Donate your FreshDirect bags. Some grocery services like FreshDirect have stopped taking back bags during the pandemic, meaning that you can put yours toward a good cause. Below are local organizations who are collecting reusable bags, with info on where and when to drop yours off.
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256 13th St, Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 6:00pm
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The Brooklyn Relief Kitchen
Around the corner from Old First Church on 7th Avenue and Carroll St, Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00am to 2:00pm
Camp Friendship
339 8th St (corner of 6th Avenue), Saturdays, 10:00am to 2:00pm
For a full list of bag donation sites, check out FreshDirect's blog post here.
Redistribute your P-EBT. The Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer Program (P-EBT) is a new Federal program to provide food benefits to children who will miss out on school meals due to the pandemic. Those of us with children in NYC public schools (and most charter and parochial schools) will receive a $420 P-EBT card, which can be used in the same way as SNAP (food stamp) cards.
Update, July 2021: As reported in Chalkbeat, families will receive another P-EBT installment of up to $1320. The amount will depend on how many days of school a student attended in-person versus online. The money will be disbursed in two payments. The first should be complete by the end of July, according to the governor’s office, and will cover the cost of school meals missed between September 2020 and March 2021. The second payment is expected to be issued through August, and will cover meals lost from April through June 2021.
For more P-EBT info and updates, visit our page with FAQs on P-EBT.
The cards are non-transferable, so if you’d like to redistribute your benefits, use the money on the card and then donate the equivalent amount to an organization that’s helping to mitigate food insecurity. Some local options include:
- Brooklyn Relief Kitchen at Old First
- Roots Cafe
Center for Family Life Food Pantry in Sunset Park
People in Need, which has set up food support in Kensington
For more options, visit the Bed-Stuy Strong website, and also consider donating to a local school that might be struggling to maintain facilities and pay teachers during this time.
Wondering how long your P-EBT is valid and how much you have left?
P-EBT Cards are valid for 274 days after the date of issue.
You can see your balance and the date of issue at www.connectebt.com.
Didn't receive your P-EBT?
You can request a replacement card by calling 1-888-328-6399. If you lost the card, you should enter 999-99 and then the 2-digit month and 2-digit day of the card holder's birthday. For example, if your child's birthday is July 4th, you would enter 999-99-0704. You'll then be asked to verify the card holders 8-digit birthday (MM/DD/YYYY). Finally, you will be asked to enter the 4-digit pin you originally selected. All of this can be found at www.otda.ny.gov.
There is a fact sheet on replacing your card here.
Members have also had success by:
-Applying for a new card at www.connectebt.com
-Following steps 1 and 2 on the Community Food Advocates P-EBT page
-Reaching out to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
More P-EBT links and assistance:
Community Food Advocates P-EBT info
Help creating a PIN for your P-EBT
P-EBT info sheet in English and Spanish
Volunteer. There are a myriad of ways you can donate your time to combat food insecurity. A few options include:
Help reach out to New Yorkers who qualify but do not currently have access to food assistance programs like SNAP and WIC. NYC Service has more info on the Reducing Hunger Service Initiative.
Pack and distribute meals to seniors, unhoused people, and others experiencing food insecurity. New York Cares has hunger-related volunteer opportunities that you can filter by borough and day of the week.
Work toward eliminating food waste. City Harvest has a variety of opportunities, from food rescue to clerical work to nutrition education.
If none of these options suit your needs, The Hunter College New York City Food Policy Center has a page listing lots more opportunities.
Stock your local community fridge. PSP members have recommended the following fridges:
Gowanus: "There’s one on 3rd street between 3rd Ave and Bond (but much closer to Bond) - it has some beautiful paintings on it, and is located just outside of Nature Based."
South Slope/Greenwood Heights: "Mixteca also has a fridge, at 245 23rd street just off 5th Ave."
Park Slope: "Pre-made food goes quickly from the fridge at Postmark Cafe on 6th St. & 5th Ave"
Kensington/Windsor Terrace: "There’s also a new Kensington-Windsor Terrace fridge at 137 E 2nd St. that could use some love as it gets started."
Tips for your fridge drop-off: "I would definitely label anything homemade that’s left in a community fridge. It doesn’t have to be involved, just what’s in it and the date it was made.
A good principle to follow is: don’t leave anything you wouldn’t take yourself! For me, that means knowing the ingredients and how old it is. (And no half empty bottles of ketchup like some well-meaning folks inevitably leave at the beginning of the month when they’re moving.)
Some have limited hours, or restrictions on pre-made food, meat, etc. so it’s always good to look them up before you drop stuff off."
Spread the word. Boost these resources on your social media channels for anyone who may need them, and then seek out the local pantries or fridges in your area to volunteer or donate!
Camp Friendship has created this food pantry map that’s available in printable PDF form in both English and Spanish.
In Our Hearts NYC has a map of community fridges across the five boroughs.
- nycfridge.com also lists fridges across the five boroughs.
NYC.gov has a list of Emergency Food Assistance Program providers in each borough that are open as of August 10, 2020.
Hunger Free America has a Brooklyn Neighborhood Guide to Food & Assistance, which you can download in English and Spanish (Guía De Alimentos y Asistencia), and which contains information on SNAP/Food Stamps, Meals for Kids, Senior Meals, Soup Kitchens, Food Pantries, Farmers’ Markets, and more.
For food donations, in addition to the organizations above, you can drop off at the following local bars and restaurants:
- Abilene Bar 442 Court St.. (Court Street & 3rd Place)
- American Cheese 444 7th Ave. (7th Ave. & 15th St.)
- Angry Wade's: 222 Smith St (Smith & Butler)
- Commonwealth Bar: 497 5th Avenue (12th Street)
- Freddy’s Bar: 627 5th Avenue (bet. 17th & 18th Street)
- Gowanus Gardens: 256 4th Ave. (4th Avenue bet. Carroll & President)
- Hollow Nickel 494 Atlantic Avenue between 3rd Avenue & Nevins St.)
- Mission Dolores: 294 4th Ave (Bet. President & Carroll)
- North Pole Bar 428 Bergen Street (Bergen Street (5th & 4th Ave)
- Saint Eves: 471 12th St. (12th Street bet. 8th & the Park)
- Skylark: 477 5th Ave. (5th Avenue & 11th Street)
- South Bar: 629 5th Avenue (bet. 17th & 18th Street)
The Old Stone House is also accepting donations Friday–Sunday from 11 am–3 pm.
