CFAM’s NYC Comprehensive Community Food Access Rikers Island

CFAM has also included citywide organizations and additional resources for New Yorkers, which are applicable to community members outside of Rikers Island as well. If you have family, friends or co-workers in other neighborhoods, please refer to our website at www.foodmedcenter.org where we have published guides for neighborhoods across NYC. Please always call the listed organizations before visiting to get the latest information about their services, as many are changing frequently.

If you or someone you know has additional questions or is facing hunger or food insecurity, please contact us at info@foodmedcenter.org or call the following organizations:

• USDA National Hunger Hotline (Hunger Free America): 1-866-3-HUNGRY or 1-877-8-HAMBRE (para español)
• Text the USDA National Hunger Hotline at 914-415-6617 with a question containing the words food, summer, or meals for resources near you.
• HRA’s Emergency Food Hotline: 866-888-8777
• Shelter or Temporary Housing Assistance: 3-1-1

Meals for Seniors (60 years old and above)

Meal delivery services work on a case-by-case basis and may offer breakfast, lunch and/or dinner depending on the case.

• Citymeals on Wheels delivers meals to seniors
  • You must meet the following criteria:
  • Must be 60 years of age or older
  • Must be unable to prepare nutritious meals or have no one to do so for you
  • Must be able to live safely at home if services are provided to you
  • Must be physically or mentally incapacitated and in need of some assistance
  • Even if you receive home care or Medicaid, you are still eligible to get meals if the home care worker cannot prepare a meal to fit your dietary or religious restrictions, or if he or she is designated to assist only with other tasks.
  • Click this link and enter your zip code at the bottom of the page to sign up, or call the organization at 212-687-1234.
• Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) at NYC Health + Hospitals / Kings County
  • The New York State Department of Health's Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) offers free, nutritious foods to seniors aged 60 years of age and older.
  • Provides a free supplemental food package, once a month, to senior citizens 60 years and older. Packages may include: cheese, canned vegetables and fruits, canned meats and fish, breakfast cereals, UHT and nonfat dry milk, fruit juices, rice, spaghetti, macaroni, whole grain rotini, peanut butter, dried beans.
  • The eligibility requirements for CSFP are:
    • You must be 60 years of age or older
    • You must have an income that falls within the CSFP guidelines established by the federal government
    • You must be a resident of New York State
  • To apply, please call a CSFP local agency provider nearest you for application information. Once each month you or your proxy will pick up your food at a convenient food distribution site. The CSFP local agency providers are listed below:
  • Locations:
    • New York Common Pantry
      423-438 E 138th St, Bronx, NY 10454
      (917) 982-2564
    • Food Bank for New York City
      (212) 566-7855
    • Kings County Hospital Center
      91-29 143rd St, Jamaica, NY 11435
      (718) 523-2220
• GoGoGrandparent
  • Allows use of Lyft or Uber without a smartphone.
  • Step 1: Register for GoGoGrandparent by clicking here or by calling 1 (855) 464-6872.
  • Step 2: Call 1 (855) 464-6872 and wait to hear: "Thanks for calling GoGo"
  • Step 3:
    • PRESS 1 to immediately request a Lyft or Uber to your home.
    • PRESS 2 to request a Lyft or Uber to where we dropped you off last.
    • PRESS 3, 4 or 5 to request a Lyft or Uber to a custom pick up location (once you’re registered please give us a call to set these up).
    • PRESS 6 to request a Lyft or Uber with an operator.
    • PRESS 7 to request meals delivered from local restaurants near you, by delivery services like DoorDash, GrubHub, Postmates, and Uber Eats.
    • PRESS 8 to request groceries delivered from local supermarkets, by services like Instacart, Postmates, Shipt, and more.
    • RESS 0 to speak with an operator about scheduling requests in advance or anything else.
• GoGoGroceries
  • Groceries delivered to the door of your home
  • Call 1 (855) 464 - 6872 ext 52730

