There have always been hungry and undernourished New Yorkers, but the COVID-19 pandemic unleashed food insecurity with an extra intensity. As the economy plunged, many businesses furloughed or let go their employees – resulting in increased need for food aid programs. While some received additional unemployment benefits, the pandemic disrupted the means of acquiring affordable and subsidized food such as pantries, reliable cheap eateries, school meal programs, and more. These institutional food services sought to meet the increasing needs of their communities with the same, or sometimes fewer resources than before. While Black, Latinx, and immigrant communities faced higher rates of food insecurity than White New Yorkers, the pandemic further widened the gap. Throughout the spring media outlets reported long lines at food pantries and increasing hunger statistics, yet also emerging were countless instances of community support, resilience, and resourceful ways of feeding those in need.
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