MANHATTAN, NEW YORK —  On a Tuesday morning during Women’s History Month, 100 women gathered at Nike NYHQ — corporate leaders, Employee Resource Groups, advocates and community members — for a breakfast and conversation about what it actually takes to keep New York running. 

Hosted by Food Bank For New York City, in partnership with Nike and the Women of Nike Employee Resource Group, the event marked the 10th anniversary of Woman to Woman, a campaign founded by Food Bank For NYC Board Member Emeritus Katie Lee Biegel to support women facing hunger with both food and essential items like period products and personal hygiene supplies.

Before anyone took a seat, they stood shoulder to shoulder packing hygiene kits — including donated products such as Tampax tampons, Always Pantyliners, Prevail by First Quality lavender body wipes, United Airlines Amenity Kits, SheaMoisture Deodorant, and Farmacy Beauty lip balm. The kind of essentials that don’t get talked about enough but matter just as much as food. Kits that would make their way to mobile pantries across the five boroughs within days.

Then the panel began.

Biegel grounded the reality driving the work.

“Women make up nearly sixty percent of New Yorkers who turn to Food Bank For NYC for help… usually not just for themselves, but for their families,” she said.

She pointed to the gap many women face — where food assistance exists, but basic necessities do not. “SNAP does not cover women’s essentials like feminine care products. How can we break the cycle of poverty if you can’t meet those basic needs?”

Teen girls missing school or sitting out of sports practice every month because they can’t afford a pad. Women pulling paper towels from dispensers to use instead. A mother who qualifies for SNAP but is on her own for everything else.

“As a mother myself, I really cannot imagine that stress. Women carry so much — and yet they’re often the ones making the hardest sacrifices.”

Fasina Moore, a Harlem-born tile setter, small business owner and this year’s Woman to Woman honoree, spoke as a working mother who has relied on Food Bank For NYC’s mobile pantry.

“Everyone is just one break in a supply chain away from hunger,” Moore said.

She described the people she sees every day — families, students, parents working multiple jobs. “You see people doing everything right. And it’s still not enough.”

For Aaliyah Bartholomew, a Biology student at Medgar Evers College and member of Food Bank For NYC’s Emerging Youth Advocacy Leaders Council, the contrast couldn’t be sharper. She grew up in Grenada, where her family farmed, bartered with neighbors, and shared whatever was in season — where you could step outside and grow something. Then she arrived in New York City and learned what a food desert was.

“New York is one of the richest cities,” she said, “but not everyone is living that rich life.”

Now advocating for food justice here, she described how hunger shows up in the small, daily decisions students don’t talk about. “You skip breakfast. You skip lunch. You stretch what you have. And it affects everything — your ability to focus, to learn, to show up.”

Gloria Pitagorsky, Vice Chair of Food Bank For NYC’s Board of Directors, knows that extending a hand changes everything. Her family arrived in this country as immigrants with very little — and organizations like Food Bank For NYC met them at their moment of need.

“My story’s not a unique one,” she said. “When someone’s at their lowest moment, a simple gesture — getting food, knowing that someone cares about your well-being — that matters. And if you’re in a place to give back, you do.”

Then Taryn Delaney Smith, a comedian, actor, former Miss New York and content creator with more than 1.6 million followers, shifted the conversation from awareness to action.

“I’m still angry,” she said. “I’m angry about the policies. I’m angry about the apathy. But I don’t think it’s about not being mad — I think it’s about what you do with that anger.”

“So the question is — what are you going to do about it?”

It’s a question the room was built to answer.

United Airlines — a longtime Food Bank For NYC partner whose employees and customers call this city home — put it plainly: “Investing in the communities we serve is part of who we are. It’s how we uplift the city and show how good leads the way,” said Lyndsay Lawler, Senior Specialist of Community and Market Impact.

After the panel, the conversation didn’t end — Guests kept going — packing a total of 500 hygiene kits, making new connections, and carrying the energy of the morning out into the city with them.

Because the women keeping this city running — laying its floors, studying in its classrooms, leading our businesses and board rooms, stretching every dollar — deserve a city that runs for them, too.

