Expired Unemployment Benefits Amplify Need for Food

Expiring Unemployment Benefits Amplify Need for Food in Queens

By Clodagh McGowan Queens

PUBLISHED 9:29 PM ET Aug. 05, 2020 PUBLISHED 9:29 PM EDT Aug. 05, 2020

A startling scene, highlighting the desperation of many in Queens -- we first covered State Sen. Jessica Ramos’s food giveaway at her district office on May 1. The line stretched for five blocks.

Since then, it’s only increased.

“We have seen the line grow. Up to 2,000 people,” said Ramos.

What You Need To Know

State Sen. Jessica Ramos says her office has served up to 2,000 people a day during any of the 14 weekly food giveaways her office has organized

City Harvest seeing an increased demand for food due to unemployment benefits expiring

City Harvest officials: prior to the pandemic, 1.2M New Yorkers struggled to have enough food to eat

City Harvest estimates: 800,000 residents will become food insecure due to the economic fallout from the pandemic

Last weekend, Ramos held her 14th and final weekly food giveaway at the Hall of Science in Corona.

Back in April, her office teamed up with farmers upstate to help bring fresh produce that typically would be sold to restaurants — to families in need in Queens.

But Ramos says, as business has picked up for restaurants throughout the state, those donations are dwindling. So her office is now funneling any support it receives to local food pantries and mutual aid groups.

“We are trying to figure out how to best create a food system that’s most sustainable particularly in our area, that has been a food desert for a significant period of time,” said Ramos.

City Harvest, the city’s largest food rescue organization and responsible for stocking food pantries across the five boroughs, is also hearing more cries for help.

Organizers say particularly since federal unemployment assistance providing an additional $600 a week has expired, some families have to chose between paying rent or putting food on the table.

“There’s an influx of folks that are going to our programs that may have not gone to an emergency food program before,” said Jerome Nathaniel, the Associate Director of Policy and Government Relations for City Harvest.

Nathaniel says that while federal lawmakers haggle over passing a new stimulus package to provide much-needed relief, more New Yorkers are going hungry.

“A lot of families are suffering as we’re waiting for another round of unemployment benefits to be approved,” said Nathaniel.

City Harvest officials say prior to the pandemic 1.2 million New Yorkers struggled to have enough food to eat. They estimate 800,000 residents will join their ranks because of the economic fallout from the pandemic.

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Main story image courtesy Enrique Rosas

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