Where to Find Help in Finding Food
By David Greene
Bronx Voice
November 17, 2025
BRONX LOCAL NEWS - Millions of Americans across New York and around the country have begun to receive their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and WIC (The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children) benefits as the month-long government shut down finally ended.
Lawmakers in the Senate passed a temporary resolution by a vote of 222 to 209 and it was signed into law by President Donald Trump late November 12. The legislation will fund the government through January 30, ending the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. According to USA Today, advocacy groups believe that the signed legislation will cut $186 billion from SNAP funding over the next 10 years.
Hours before the budget resolution was passed, Kay, 66, a disabled resident from Indian Village said gleefully, “Yes, thanks. I got (the) full benefits, so grateful for your help.”
Kay asked this publication to look into a rumor that existing funds in SNAP accounts would be inaccessible during the shutdown, that rumor was debunked. As the funding is temporary, Kay continued, “Even if they settle what’s happening, it’s only until January.” She added, “It’s stupid.” Because of the shutdown Kay’s benefits arrived a week late.
A Bedford Park mother who declined to be identified, said, “We all got them on the regular date,” adding that she normally receives her benefits on the 12th of every month.
Late on November 12, John, 49, of Norwood said, “There’s money on the card, but the app on the phone says I can’t access the funds until November 22.” However, the following morning, as the government was reopening John said he had received his $200 in SNAP funding.
On November 13, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said during an interview on CNN that all SNAP recipients would receive their November benefits by Monday, November 17.
On November 8, the Bronx Voice spoke with one SNAP recipient from Mount Vernon who was visiting Kingsbridge when she was asked if the SNAP funding disruption was impacting her day-to-day life, she said, “The shutdown, yeah. There’s a lot of people; my baby gets food stamps as well.” The mother of a 7-year-old then said, “We’ll have to go to a food pantry, that’s what we do.” Having not yet received her allotted $261 for November, she added that without it, “It’s hard.”
Priscilla Talbot of the Church of the Holy Nativity in Norwood recalled how the Holy Nativity’s pantry has been scaled back to one time a week. Talbot said. “Because of fewer donations, presently we are only open on the last Saturday of each month.” The church hands out between 35 – 60 bags of food, one to each individual family. The Church of the Holy Nativity began their food program more than a decade ago.
Aleksander Nilaj, the founder and president of Open Hand Association, Inc., who runs a food pantry on Lydig Avenue that assists residents of Morris Park and Pelham Parkway, said during the shutdown, “In the past week we’ve had over 1,000 people lining up, so we have to cut (from) different locations to serve it here.” He added, “The people of the Bronx need help every day.”
Nilaj also has a food distribution program once a month at P.S. 108 on Neill Avenue. Open Hand also hosts an event every Saturday, as his organization delivers food to residents of NYCHA’s Mitchel Houses, whose residents suffered a partial building collapse on October 1.
At the St. Nicholas of Tolentine Parish at University Avenue and West Fordham Road, their pantry currently provides 300 people with beans, rice, spaghetti, potatoes and onions as well as fresh fruits and vegetables every Thursday morning.
On November 5, Bishop Dr. Boyde Singletary, senior pastor and founder of The Alpha & Omega Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Inc., celebrated the 15th anniversary of his church by distributing food to local residents outside of ‘The People’s Park’ at East 144 Street and St. Ann’s Avenue.
Singletary said at the time, “I’m doing the free meals because people in our community are still affected by not receiving their SNAP benefits and food. This is heartbreaking because a lot of people in the South Bronx community are struggling and wondering where they are going to get their next meal from.”
Back in October, as the federal government was about to shut down, Crystal Wolfe, the founder and president of The Solution to Hunger, Inc., said, “People are very scared right now. They’re terrified about how they will survive. And the nonprofits are scared too because with funding cuts they can’t help as many people, and there are more and more people who need help. This country is becoming a third world country in many ways. Food banks are depleted. My nonprofit has never been so needed as it is right now.”
Wolfe’s program saves unused meals from catering companies and businesses and redistributes them to other organizations and food pantries. Wolfe currently has 365 partners in 6 states and 25 counties, including New York. Wolfe told the Bronx Voice, “My goal is to be in every town, city and state in America and become the leading national hunger nonprofit.” She added, “I hope this program will spread like wildfire throughout the nation, and then, throughout the world.” According to her website, The Solution to Hunger has so far delivered 3,190,200 meals to food pantries and some of her partners include City Harvest, Catholic Charities and Fordham University.