That’s not charity. That’s Woman to Woman. Ten years in, and we’re just getting started.

Ready to show up for women and families across New York City? Connect with our Corporate Engagement team to explore opportunities.

BRONX, NEW YORK — Two days before its 43rd anniversary, Food Bank For NYC did what it’s always done: showed up when our city needs us most.

On Sunday, staff gathered at the Hunts Point warehouse for our Founder’s Day Repack event — forming assembly lines, moving with purpose — to pack more than 500 emergency grocery bags for TSA workers impacted by the ongoing Department of Homeland Security shutdown. Each bag was filled with fresh produce and pantry staples, including products from Goya, for families facing real financial strain with no end in sight.

TSA workers kept our airports safe. They reported to work. And they missed two consecutive paychecks. Many faced impossible choices: rent or groceries, a prescription or the electric bill. Some had to take on debt, fall behind on bills, or even sell plasma just to make ends meet. These are hardworking public servants who did nothing wrong and still found themselves in need.

This day of action was a reminder: when New Yorkers come together — in warehouse assembly lines, at airport gates, across borough lines — no one has to face hunger alone. That’s exactly why we exist.

This effort came together thanks to the generosity of our partners. Stop & Shop provided the financial support that made the food possible. Delta Air Lines helped distribute bags directly at JFK — reaching workers on the job, where they needed it most. That kind of coordination matters. It’s the difference between intention and impact.

This isn’t the first time Food Bank For NYC has mobilized during a shutdown. We were here for the 43-day shutdown last year too. Showing up in crisis isn’t a program. It’s who we are.

For 43 years, Food Bank For NYC has worked to make sure every New Yorker has access to the food and resources they need to thrive — not someday, not eventually. Now. Because no one who shows up to work, who plays by the rules, who keeps this city moving, should ever have to choose between feeding their family and keeping the lights on.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

WEST HARLEM, NEW YORK — After losing her job during the pandemic, 62-year-old Pat Chisholm now relies on $292 a month in SNAP to buy groceries. She’s among about 180,000 New York City residents who could lose or see their benefits reduced under new federal rules requiring able-bodied adults to log 80 hours a month of work, volunteering, or job training.

The ripple effects are enormous. Statewide, over 300,000 households are expected to lose an average of $220/month. With unemployment still a challenge and volunteer placements limited, the change could mean 180 million fewer meals consumed in NYC each year. At Food Bank For New York City, we’re preparing for increased demand—but charitable food alone can’t fill the gap.

Read the full article from The New York Times.

Group Aims to Elevate Young Adult Voices in the Fight Against Food Insecurity

NEW YORK, NY – Food Bank For New York City, the city’s largest hunger relief organization, is piloting the Emerging Leaders Advocacy Council (ELAC), a new program that places college students at the center of the fight against food insecurity.

Food insecurity disproportionately affects college students and young people, yet their perspectives are often missing from policy discussions. ELAC not only addresses this gap but reflects Food Bank For NYC’s strategic commitment to educating, elevating and inspiring the next generation of advocates. ELAC helps expand Food Bank For New York City’s presence on college campuses, building a two-generation pipeline of equity driven leaders who understand both community realities and systems level change.

The inaugural cohort features five students from across the five boroughs who bring lived experience and a commitment to driving change on their campuses, in their communities, and in policy. During the five-month program, participants will move between advocacy training, policy coursework, organizing sessions, and weekly volunteer shifts at local food pantries. This will allow the group to connect the policy landscape to the on-the-ground reality of hunger in New York City.

Food Bank For NYC’s 2026 ELAC Members are:

• Aaliyah Bartholomew, Medgar Evers College, Biology
• Akanksha Mahanti, Parsons School of Design, Strategic Design and Management
• Brandy Moonasar, Brooklyn College, Political Science
• Malaika Walter, Pace University, Peace and Justice Studies
• Niav Lorenzo, Parsons School of Design, Strategic Design and Management

“Access to nutritious food is not a luxury. It is the foundation for health, dignity, and the ability to thrive,” said ELAC member Aaliyah Bartholomew. “We are here to make sure student experiences help shape real solutions.”

