $27.5 million in additional funding for food insecurity organizations across the state, including several in NYC, among them being the Food Bank for New York City, City Harvest and United Way of New York City.
“As families gather to celebrate Thanksgiving, we know some may need a little extra help to put food on the table. That’s why these investments are so critical,” the governor said. “New Yorkers always help our neighbors when they’re in a tough spot, and our efforts to provide food for those in need will deliver more than 400 million meals in the coming months.”
The IBO’s findings in 2024 are not shocking when compared to a recent food insecurity report from anti-poverty group Robin Hood. The organization found that one in three adults (31%) and nearly half of families with children (44%) experienced food hardship in 2023.
Researchers at Robin Hood said that policy decisions at the federal and state levels could determine whether pantry use returns to pre-pandemic levels.
