As hunger grows and federal funding for food assistance faces cuts, Food Bank for New York City is getting $6 million to expand and modernize its Hunts Point Food Distribution Center in the Bronx.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand announced the federal funding Sept. 21 alongside representatives from the food bank, which serves New Yorkers across all five boroughs. The 90,000-square-foot Hunts Point facility is the city’s largest hunger-relief logistics hub, receiving, storing and preparing food for distribution to thousands of community partners.
The Hunts Point Food Distribution Center receives, stores, and prepares food for distribution to thousands of community partners.
The food bank, in turn, thanked Gillibrand for providing a big infusion of cash to expand and modernize the center, amid growing demand.
Sen. Gillibrand talked about the importance of the food bank that “distributes millions of pounds of food to families, seniors, and other New Yorkers in need each year.”
She said she was happy to be able to obtain this funding to support the comprehensive renovation and expansion of the Hunts Point Food Distribution Center.
Sen. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also recently helped obtain another nearly $3 million to renovate and expand the center, which is facing growing demand.
“This investment strengthens the foundation of our citywide food distribution network and ensures we can continue delivering nutritious food to millions of New Yorkers who rely on us,” said Food Bank for NYC President and CEO Leslie Gordon.
“Modernizing our Hunts Point Food Distribution Center is essential to meeting increasing demand and preparing for tomorrow’s challenges.”
Food Bank for NYC Chief Procurement Officer Bob Silva thanked Gillibrand for her “support of vital federal food programs” and funding the Hunts Point Food Distribution Center.
“Investment in both nutrition assistance programs and food distribution infrastructure are essential to ensuring that families can access food when they need it most,” Silva said.
Councilmember Justin Sanchez said this would help ensure that Food Bank For NYC can “meet this moment as more New Yorkers are forced to turn to its network for support.”
More than 90 million pounds of food are distributed annually through the Food Bank For NYC network, including nearly 31 million pounds of produce with nearly 800 partners across all five boroughs.
Visits to New York City food pantries have increased by 82% since 2019, according to Gillibrand.
Federal funding to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is being cut, even as food prices rise. Gillibrand said new, expanded work requirements and eligibility rules could push 223,000 New Yorkers off food assistance.
The federal government is seeking to shift more SNAP costs to states, although those opposed to this are seeking to include funding in a farm bill that would delay this for two years.
More administrative costs, however, are slated to shift to state governments, from 50% to 75% for states, on Oct. 1, resulting in $1.3 billion more in expenses to New York State, counties, and New York City.
“As you can imagine, demand is at historic levels,” Food Bank for New York City spokeswoman Susan Shuman said. “With federal safety nets fraying, we’re doing our best to make sure every New Yorker has access to the food they need to thrive.”
Although the food fight is more intense lately, Food Bank for NYC, under its current and previous names, has been helping New Yorkers in need for many decades.
Kathy Goldman with Jack Fritts and a small group of others in 1983 founded what at the time was known as Food For Survival when, as the group states, “safety nets were failing, and families were going hungry.”
They obtained a lease for a food distribution center in The Hunts Point Cooperative Market, and launched their Community Food Transportation Project, distributing 600,000 pounds of food with the help of 129 agencies.
They in 1990 partnered with the Abyssinian Baptist Church to open the first new supermarket in decades at 125th St. and Lexington Ave, and launched one of the nation’s largest fresh produce programs, distributing 5.6 million pounds of fruits and vegetables to improve nutrition across the city.
The organization in 1992 launched its Warehouse Repack Program, breaking down bulk donations into family-sized portions and in 1994 debuted the CookShop nutrition education initiative for public school students.
In 2001, they debuted a larger delivery system with 12 trucks delivering hundreds of thousands of pounds of food daily and in 2002 expanded their warehouse to 90,000 square feet and introduced barcode tracking.
The group in 2022 rolled out a fleet of more than 40 trucks and 30 drivers and in 2023 expanded cold storage capacity at the Hunts Point warehouse, doubling cooler space to preserve more fresh food longer.
The group in 2023 celebrated its 40th anniversary and in 2024 added 30 new culturally diverse foods to the 1,300-item menu including masa flour and yuca.