Those wishing to work with Wolfe or would like to know more about her program, can visit her website at: www.thesolutiontohunger.org.
Local Food Pantries:
(Norwood)
Mosholu Montefiore Community Center
3450 Dekalb Avenue
(718) 882-4000
Day and times of food distribution: Wednesday’s - tickets distributed at 830 AM, food distribution begins at 10 AM (First come, first served.)
(Norwood)
The Church of the Holy Nativity
3061 Bainbridge Avenue (East 204 Street)
(718) 652-5853
Day and times of food distribution: Last Saturday of each month, 10 AM – 1230 PM.
(Norwood)
Christ Disciples International Ministries
3021 Webster Avenue
(917) 999-8295
Days and time of food distribution: Monday 11 AM – 1 PM
Wednesday 10 AM – 2 PM
Saturday 10 AM – 2 PM
(Bedford Park)
Part of The Solution (POTS)
2759 Webster Avenue (Between East 197 Street & East 198 Street)
(718) 220-4892
Days and times of food distribution: Monday – Friday 830 AM – 11 AM, folks can also get a home cooked meal Monday – Friday, 1230 PM – 3 PM.
(University Heights)
Tolentine Zieser Community Life Center – Food Distribution Center
2345 University Avenue (West Fordham Road)
(718) 295-6800
Day and times of food distribution: Tuesday 9 AM, recipients should arrive before 9 AM with a shopping cart and they will be given a ticket – first come, first served.
(University Heights?)
Bronx Works – Morris Senior Center
80 East 181 Street
(718) 933-5300
Day & times of distribution:
Senior pantry (60+) 1X per month (Participants need to be entered into the system before being served. Must bring ID.)
(University Heights)
Muna Social Service Baitul Islam Masjid
2107 Davidson Avenue (Between West 180 Street and West 181 Street)
(212) 920-6202
Day and hours of distribution: Thursday 2 PM – 3 PM (Only 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month.)
(University Heights)
Davidson Community Center
2038 Davidson Avenue (West Burnside Avenue)
(718) 731-6360
Day and time of distribution:
Pick-up once a month on Friday 5 PM – 8 PM
Distribution according to first letter of last name, must register first.
A – M 1st Friday of the month.
N – Z 2nd Friday of the months
(Crotona)
Ash-Shif AA, Inc.
2269 Crotona Avenue (E. 183 Street)
(646) 353-0859
Days and times of distribution: Mon – Fri, 1 PM – 5 PM
(Fordham)
Power Praise And Deliverance, Inc.
120 East 184 Street
(347) 409- 0288
Day and time of distribution: Friday’s 10 AM – 2 PM
(Fordham)
Nazareth Housing’s Louise Pantry
406 East 184 Street
(212) 777-1010
Day and time of distribution: Wednesday’s 730 AM – 930 AM
(Pelham Parkway)
Jewish Community Council of Pelham Parkway
2157 Holland Avenue
(718) 828-1114
Day and times of food distribution: Thursday’s, 1030 AM
(First come, first served)
(Pelham Parkway)
Open Hand Association, Inc.,
2141 Holland Avenue
(347) 658-8000
Days and time of food distribution: Thursday’s and Saturday’s 11 AM – 2 PM.
(Morris Park)
The Morris Park Community Association
1824 Bronxdale Avenue
(718) 823-0596
Day and time of food distribution: Every Thursday, 1 PM – 3 PM.
(Morris Park)
Our Lady of Solace Food Pantry
731 Morris Park Avenue
(718) 863-3282
Days and time of food distribution: Thursday’s and Friday’s 1 PM – 3 PM.
(Belmont)
Ash-Shif AA, Inc.
2269 Crotona Avenue (East 183 Street)
(646) 353-0859
Days and time of food distribution: Monday – Friday, 1 PM – 5 PM.
(Morris Heights)
St. Edmund’s Episcopal Church
1905 Morris Avenue (East 177 Street)
(718) 466-9370
Days and times of food distribution: Monday’s and Thursday’s tickets handed out at 9 AM and food is distributed at 12 PM, first come, first served.
(Mott Haven)
The Alpha & Omega Church Food Pantry
535 East 141 Street
Information on dates, times and locations can be found on its Facebook page: Boyde Y. Singletary.
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