Ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, Food Bank For NYC’s mobile food distribution provided nearly 100 Bronx residents with food assistance near Bill Rainey Park in Longwood — a neighborhood facing high food insecurity and historically low voter turnout across the city.
In addition to providing meal support, the organization distributed civic engagement materials supplied by NYC Votes — a nonpartisan initiative of the New York City Campaign Finance Board. These educational resources help local community members check their registration status, pinpoint their designated polling locations and access details regarding early voting hours.
“We want to highlight the fact that this is a community that has both some of the highest food insecurity rates and also some of the lowest voter turnout rates in the city. And so, I’m trying to highlight that and encourage people to try to get out and vote in this election,” said Nicole Hunt, Director of Public Policy and Advocacy at Food Bank for NYC.
The Bronx faces the highest rate of food insecurity in all of New York State. Nearly 27% of Bronxites consider themselves food insecure, and over 460,000 total NYC SNAP participants live in the Bronx alone.
According to NYC Votes, the South Bronx has had the lowest voter turnout rate of 30%, whereas the citywide turnout rate was 42% in the previous 2025 election.
“So we are just really trying to highlight that your vote is your voice, and that the more of us who participate in democracy, the healthier that process is, especially in a community like this, where there is the need for more resources and more investment,” Hunt said. “That vote is important, and raising that voter turnout is even more important.”
Food Bank for NYC has been providing food assistance and non-partisan educational voting material since September in the Bronx, specifically in neighborhoods with low-voter turnout and high food insecurity.
Denise Modeste is retired and has lived in the Bronx all her life on the Grand Concourse. She comes to this particular food bank monthly and is aware of the many food banks existing in her community.
“My grandmother told me a long time ago … Your best way to get and speak with people is through the voting system. You have a choice, but it depends on the people who you put in to represent you, your voice. And I do it,” said Modeste, who was wearing an early voting sticker.
“So people voting is your way of expression, of accepting certain things, the community needs help. And through pantries, you can communicate and talk with people. And you can see, and then they start to put money in certain areas,” she said.
Another Bronxite, Walter King, says he will not be voting in this year’s election because he will soon be leaving the neighborhood, but said he’s experiencing financial hardship and that pantry helps.
“Now we have automation now, the people losing their jobs, the prices have gone up,” King said. “I appreciate that the pantry is here and I need a little food.”
