On Monday, September 21, 2020, Food Bank For New York City will host a pop-up food pantry at Yankee Stadium to distribute fresh produce and shelf-stable items to approximately 500 of New York’s families in need. The distribution will also include plant-based protein from Impossible Foods. Voter registration cards will be available onsite for attendees who need to register. Monday’s event will be the second time the stadium has hosted a mobile food pantry with Food Bank.
Before the pandemic, 17.5% of Bronx residents and 23.5% of children in the Bronx were food insecure. This has worsened significantly as the Bronx now has a 24.9% unemployment rate, up from 5.8% last year. Additionally, 25% of food pantries and soup kitchens in the Bronx have closed since the onset of the pandemic.
This distribution is one in a series of pop-up pantries occurring throughout the weeks ahead as part of Hunger Action Month, with the generous support of Seamless and Starbucks. This September, Food Bank is partnering with brands, advocates, influencers, and New Yorkers in the fight to end hunger. Other pop-up locations this month include Barclays Center, Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden, New York Hall of Science and Lincoln Center.
With the economic fallout from the CoViD-19 pandemic putting many people out of work and rapidly increasing the need for assistance, the demand on the emergency food network has surged. Food Bank For New York City reports that the vast majority of soup kitchens and food pantries have been serving more New Yorkers during the pandemic than they were previously: many agencies have seen their number of visitors double. Even before CoViD-19, the demand for food was already high: nearly 1.2 million New Yorkers were already food insecure.
The event will take place today, Monday, September 21, 2020, between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 02:00 p.m.
Location:
Yankee Stadium
Gate 8
River Avenue & E. 164th Street
Bronx, NY 10452
.
About Food Bank For New York City
Since 1983, Food Bank For New York City has been the city’s major hunger-relief organization working to end hunger throughout the five boroughs. Nearly one in five New Yorkers relies on Food Bank for food and other resources. Food Bank takes a strategic, multifaceted approach that provides meals and builds capacity in the neediest communities, while raising awareness and engagement among all New Yorkers. Through its network of more than 1,000 charities and schools citywide, Food Bank provided more than 80 million free meals last year for New Yorkers in need. Food Bank For New York City’s income support services, including food stamps (also known as SNAP) and free tax assistance for the working poor, put nearly $36 million each year into the pockets of New Yorkers, helping them to afford food and achieve greater dignity and independence. Food Bank’s nutrition education programs and services empower more than 50,000 children, teens and adults to sustain a healthy diet and active lifestyle on a limited budget. Working toward long-term solutions to food poverty, Food Bank develops policy and conducts research to inform community and government efforts.
To learn more about how you can help, please visit foodbanknyc.org. Follow us on Facebook (FoodBank4NYC), Twitter (@FoodBank4NYC) and Instagram (FoodBank4NYC).
