Food pantries city-wide are reporting extreme food and funds shortages and many worry that unless emergency funds are received, pantries could be forced to close their doors before the end of the year.
The shortage comes as the Food Bank for New York City released a report on Oct. 18 stating that approximately 1.3 million New York City residents, 24 percent more than in 2004, rely on emergency food programs like soup kitchens and food pantries.
According to the Food Bank, nearly half of its 1000 emergency food pantries ran out of food in the past 12 months. These shortages resulted from a cut in funds from the United States Department of Agriculture and have caused the Food Bank to have approximately 12 million less pounds of food for city soup kitchens and food pantries.
The Food Bank report estimated that New York City EFPs receive half as much emergency food annually from the federal government today as they did three years ago.
The shortages have not gone unnoticed. “There just is not enough,” said Louis Santiago, who frequents West Harlem food pantries like FoodChange on West 116th Street. “There isn’t enough in the shelters and there isn’t enough in the pantries, so people are going to both to try and get their fill. A lot of people only have this food to look forward to.”
Jaime Bonilla, who also frequents Harlem-area pantries, agreed. “I need a little more, and there are a lot of people that need a little more. The city needs to be more considerate of its poor people.”
While 1.3 million city residents rely on EFPs, a public poll released by the Food Bank in June found that nearly 3 million New Yorkers are struggling to put food on the table. The poll concluded that an increasing number of middle-income New Yorkers are joining the ranks of those who need food assistance programs.
“It is shocking and unacceptable to find that so many of our fellow New Yorkers are struggling to afford our most basic human need—food,” said Lucy Cabrera, CEO of the Food Bank for New York City.
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer, D-New York, responded to what Cabrera deemed a “call to action,” by advocating for swift passage of the 2007 Farm Bill, which was approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee on October 25.
The bill contains fund increases for urban food programs and a comprehensive overhaul of the food stamp program which would add millions of dollars to New York City’s food banks. “It is shameful when food pantries that provide essential nourishment to the most vulnerable run out of food due to lack of federal support,” Schumer said in a statement.
The Farm Bill, which also provides aid to farms and agricultural endeavors, will add $160 million to hunger programs, including benefits that will change the food stamp program which affects nearly 1 million New Yorkers. It is expected to be voted on by the Senate in the coming weeks. A separate House of Representatives bill, which substantially increased the budget for food stamps and emergency food assistance, was passed in July.
Santiago and Bonilla differed slightly in their views of the $160 million increase. “The bill might make a difference, but more would really help,” Santiago said. Bonilla was more optimistic, saying, “It’s a good thing the government is doing, especially at this time of year. We’re trying to feed everybody in the community who is in need, and anything extra always helps.”
Lydia Wileden can be reached at news@columbiaspectator.com.