West Side Campaign Against Hunger

WSCAH will be closed Friday, June 19, in observance of Juneteenth.

We’ll reopen with regular hours on Monday, June 22.

Coincidence that our colors match the Knicks’? 💙🧡We’d like to think it’s just good timing.

53 years of waiting, one parade, millions of people out in the streets. That same spirit was alive at our block party this month: volunteering, learning, decorated hats, orange and blue as far as the eye could see.
The trophy’s new. The way New Yorkers show up for each other isn’t.

Go Knicks!

What an inspiring afternoon bringing together leaders from across New York’s emergency feeding sector. Members of the Roundtable gathered to share ideas, exchange best practices, and strengthen our collective commitment to ensuring all New Yorkers have access to nutritious food.
 
From showcasing innovative solutions like GRAIL, an AI-powered invoice analysis tool helping organizations save hundreds of thousands in purchasing costs, to discussing the power of advocacy and collaboration, the event highlighted what’s possible when we work together.
 
We were also thrilled to welcome CHiPS (Community Help in Park Slope) as the tenth member of The Roundtable.
 
Together, we’re building a stronger, more connected emergency feeding network across NYC and beyond.
 
Thank you to everyone who joined us, shared your expertise, and helped make the day  a success.

Happy Pride Month from the WSCAH community!
 
As New Yorkers celebrate Pride in the city where the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement began, we’re proud to stand with our neighbors and work toward a future where everyone has access to the food, resources, and support they need to thrive.
 
This month and every month, we celebrate the strength, resilience, and contributions of LGBTQ+ communities across New York City and beyond.

What a day! 🎉 More than 1,000 neighbors joined us for WSCAH Rocks the Block on Sunday, filling West 86th Street with energy, action, and community.
 
Together, we packed healthy groceries for New Yorkers facing food insecurity, advocated for a more equitable food system, celebrated young writers from our Writing Against Hunger program, and enjoyed an afternoon of music, food, crafts, and connection.
 
Thank you to everyone who volunteered, attended, sponsored, and supported this event. For more than 45 years, WSCAH has worked to ensure New Yorkers have dignified access to healthy food and essential benefits, and Sunday was a powerful reminder of what we can accomplish when we come together. We are so grateful to our partners, sponsors, volunteers, and neighbors for making this year’s Rocks the Block unforgettable. 💙

Today, WSCAH joined advocates, providers, and community organizations on the steps of City Hall to call for the restoration of funding for the NYCBenefits program.
 
WSCAH CEO Greg Silverman and Chief Program Officer Alyson Rosenthal stood alongside partners urging city leaders to invest $9.75 million in FY27 and beyond to sustain this critical program, which helps thousands of New Yorkers access benefits like SNAP, Medicaid, Fair Fares, and HEAP.
 
As the cost of living continues to rise, benefits access remains one of the most effective ways to strengthen economic security and help families put food on the table. NYCBenefits connects New Yorkers to resources they are eligible for and ensures they can access the support they need.
 
We are proud to stand with our partners in advocating for continued investment in programs that help New Yorkers thrive.
 
CommunitySupport

Over 400,000 New Yorkers are excluded from SNAP benefits due to systemic barriers. That means many families are forced to rely on food pantries while also facing barriers that make it difficult or unsafe to wait in pantry lines.

That’s why we launched a home delivery pilot for New Yorkers excluded from SNAP. Families receive fresh, culturally familiar groceries delivered directly to their doors twice a month, bringing nourishment, stability, and dignity to households across our city.

We are currently serving 296 households and working to reach 500 by June. Every delivery means one more family can focus less on survival and more on living.

Hunger is shaped by policy decisions, and access to food is a basic need, not a privilege.

Recent changes to SNAP are already leading to fewer people receiving food assistance nationwide, with millions projected to lose some or all of their benefits in the coming years. Stricter work requirements, reduced eligibility, and major cost shifts to states are making it harder for families to access the support they need to put food on the table.

At WSCAH, we are seeing the impact in real time. When SNAP becomes harder to access, more hungry neighbors turn to emergency food providers like us and our Roundtable partners, often with greater need and fewer resources.

This moment is a reminder of how critical SNAP is as a first line of defense against hunger. It also shows why community-based organizations are so essential in filling the gaps and advocating for fair access to food. We will continue to show up for our community and speak out about the policies that affect food security across New York City and beyond.

Read more: https://www.cbpp.org/research/food-assistance/snap-tracker-people-are-losing-food-assistance-as-the-republican-megabill