For 1,400 South Bronx families, the nearest local food pantry was closer than ever last month. That’s because of two pop-up food distributions co-sponsored by Step Up for Better Living! The food giveaway events, held on June 24th and 25th, were a great success. Staff and volunteers served residents of seven buildings in the Port Morris, Longwood, and West Farms communities. This would not have been possible without the help of  our co-sponsors… Thank you, Wavecrest Management and Food Bank for New York City!

For the South Bronx, the effects of food insecurity are more harsh than any other borough in NYC. Almost one third of Bronx residents (approximately 400,000 individuals) struggle to maintain a healthy diet. And Covid-19 has made their situation even worse.

That’s why we’ve launched the Step Up Emergency Food Fund. Our goal? Raise $5M to get food in the hands of families who desperately need it. Step Up has already awarded $200,000 to BronxWorks and $50,000 to Part of the Solution. These grants will help both organizations sustain their food pantry programs.

At Step Up, it was our honor to work with such great organizations to co-sponsor these food pantry pop-ups. The team at Food Bank for New York City exhibited overwhelming generosity in providing to the families we serve.

The staff from Wavecrest Management were responsible for tremendous organizing at both events. The Wavecrest team helped with everything from moving boxes to distributing food.

Finally, many thanks are due to the Step Up for Better Living team for their tireless outreach. They reached out to clients, distributed literature, lifted boxes, and served families.

In spite of the success of these two food pantry events, there is still a lot of work to do.  A new report from Food Bank paints a dire picture of food insecurity in the South Bronx. Forty percent of NYC’s soup kitchens and food pantries shut down during the peak of the pandemic. Making matters worse, 73% of those closures are concentrated in high-need areas. In the South Bronx, New York City’s poorest borough, that means an extreme rise in need.

Families with children, laid-off and furloughed workers, and seniors in our community don’t know where their next meal will come from. Are you ready to join us in helping get food to those who need it most? Get involved today!