Pop-Up Food Pantries At NHPS Provide Groceries, Emergency Food Assistance For SNAP Recipients: Mayor

From Mayor Justin Elicker:

NEW HAVEN, CT — Friday morning, Mayor Justin Elicker was joined by Superintendent Madeline Negrón, United Way of Greater New Haven CEO Jennifer Heath and community volunteers to highlight new pop-up food pantries at New Haven Public Schools that will provide essential groceries and food assistance to SNAP recipients and food-insecure families.

Following the announcement, Elicker joined volunteers to help pack and load the food items, which will be distributed later that day.

"Given the Trump Administration’s ongoing delay in the delivery of SNAP food assistance benefits, the city has organized two new pop-up food pantries to provide free nonperishable groceries to individuals and families in need," Elicker said.

The first pop-up pantry is Friday from 4 to 5:30 pm at the Lincoln-Bassett School, located at 130 Bassett Street in Newhallville. The walk-up line will start at Lincoln-Basset Park on Shelton Avenue, and the drive-through line will start at Shelton Avenue and Ivy Street with distribution on Butler Street.

The second pop-up pantry is scheduled for next Friday, Nov. 14 from 4 to 5:30 pm at the John Martinez School, located at 100 James Street in Fair Haven.

For each pop-up, food packages will be available and distributed to up to 450 families on a first-come, first-served basis.

These pop-ups add to 25 local food pantries and soup kitchens located across the city that are distributing food at various dates, times and locations.

The pop-up pantries are the latest in series of initiatives by the City of New Haven, United Way of Greater New Haven, Coordinated Food Assistance Network (CFAN) and other community partners to support food insecure residents in the city and region given the stoppage in SNAP benefits by the Trump Administration, which the City of New Haven and other municipalities have sued to be restored. Last week, the Neighbors United Emergency Response Fund was announced, which is a regional campaign to organize and galvanize monetary and food donations towards local pantries and SNAP recipients.

Individuals, businesses and organizations who have the means can make charitable contributions and donate nonperishable food items to the emergency response fund and local food pantries at uwgnh.org/neighborsunited.

Residents in need of emergency food and groceries can also go to uwgnh.org/neighborsunited to get connected to a local food pantry along with other opportunities for additional financial assistance -- or call 211 or go to 211ct.org.