Helping NYCHA’s Most Vulnerable Residents

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is affecting all New Yorkers and increasingly disrupting the city’s daily life. The most vulnerable members of our community, including seniors and people with chronic health conditions, are being significantly impacted and need additional support. 

In response, the City of New York is providing home-delivered food to seniors and people with chronic health conditions, such as heart disease or diabetes, who have been advised to stay home as much as possible for their safety. If you or someone you know is a highly vulnerable resident who cannot leave their home to get food and has no other way of getting food, you or they may be eligible to receive home delivery. For more details, visit nyc.gov/getfood.

As we continue to monitor COVID-19, NYCHA is working with a range of City agencies and community-based organizations to connect residents to local resources. Below is a list of food and other resources available. We will continue to update this list as we learn of more resources. Together, we can help take care of our NYCHA community. 

Department for the Aging (DFTA):  

• Senior centers are currently closed to ensure the health and safety of older New Yorkers. DFTA is providing delivered meals. Visit DFTA Senior Centers to find the nearest center to you and call your local center with questions about how to receive delivered meals. You can also call Aging Connect at 212-Aging-NYC (212-244-6469) or 311. 

Department of Education (DOE):  

• Starting Monday, March 23, the DOE is providing three free grab-and-go meals for children at 400 sites across the city. Visit NYC DOE Free Meals or call 311 for locations and information.
   
• DOE is also providing tablets for students who need internet connectivity and hardware for distance learning. To register your family, visit NYC DOE Remote Learning Devices.  

SNAP Benefits 

• To apply for SNAP benefits, visit Access HRA or call 718-557-1399 to have an application mailed to you. 

City Harvest and Food Bank: 

City Harvest and Food Bank are distributing fresh food and household products at several NYCHA developments throughout the city. Additional locations will be added next week. Here are the currently scheduled sites: 

March 2020	April 2020
3/28: Dyckman, Queensbridge	4/1: Mariners Harbor  4/4: Astoria, Tompkins  4/7: Stapleton  4/8: Dyckman  4/9: Prince Hall  4/11: Melrose, St. Mary’s   4/14: Queensbridge  4/15: Tompkins  4/16: Astoria   4/18: Mariners Harbor, Stapleton   4/22: Melrose  4/25: Dyckman, Queensbridge   4/28: St. Mary’s

Pop-Up Food Distribution at NYCHA Community Centers

NYCHA has partnered with Food Bank NYC to establish pop-up food distribution sites on NYCHA campuses across the city.

Tuesday, March 31

Manhattan:

Johnson Community Center (SCAN)
1833 Lexington Avenue
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Wagner Community Center (SCAN)
435 East 120th Street
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Rutgers Community Center (Grand Street Settlement)
200 Madison Street
2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Wednesday, April 1

Manhattan:

Manhattan Community Center (Graham Windham Services to Families & Children)
530 West 133rd Street
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Queens:

Hammel Community Center (CCNY)
81-14 Rockaway Beach Boulevard
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

South Jamaica Community Center (Southern Queens Park Association)
109-04 160th Street
2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Food Pantries:  

Many food pantries are continuing to distribute food throughout the city. For a list of pantries, please click here.

Visit nyc.gov/coronavirus for additional resources and information and to download the latest fliers and fact sheets in multiple languages. To receive important updates about COVID-19 in New York City, text COVID to 692-692 or COVIDESP to 692-692 for Spanish. 

View this letter in: Español

Updated as of March 31, 2019.