Brooklyn food pantry operators are sounding the alarm as demand increasingly outstrips supply, with lines forming hours before opening as desperate New Yorkers try to secure what food they can.
Brownsville, East New York, Bushwick, Bedford Stuyvesant and Flatbush are among the hardest hit, according to several pantry operators, who say lines have been growing for months, with some sites reporting wrap‑around blocks even before the latest disruption.
Three million New Yorkers depend on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), including about 1.8 million in New York City. The latest federal rulings, reversals and recall orders have thrown households into uncertainty, even though the state did release full November benefits. The political blame game matters less on the ground than what is happening in neighborhoods already beset by food insecurity, operators told BK Reader.
Ann Marie Scalia, chief executive officer of the nonprofit JCCA, said what started as confusion has turned into a crisis.
“Families are completely confused about what is happening,” she said. “Some will see money on their EBT card, others will not. The federal government has told states to pull back the money. People do not know if what they received will be taken away.”
This uncertainty is destabilizing households already juggling work, school, therapy and rising costs, she added.
“What this causes for families is instability,” Scalia said. “Kids are understanding that their family does not know whether the money is there or not. People who are already stretched thin are now terrified they will not be able to feed their children.”
Pantry managers across Brooklyn describe the same pattern. SNAP has long failed to keep pace with real food costs, especially in New York City, where grocery prices are far above the national average, they say. A family in Brooklyn receives the same benefit amount as a family in lower-cost states, forcing many households to rely on food pantries even in ordinary months. The current turmoil threatens to overwhelm providers already operating near capacity.
Dr. Melony Samuels, the chief executive officer at The Campaign Against Hunger in Bedford-Stuyvesant, said the surge in demand is unlike anything she has seen.
“We have seen an unprecedented time," she told BK Reader. "Families who relied on SNAP now have no SNAP, and they are seeking alternate means of getting food."
The organization is now serving between 500 and 600 families every day. She described lines wrapping around the block and staff working long past closing hours to keep up. The organization recently added part‑time staff, shifted distribution from twice a month to weekly, increased the amount given per household from three days’ worth of food to five, and are now open on Saturdays.
“We cannot replace SNAP,” Samuels said. “Emergency feeding programs have done a tremendous job holding down the fort, but SNAP is the first line of food defense. Families cannot wait.”
Samuels also highlighted the toll on staff.
“Our team is exhausted,” she said. “Every day is nonstop, serving people who are working, seniors, veterans and families who have never needed this support before. We are trying to meet every need, but there is only so much we can do.”
Pantry operators also said they need additional financial support to match the surge in demand. With food prices rising and supplies harder to keep in stock, especially fresh produce, organizations are working to fill gaps with limited resources.
“Sustainability is now a looming concern,” Samuels said. “The donations we received for the holidays have already been spent. That funding is gone. When this crisis calms down, we will have nothing left for the families who still need us.”
