GrowNYC’s free food distribution program comes to an end, raising fears of worsening food insecurity
In Sunset Park, a neighborhood with many immigrants, seniors, and low-income families, food assistance programs are especially important. These groups often rely on government and nonprofit support to ensure they have enough food and proper nutrition.
Partnerships with community groups make food distribution more effective
GrowNYC, a nonprofit founded in 1970, partners with farmers to run farmers’ markets across the city. Using federal funding, it also buys fresh produce in bulk from farmers and distributes it for free to community organizations in neighborhoods with high food insecurity. Because these groups are closely tied to their communities, they are better positioned to reach people truly in need, making distribution more effective.
In Sunset Park, GrowNYC partnered with the Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) and Mixteca, which serve local Chinese and Spanish-speaking residents. But due to federal budget cuts, the food distribution program ended in August. The final event with CPC took place on August 22.
That day, GrowNYC trucks delivered produce to CPC’s center in the morning. A dozen volunteers rushed to pack cauliflower, onions, carrots, apples, tomatoes, lettuce, eggplant, and eggs into 250 bags, which registered seniors came to collect by midday.
The importance and impact of food assistance
Flavia Mulungi, Program Coordinator of GrowNYC’s Food & Families Program, said CPC mainly serves older Chinese residents who benefit from access to healthy, nutritious food. “Getting this food at no cost allows them to support their families and take care of themselves,” she said.
Auntie Ren, who came to pick up produce, said the program was “a big help with a lot of variety.” Each pickup provided enough food to feed her and her husband for about a week. With the program ending, she said it was a real pity. She noted that supermarket vegetables are often sold only in large bundles, and since her household is small, she cannot buy too many kinds at once. “Without this program, we won’t be able to mix and match food as easily,” she said.
Ching Wan Cheng, 80, a CPC member and volunteer, recalled receiving food donations since the pandemic, when volunteers delivered meals directly to seniors’ homes so they wouldn’t have to risk shopping. She also noted that with food stamp (SNAP) theft on the rise, nonprofit programs distributing fresh produce eased financial strain. “It’s a shame these supports are ending—we’ll just have to live more frugally,” she said.
Jake Hung, who works at CPC, explained that the program was most crucial for low-income, elderly residents living alone. Many have trouble walking and cannot shop far from home, making them highly dependent on food aid. “The cancellation will be a big blow for them,” he said, citing soaring egg prices as one example. Without the free distributions, many couldn’t afford them. Losing the program means losing access to fresh food.
Food insecurity in Sunset Park
City Council data from last December showed that about 20% of Sunset Park households lacked reliable access to food, and the number is rising. From food pantry lines, it is clear that demand continues to grow.
Steve Mei, Director of CPC Brooklyn Community Services, said that among 350 seniors at the center, 95% qualify for food stamps. With the weight of housing and living costs, food assistance programs helped them survive.
“Food is so critical that we have community members and seniors getting up at 3 a.m. or 4 a.m. wanting to line up for food,” Mei said. He recalled a recent tragedy when two Chinese seniors were struck by a car on Third Avenue—on their way to a food distribution site in the early morning hours.
The struggle to restart services
GrowNYC communications lead Andrina Sanchez said, “We are actively trying to fundraise and advocating to elected officials to see if anything could be done to fill the gap, but there just hasn’t really been any movement.” Unfortunately, other nonprofits face similar challenges, and solutions are not expected soon.
Helen Chen, Director of CPC’s Older Adult Center, said the center is collecting community feedback on the program’s cancellation to strengthen advocacy for restarting such resources in the future.
Councilmember Susan Zhuang said many federally funded nonprofit programs have lost support, though they are especially important for immigrants. She worries that “more poor people will be left without help and living in fear.” While she has secured some City Council funding to fill gaps, she admitted it is far from enough.
State Senator Steve Chan added, “I will continue to monitor and work with other legislators such as Lester Chang to ensure our constituents don’t go hungry. We will respond with vigorous assistance when necessary.”