Food Assistance

The Food Pantry is located in Kerrey Hall during the fall 2020 semester and is accessible by appointment only. Students can make an appointment and find instructions for accessing the pantry at the Virtual Food Pantry site.

The Food Pantry will be distributing pre-packed bags on Wednesdays from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon during the fall 2020 semester by appointment only. Make an appointment.

When you visit the Food Pantry, you will receive an orientation to the food and services we provide. You will be able to receive food items after completing a demographics survey and meeting with a staff person who may be able to connect you to additional resources related to food and housing security, health, and academics. Services and referrals you receive are independent from your academic records.

The Food Pantry at The New School is supported by staff from Student Support and Advocacy and Housing and Residential Education. It also has a large team of volunteers from across the university that includes staff, faculty, and students.

The New School partners with the Food Bank for New York City and obtains food through its discounted wholesale system and donations. In accordance with USDA nutrition guidelines, food items include grains, proteins, dairy, vegetables, and fruits. We use a customer choice model, in which you choose a certain number of  items from each food group. Most of our food is nonperishable, but we occasionally have fresh fruits and vegetables, provided through Corbin Hill Farm Share. We hope to expand our selection to include more fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables.

There are a few ways to refer students to the pantry. You can send them the link to make an appointment or you can direct them to the Virtual Food Pantry site. If you have access to Starfish, you can make a referral through the system to Student Support and Advocacy. You can also email foodpantry@newschool.edu to refer students or inquire about what we offer or contact the Food Pantry's director, Andrea MacFarlane, at 212.229.5900 x3965.

There are many ways you can get involved with the Food Pantry, from helping manage the space to organizing food drives around campus. Below are several options, but there may be others you can identify and help develop. Email foodpantry@newschool.edu to sign up. Food security is health!

Adopt the Pantry

Programs, offices, student organizations, and entire schools can adopt the Food Pantry for a given month. If you adopt the pantry, you will be responsible for promotion within your unit, collecting the food items, and delivering them to the pantry during that month.

Food we can accept:

• Nonperishable food items
• Canned foods like soup, fruit, and vegetables
• Boxed food like cereal, granola bars, pasta, and grains
• Shelf-stable dairy items before the expiration date
• Shelf-stable juice before the expiration date

Nonfood items we can accept:

• Unopened or individually packaged hygiene products
• Cookware (utensils, pots, pans, etc.)
• Household items and cleaning products

Volunteer at Distributions

We need help at pantry distributions to stock shelves, organize the pantry, and orient students to the pantry. Email foodpantry@newschool.edu if you'd like to get involved.

All Hands on Deck: Unloading and Organizing Donations

We need all hands on deck when deliveries arrive at 6 East 16th Street. If you want to be part of the crew that receive an email blast and then hurry over to the building to help unload the delivery, let us know.

Become a Cook: Helping with Food Demonstrations, Developing Recipes, and Tabling

Want to help with food demonstrations, developing recipes, and tabling around campus? This is beyond the walls of the pantry and is an excellent opportunity for people who want to promote the pantry with food and programming.

Make Food Security a Class Project

Are you a professor or a student? Make food security a central part of your curriculum. Consider questions like: What would programs beyond a pantry look like? What does the university need in order to provide food security to all community members? How can our class creatively support The New School's Food Pantry?

Fundraising

Can your program, student organization, or school match funds so that we can expand what we offer? A few examples:

• We would love to provide a larger variety of options for students. How can we make that a reality?
• We will be hosting online food drives in which you can buy our most needed and most popular items through the Food Bank For New York City's discount bulk website.
• We purchase farm shares for the pantry that cost $15. Can you host a fundraiser to help us purchase share(s)?

The Food Bank for New York City conducts pre-screenings to assess eligibility and enroll in food stamps/SNAP. The Food Bank offers access to trained professionals who provide detailed information and answer questions.

Their food stamp information call center is available Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., at 212.894.8060. You can also check for eligibility and/or apply for food stamps/SNAP yourself online.

It is recommended that you visit the sites below to get the most up-to-date food distribution schedules. For information about emergency food program locations and hours of operation, call the Emergency Food Line at 866.888.8777. This is an automated hotline available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The New York City Human Resources Administration also has an online, interactive map of food pantry locations throughout the city.

Food Bank for New York City
212.566.7855

The Food Bank for New York City website has a list of food pantries and soup kitchens by location and borough.

Hetrick Martin Institute for LGBTQ youth ages 13–24
2 Astor Place at Broadway
212.674.2600

Middle Collegiate Church Food Pantry and Soup Kitchen
50 East 7th Street at 2nd Avenue
212.477.0666

The Village Temple Soup Kitchen
33 East 12th Street at University Place
212.674.2340

GMHC Meals Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry
446 West 33rd Street
212.367.1263