Initiatives

COVID-19 & NYC School Food Survey. Community Food Advocates and the Lunch for Learning Coalition is looking for feedback from parents and students regarding their experience with school food pick-ups and the impact of school closures on food access. The brief survey can be completed here.

Free Lyft Rides for Seniors to Select Supermarkets. The National Supermarket Association (NSA) has partnered with Lyft to provide access to transportation for seniors in New York City. Using the code NSARELIEF in the Lyft app, seniors will have access to $25 for rides to and from designated National Supermarket Association-affiliated supermarkets in the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and Upper Manhattan. List of participation supermarkets is available here

Resources

Food Education Fund COVID-19 Food Hub NYC: The Food Education Fund has compiled COVID-19 Food Hub NYC, a list of resources for those seeking more information on what’s available to assist New Yorkers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

NYC COVID-19 Food Assistance Resources. The City has developed a diverse suite of tools and resources to help New Yorkers access food during the COVID-19 public health crisis. Among these are FoodHelp NYC which offers a map of free food resources such as food pantries and Grab & Go meals at NYC Schools, available for all children or adults in need; the NYC Food Delivery Assistance for low income home-bound New Yorkers; ACCESS HRA which allows people to sign up for SNAP benefits or cash assistance from home; and HelpNowNYC which offers a list of different opportunities to help New Yorkers in need by donating food, cash, or supplies. Visit the City’s resource page here.

Neighborhood Food Resource Guide. Hunter College New York City Food Policy Center has compiled a food resource guide for each NYC neighborhood (59 in total). Each guide contains information on local food pantries/soup kitchens (contact information/hours of operation), where students and seniors can find meals, and which supermarkets/grocers are offering special senior hours and/or delivery services, among other topics. Find your neighborhood guide here.

City Harvest Food Map. City Harvest is maintaining a map showing locations throughout the five boroughs that are currently distributing food free of charge. Locations include soup kitchens, food pantries, Department of Education School Sites that are distributing grab-and-go meals, some restaurants that are offering free food distribution, and City Harvest sites (Emergency Food Distribution Sites and Mobile Markets).

SNAP Application Assistance. Benefits specialists at Hunger Free America are available to assist potential clients with understanding whether they qualify for SNAP benefits and to help with the application process. Assistance available in English, Spanish, and Chinese. The Visit their website for more information and their national hotline.

COVID-19 Support and Relief Efforts for Hospitality Industry. The NYC Hospitality Alliance has collated a list of offers they have received around employment opportunities, financial aid, consulting, and miscellaneous business tools to support operators and employees in the hospitality industry.

Funding opportunities

Database of Available (non-Government) Funding for COVID-19 Response (NY and NYC). Drive Change — a nonprofit organization whose innovative Hospitality for Social Justice training offers a paid opportunity for returning citizens invested in their professional development in the food industry and beyond — has created a database with available funding opportunities from non-Government sources for COVID-19 Response. Check the database here

The NYC COVID-19 Response & Impact Fund by The New York Community Trust. The Fund was created to aid nonprofit service providers struggling with the health and economic effects of the coronavirus. Priority will be given to nonprofits addressing essential healthcare and food insecurity as well as arts and culture. As of April 16, 2020, the Fund has raised more than $95 million and 276 New York City-based nonprofits affected by the coronavirus public health crisis have already received $44 million of support. Read more about the fund here

Robin Hood COVID-19 Relief Fund. Grants are available only for 501(c)(3) organizations in New York City that are well-positioned to serve low-income communities. The initial grants, expected to last 3 months in duration, will average $45,000. The purpose of these grants is to provide resources to support nonprofits that are on the front lines of this work and can move swiftly to serve affected communities. Read more about the fund and submit application here

COVID-19 Community Fund by United Way of New York City. Established at the end of March 2020, the fund will provide resources to UWNYC partner agencies and community-based organizations that work with communities who are disproportionately impacted by coronavirus and the economic consequences of the outbreak. UWNYC are now accepting applications from non-profit organizations. For any questions about application, please e-mail: Sandra Maskell, smaskell@uwnyc.org. Read more about the fund and how to apply here

Northern Manhattan Emergency Recovery Fund by New York-Presbyterian Hospital, managed by Hispanic Federation. The New York-Presbyterian Hospital have committed to providing $10 million over the next two years to help communities in Northern Manhattan recover from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible organizations must be nonprofits, serving or located within the Washington Heights, Inwood and Hamilton Heights communities, with maximum 100 employees, and able to demonstrate that COVID-19 outbreak caused at least a 25% decrease in revenue. The first $2 million, which organizations can access with the application currently available, is designated for immediate emergency assistance. The second round of $8 million is designated for long-term community sustainability. Learn more about the fund and application here