SUNSET PARK — City Harvest is distributing free fresh food, particularly vegetables and fruits, at a mobile market to help Brooklynites put meals on the table during holiday season. The mobile market will be an outdoor free farmers’ market-style distribution of free fresh fruits and vegetables for community residents, sourced by the Cohen Community Rescue Center, on Friday, Dec. 13, starting at 10 a.m. Friday’s mobile market is organized as visits to food pantries in New York City are the highest on record, with average monthly visits up 82% compared to 2019, according to a recent report by City Harvest. Moreover, new research from the NYC-based Robin Hood Foundation, which funds nonprofits to help lift people out of poverty, shows that a majority (67%) of those who utilize New York City food pantries are employed but need help to manage tight budgets with cost-of-living increases, particularly households with children. The citywide trends are mirrored at City Harvest’s mobile markets, which have seen a 72% increase in visits since 2019.
Since beginning the program in 2004, City Harvest’s Mobile Markets have seen one million visits from community members and expanded to nine Mobile Markets sites and 18 Community Partner Distribution sites across all five boroughs of New York City. An interactive map on City Harvest’s website lets users enter their addresses for the nearest location.
During the last year alone, the program has distributed more than 3.1 million pounds of free food, serving more than 111,000 households.
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