Citywide Non-Profit Organizations Offering Food Delivery and/or Mobile Markets

• City Harvest Mobile Markets
• CityMeals on Wheels
  • Deliver meals to eligible New Yorkers over 60 years old.
  • Eligibility Requirements
  • Require a Case Manager to coordinate services
• God’s Love We Deliver
  • Deliver meals to eligible New Yorkers who are too sick to cook or shop for themselves.
  • Eligibility Requirements and Application Information
  • Require a Medical Provider to sign the application for services.
• Invisible Hands Deliver
  • A program delivering groceries and other essential items to populations vulnerable to COVID-19.
  • To request a delivery, use the form online or call (732) 639-1579 to request a delivery via phone
• Meals on Wheels America
  • Deliver meals to eligible Network of over 5,000 independently run local programs
  • Search for participating locations near you here.
  • Requirements and eligibility vary from location to location.
  • Some locations may also provide additional services, including pet food and medical supply delivery services.
• GrowNYC Fresh Food Boxes
  • Seasonal produce well below retail prices
  • Visit a Fresh Food Box site near you
  • Pay in cash, credit/debit, EBT/SNAP, Healthfirst OTC cards (LIP and CC members only), Health Bucks, Greenmarket Bucks, or Fresh Connect Coupons for next week’s share. Fresh Food Box uses an equitable pricing system to ensure access for all New Yorkers. Customers can choose one of three prices for the same share of food: $14, $17, or $20.
  • Half-priced Fresh Food Boxes are now available for customers shopping with SNAP! Receive the same great bag of produce for just $7 when you pay with your EBT card at every GrowNYC Fresh Food Box site.
  • Return the following week to pick up your share containing 6-9 items of fresh, high-quality produce.
  • See GrowNYC updates here.
• Mutual Aid Groups
  • Click here to find the closest mutual aid group to you
  • Request help online or call the Mutual Aid NYC Hotline: 646-437-8080
• GrowNYC
  • Farmers Markets and Youthmarkets: offering seasonal, fresh produce, for New York City residents.
  • Locate a market near you here
  • All GrowNYC markets accept SNAP and EBT. Most markets accept Health Bucks and FMNP checks. See the GrowNYC website for more information on using SNAP/EBT and FMNP.
  • Deemed essential businesses, GrowNYC reconfigured 80+ food access sites to keep them open and safe for shoppers, producers, and staff.
  • Working with community partners to deliver free Fresh Food Boxes to low income New Yorkers who are undocumented, unemployed, or struggling in high need neighborhoods.
  • Building out distance learning resources to continue to support educators and the general public as learning spaces move remote.
  • See GrowNYC updates here.
• Common Pantry
  • Providing takeaway meals for hot breakfast and dinner programs
  • Online Ordering is back. Click here to get started.
  • To sign up for the Nourish program, visit either our Manhattan or Bronx locations
    • 8 East 109th Street, East Harlem
    • 1290 Hoe Avenue, Bronx
      • Thursdays and Fridays at 10AM-2PM
      • Saturdays at 10AM-2PM
  • For additional questions about services contact NYCPServices@nycommonpantry.org
• Farms That Are Delivering
  • A database of farms nation-wide that are delivering locally and across the country.
  • Meat, produce, and dairy that can be ordered for purchase and delivery online

Additional Resources for New Yorkers

Health Bucks

Health Bucks is a coupon program that is run by the City of New York for individuals who receive SNAP benefits, to buy fresh, locally-grown produce. Health Bucks can be used at any NYC Farmers Market that accepts SNAP benefits.

• You MUST be a SNAP recipient to be eligible for Health Bucks.
• For every $5 you spend at farmers markets using SNAP on an EBT card, you can automatically and immediately get $2 in Health Bucks
• Pharmacy to Farm Prescription program
• Receive $30 in Health Bucks when you fill your prescription for blood pressure medication at select pharmacies in Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan
• Sign up at any pharmacy listed below:
  • Brooklyn
  • Brooklyn Center Pharmacy at 104 Dekalb Ave., 11201 in Downtown Brooklyn
  • Myrtle Drug Care at 355 Myrtle Ave., 11205 in Fort Greene
  • Park Drugs at 801 Nostrand Ave., 11225 in Crown Heights
  • Whitman Pharmacy at 329A Myrtle Ave., 11205 in Fort Greene
  • Manhattan
  • Drug Mart II at 4873 Broadway, 10034 in Inwood
  • Dyckman Pharmacy at 199 Dyckman St, 10040 in Inwood
  • Nagle Pharmacy at 210 Nagle Ave., 10034 in Inwood
  • New Amsterdam Drug Mart at 698 Amsterdam Ave., 10025 on the Upper West Side
  • New London Pharmacy at 246 8th Ave., 10011 in Chelsea
  • New York City Pharmacy at 206 1st Ave., 10009 in East Village
  • Quick RX UWS at 909 Columbus Ave., 10025 in Upper West Side
  • Queens
    • Image Heights Pharmacy at 7501 37th Ave., 11372 in Jackson Heights
    • Jannat Pharmacy at 7203 35th Ave., 11372 in Jackson Heights
    • Nueva Vida Pharmacy at 81-25 37th Ave., 11372 in Jackson Heights
    • Superior Pharmacy at 80-05 Roosevelt Ave., 11372 in Jackson Heights