“This group of leaders brings a deep understanding of food insecurity and the power to rewrite the solutions,” said Leslie Gordon, President and CEO at Food Bank For NYC. “ELAC is central to our work to build the next generation of advocates, and we’re proud to offer these young adults not just a seat at the table, but the mentorship, guidance, and resources to create impact.”

The program culminates in May with each ELAC member designing and leading a student-driven advocacy project focused on expanding food access. These projects aim to create tangible change, whether by influencing campus policies, raising awareness, or advancing state and city level solutions that address food insecurity.

Learn more about Food Bank For NYC’s Emerging Leaders Advocacy Council.

BRONX, NY — Food Bank For New York City proudly announces the award of nearly $9 million in federal funding to strengthen our response to food insecurity across the five boroughs. This critical investment will support major renovations and modernization of our Hunts Point Food Distribution Center in the Bronx — the operational heart of New York City’s hunger-relief network.

At a time when more New Yorkers are turning to food pantries than ever before, this funding strengthens the infrastructure required to move millions of pounds of nutritious food into communities experiencing food insecurity every day. It ensures our city is better prepared not only to meet today’s growing need, but to respond swiftly during future emergencies.

“We are deeply grateful to Senator Schumer, Senator Gillibrand, and Representative Ocasio-Cortez for their unwavering commitment to fighting food insecurity in New York City,” said Leslie Gordon, President and CEO of Food Bank For NYC. “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. Modernizing our Hunts Point Food Distribution Center is essential to meeting increasing demand — and preparing for tomorrow’s challenges.”

“I’m so proud to support Food Bank For NYC alongside Senator Gillibrand,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. “This investment will increase food distribution capacity and help serve the growing number of families turning to food pantries. When families are fed, kids can focus in school, parents can go to work, and neighborhoods can truly flourish.”

“In coordination with hundreds of community partners, Food Bank For NYC distributes millions of pounds of food to families, seniors, and other New Yorkers in need each year,” said Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, ranking member of the Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee and the Senate Special Committee on Aging. “I’m proud to have led the effort in the Senate to secure $6 million in federal funding to support the comprehensive renovation and expansion of the Hunts Point Food Distribution Center, and I’m committed to fighting for more federal resources to expand access to healthy and nutritious food, promote local job creation, and help New Yorkers thrive.”

“I am proud to have secured federal funding for projects that will better the lives of working people in the Bronx and Queens. This funding includes direct and urgent infrastructure investments for NYC’s largest food bank in Hunts Point,” said Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. “Thank you to all our local government and community partners for your dedication to our community.”

A Major Investment in New York City’s Hunger-Relief Infrastructure

Food Bank For NYC secured:

• $6,000,000 in Congressional Directed Spending, supported by Senators Schumer and Gillibrand

• $2,998,000 in Community Project Funding, supported by Representative Ocasio-Cortez, in partnership with New York City’s Small Business Services (SBS) and Economic Development Corporation (EDC)

These federal investments represent a powerful commitment to strengthening the infrastructure required to move millions of pounds of food across all five boroughs and combat food insecurity at scale.

Serving New Yorkers Today — and Preparing for Tomorrow

The newly awarded federal funding will modernize and expand the capacity of the Hunts Point Food Distribution Center. These improvements will ensure our network is stronger, safer, and more responsive — especially during times of crisis, when New Yorkers rely on us most.

As New York City’s largest hunger-relief logistics hub, the Hunts Point Food Distribution Center:

• Receives, stores, and prepares food for distribution to thousands of community partners

• Supports food pantries, soup kitchens, senior centers, and schools across the five boroughs

• Deploys emergency food resources during crises and natural disasters

• Ensures nutritious, culturally relevant food reaches New Yorkers in every neighborhood

Last year alone, Food Bank For NYC distributed over 103 million pounds of food through our network — including 36 million pounds of fresh produce and 51 million pounds of culturally relevant foods.

Food Bank For NYC is immensely grateful to Senators Schumer and Gillibrand and Representative Ocasio-Cortez for championing these critical investments. Their leadership strengthens our ability to fight food insecurity, support families, children, and seniors, and build a more food-secure New York City for the long term.