Formerly known as Yorkville Common Pantry, New York Common Pantry is the largest nonsectarian neighborhood-based provider of emergency food in New York City, providing more than two million meals annually to individuals and families in and around the Upper East Side and East Harlem communities. The pantry was founded in 1980 by a coalition of Upper East Side churches and synagogues to reduce hunger and promote dignity and self-sufficiency, and receives strong support from its 40 member board of directors.
Each week, this organization provides hundreds of emergency food packages through its 24/7 program. It is the city’s only emergency food pantry open 7 days a week. It serves 1350 hot meals per week and distributes nutritious grocery packages containing 33,000 meals to 1600 low-income families, or approximately 3,700 individuals. In addition, the organization provides on-site showers and laundry facilities, haircuts, psychiatric assessments, emergency shelter and social service aid.
As a founding partner, The Brick Church has very close ties to the pantry. We fill grocery bags at the pantry, hold food drives, provide Thanksgiving turkeys and participate in many other activities. For more information, please contact Deacon Pam Dickson-Thorpe.