Where and How to Get Food Assistance in the Tri-State Area

The additional pandemic-era federal emergency assistance that provided extra help of at least an additional $95 per month toward food costs to households receiving the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), comes to an end Wednesday, March 1, after almost three years.

The assistance sought to reduce food insecurity during the pandemic. Without this help, families in states like New York are affected because they will receive less money in SNAP.

However, different organizations, in partnership with state and local governments, food banks and other organizations, are working to provide emergency food to families most in need.

Below you will find some food programs that you can benefit from in each state.

(This article was first published in Telemundo47.com. Additional updates and expanded information will take place as officials and organizations provide it.)

NEW YORK

Below is information about the food resources that are available to New Yorkers and the community organizations that provide basic foods.

YOU CAN ENTER YOUR ZIP CODE HERE to find the distribution center closest to your neighborhood.

If you can leave your residence and need groceries, the following links will find distribution centers that can help you in your area. You just need to enter your zip code.

In addition, the Hunter College Food Policy Center developed 59 guides for distribution centers that are updated every 3 to 5 days thanks to more than 25 volunteers. Visit nycfoodpolicy.org/food to find soup kitchens in all five boroughs and other areas of the metropolitan region. For more information, click here.

FOOD DELIVERY

The NYC Food Delivery Assistance program offers home delivery to eligible vulnerable New Yorkers, including homebound seniors, people with disabilities, chronically ill people at higher risk of contracting the virus, and those who have lost income due to the health crisis.

Eligible households can place an order every 48 hours. Orders cannot be placed between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m. on Saturday and no deliveries will be made on Sundays.

Orders placed before 11 a.m. will be delivered within two days from the order date. Orders placed after 11 a.m. will be delivered within three days from the order date.

Each order will contain two days worth of meals (4 meals per person in the household, but no household will receive more than 8 meals per delivery).

You can call 311 to request the service in Spanish, or to be referred to organizations that can help you in your neighborhood. Due to the high volume of calls from New Yorkers in need, the average wait in line can be up to an hour or more.

INSTANT INFORMATION

To save time, you can text the word “NYC FOOD” to 877-877. The system will ask for your address and in response will display a list of food distribution centers.

FOOD DISTRIBUTION DURING THE WEEKEND

While most distribution centers offer service only on weekdays, some organizations also provide service on weekends.

Community Health Action of Staten Island (CHASI), located at 2134 Richmond Terrace 10302, distributes food on Fridays from 2-6 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. to 2 p.m. Resurrection And Life Church, in The Bronx, also offers service on Saturdays and Sundays.

FOODPANTRIES.ORG has more than 1,000 locations across the state. OPEN HERE to find the one closest to your area. You just have to enter your address.

OTHER FOOD DISTRIBUTION PLACES

HUNGER FREE NYC

Each year, Hunger Free NYC produces comprehensive, up-to-date guides containing detailed information on free access to food in all five boroughs. Users can learn how and where to access SNAP/Food Stamps, WIC, school and summer meals, meals for seniors, soup kitchens and food pantries, and farmers markets that accept SNAP for payment. Each guide also contains a map showing the location of these sites.

Visit https://www.hungerfreeamerica.org/en-us/nyc for more information.

FOOD BANK FOR NEW YORK CITY

Click here to find a distribution center. Remember to call before going to the place, as space may be limited due to high demand.

WESTCHESTER

Feeding Westchester offers food package distribution sites and through a mobile pantry. To find more information and identify places where food is offered, people can visit this website or call (914) 923-1100 weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to 5 p.m.

NEW JERSEY

The Garden State offers a free fresh produce program. However, it is limited to certain locations in the state. Fresh For All is a free produce marketplace where people are not required to present identification or income verification to get the produce. Click here for the locations of these markets.

EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (TEFAP)

The program allows the state to distribute food donated by the federal government to low-income people, even without legal immigration status, in its 21 counties.

The program provides more than 70 different foods, such as: fresh fruits and vegetables, poultry, fish, ham, rice, pasta, cereals, canned beans, raisins, peanut butter, bottled fruit juices, milk, canned fruits and vegetables, etc residents facing food insecurity.

Through TEFAP, New Jersey receives more than 20 million pounds of food from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Eligible individuals are those who receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food program, insurance provided by the federal government, low-income families, and victims of a major disaster.

For more information call (609) 984-2343 or 211. Also visit www.endhungernj.org for more information.

FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture (NJDA) administers the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) food distribution program.

The program provides more than 40 million pounds of products to more than 1,000 agencies across the state. Options range from beef and poultry, fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, fish, dairy, grains, and other proteins.

Click here for a list of Emergency Food Bank affiliate organizations for each county.

CHESTER:

• Chester Food Pantry, 973-879-2548

DENVILLE:

• St. Clare’s Meals on Wheels, 973-625-6010

DOVER:

• Faith Kitchen and Food Pantry at Trinity Lutheran Church, 973-366-2821

MADISON:

• Meals on Wheels, 973-593-3095

MONTVILLE TOWNSHIP:

• Kiwanis Food Pantry, 973-216-7649

Morris County (and regional):

• Table of Hope, 973-267-8912

• Interfaith Food Pantry, 973-538-8049 ext. 12

• Nourish NJ, 973-267-0709

MORRIS PLAINS:

• Interfaith Food Pantry, 973-538-8049 ext. 12

MORRISTOWN:

• Hendrickson Smith Food Pantry, 973-455-9802

• Meals on Wheels, 973-538-2160 ext.211

• Table of Hope, 973-267-8912

• Interfaith Food Pantry, 973-538-8049 ext. 12

RANDOLPH TOWNSHIP:

• Rockaway Food Closet, 973-627-1059

Food distribution from the organization New Jersey Reentry Corporation & National Action Network.

The organization does not have an address available, so applicants should call 551-255-5500 or visit www.njreentry.org for more information.

CONNECTICUT

Connecticut Association for Human Services (CAHS) provides food programs to low-income families throughout the state. You can call 211 or email [email protected] to get the information you need.

End Hunger CT! is a state organization for the fight against hunger and food security. Staff help families find programs for which they qualify based on their income. You can call (860) 560-2100 or write to [email protected].

Individuals who require food assistance can call (866) 974-7627 seven days a week. If you cannot immediately reach an operator due to the high number of calls, you can leave a voicemail and the staff will contact you later.

The state warns that staff may take time to communicate or process requests, as the volume of calls is high due to the crisis.

LOCATE DISTRIBUTION CENTERS BY ZIP CODE

To find a community kitchen or pantry distribution center, click here. The system will ask you to enter your zip code to display the list of locations.

You must call ahead to confirm the service time, as many programs have limited their activities in accordance with sanitary restrictions.

In addition, the state’s food banks also distribute food via trucks at various locations throughout the state.

Click here to see the hours and location of the trucks. They can also call 860-856-4321 for more information or text FOODSHARE to 85511.

For more information on CT Food Bank, click here.

OTHER OPTIONS

Local social service departments are a good option for people who cannot locate programs or services to meet their food needs. To find information on these agencies in your city, click here. You will need to enter your zip code to get the details.

For more information on the food programs offered by the state, click here.

For general information, click here.