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22 New York City food pantries to start offering pet food
By
Karen Yi
Published Oct 13, 2026
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By
Karen Yi
Published Oct 13, 2026
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Some city-funded food pantries will begin offering pet food next week for the first time — as part of the Mamdani administration’s effort to help New Yorkers afford to keep their pets.
Starting on Monday, 22 food pantries will provide dog and cat food using about $500,000 in city funding, city officials said.
Pantries cite growing demand for pet food as owners struggle to feed themselves and their pets. But few places in the city offer free pet food. With rising costs and tighter budgets, officials said many New Yorkers are surrendering their pets, crowding animal shelters.
“For many of us, a pet isn’t a luxury. It’s family. And when budgets get tight, we know people will skip their own meals before they let their animals go hungry, or worse, pressured to give them up,” Department of Social Services Commissioner Erin Dalton said in a statement.
Dalton said the measure is part of the Community Food Connection program, which funds 700 pantries across the five boroughs. This year, the Mamdani administration boosted funding for the program, including $500,000 for pet food.
The pantries will offer dry and canned food, including brands such as Gravy Train, Purina One, 9 Lives, and Cat Café. Those interested in finding a participating pantry can visit the Food Help NYC map or see the list below:
Bronx
- Part of the Solution: 2759 Webster Ave., 10458
- New York Common Pantry: 1290 Hoe Ave., 10459
- Davidson Community Center: 2038 Davidson Ave., 10453
- The Kingsbridge Heights Community Center: 3067 Kingsbridge Terrace, 10463
Queens
- First United Methodist Church of Jamaica: 162-10 Highland Ave., 11432
- River Fund: 89-11 Lefferts Blvd., 11418
- Yeshua Worldwide Ministries Food Pantry: 7911 Caldwell Ave., 11379
- Hour Children Community Outreach: 36-49 11th St., 11106
Brooklyn
- Community Help in Park Slope: 200 Fourth Ave., 11217
- Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty: 5361 Preston Court, 11234
- On the Go Relief: 2832 Fulton St., 11207
- St. John’s Bread and Life Food Pantry: 795 Lexington Ave., 11221
- The Campaign Against Hunger: 2004 Fulton St., 11233
- YMCA Community Market: 2980 West 29th St., 11224
Manhattan
- Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen Pantry: 296 Ninth Ave., 10001
- New York Common Pantry: 8 East 109th St., 10029
- St. Clemens Food Pantry: 423 West 46th St., 10036
- The Father’s Heart Ministries: 543-545 East 11th St., 10009
- The Lower Eastside Girls Club: 402 East Eighth St., 10009
- Trinity’s Services and Food for the Homeless: 602 East Ninth St., 10009
Staten Island
- Project Hospitality: 205 Canal St., 10304
- Feeding with TLC: 309 St. Paul’s Ave., 10304
Tagged
affordability
food
new york city
pets
Karen Yi
Karen Yi covers homelessness and poverty. She joined the WNYC and Gothamist newsroom in 2020. Before that, Karen covered Newark for the Star-Ledger and spent almost a decade working for newspapers in New Jersey and Florida. She grew up in Miami and has a dog named Cashew. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or Signal 917-589-1460.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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