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NEW YORK COMMON PANTRY
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 133127972 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE K350 · Food, Agriculture & Nutrition · Large ($10M-$50M) · nycommonpantry.org
revenue
$24.3M
expenses
$23.8M
net assets
$17.5M
employees
144
volunteers
13,629
program ratio
79%
mission · from form 990

NEW YORK COMMON PANTRY REDUCES HUNGER WHILE PROMOTING DIGNITY, HEALTH, AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY, WHICH IT ACHIEVED THROUGH VARIOUS SERVICES, INCLUDING PANTRY, COMMODITIES AND BROWN BAGS DISTRIBUTION, HOT MEAL SERVICE, RESOURCE SCREENING AND ACCESS, HYGIENE SERVICES, LEGAL, PSYCHIATRIC AND MAIL SERVICES, NUTRITION AND WELLNESS EDUCATION, FOOD PRESCRIPTIONS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HEALTH CLINICS AND MEDICAL CENTERS AND DEEP COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH TRUSTED NON-PROFIT AND VOLUNTEER PARTNERS. NYCP PROVIDED HOT MEAL AND BROWN BAG SERVICE, GROCERIES VIA BOTH BRICK AND MORTAR AND MOBILE PANTRIES, COMMODITIES FOR SENIORS, ACCESS TO BENEFITS/RESOURCES, AND NUTRITION EDUCATION SERVICES. IN FY25, NYCP DISTRIBUTED 11,743,091 MEALS, A 6% INCREASE FROM FY24. THIS MEANS THAT IN EACH OF THE LAST FIVE FISCAL YEARS NYCP HAS AVERAGED APPROXIMATELY 1 MILLION MORE MEALS, ANNUALLY.

profile · synthesized from sources

New York Common Pantry reduces hunger and promotes self-sufficiency for low-income New Yorkers through food distribution, nutrition education, and social services. The organization operates a choice pantry and mobile distribution program across New York City, providing millions of meals annually. It integrates food access with resource screening for benefits, legal aid, and health services.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $3.41M
    PROGRAM TWO: CHOICE PANTRY MANHATTANCHOICE PANTRY MANHATTAN DISTRIBUTES A VARIETY OF WHOLESOME AND HEALTHY FOODS VIA 'PANTRY PACKAGES' AVAILABLE TO ANY LOW-INCOME NEW YORKER. THESE FOODS ARE ACCESSED THROUGH BULK PURCHASING, LARGE-SCALE FOOD DONATIONS BY FOOD BANKS, AND NYCP'S FOOD RESCUE TEAM, WHICH PICKS UP FROM WHOLESALERS AND WAREHOUSES, RESTAURANTS, SUPERMARKETS, AND OUR FOOD DRIVE PARTNERS ACROSS THE CITY. PANTRY SCREENING, ENROLLMENT, AND EMERGENCY FOOD PROVISION ARE OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, 365 DAYS A YEAR, WITH SHORTENED HOURS ON SUNDAYS AND HOLIDAYS. REGULAR CHOICE PANTRY MANHATTAN DISTRIBUTION DAYS ARE WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. THE PROGRAM SERVED 2,824,138 MEALS (10% INCREASE VS. FY24) TO 180,996 VISITORS IN FY25. THE CHOICE PANTRY PROGRAM IS INTEGRATED WITH THE HELP 365 RESOURCE SCREENING PROGRAM, WHICH FACILITATES AND ACCESSES OTHER RESOURCES (TAX ASSISTANCE, SNAP, AND HEALTH BENEFITS) TO REDUCE FOOD INSECURITY. THE COST PER MEAL AT CHOICE PANTRY MANHATTAN WAS $1.09 IN FY25. CHOICE PANTRY MANHATTAN IS LOCATED AT 8 EAST 109TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10029.
  2. #2 $2.11M
    PROGRAM THREE: MOBILE PANTRY THE MOBILE PANTRY PROGRAM DISTRIBUTES FOOD ACROSS NYC TO OVER 75 REGULAR LOCATIONS EACH MONTH, OFTEN MORE THAN ONCE. IN ADDITION, THE PROGRAM SERVED OVER 100 POP-UP SITES. THE PROGRAM UTILIZES A 'TRUSTED PARTNER' MODEL, AND EACH PROGRAM IS VETTED AND SCREENED. DEPENDING ON THE ABILITY OF THE SITE, NYCP WILL ALSO PROVIDE OTHER SERVICES LIKE HELP 365 CASE MANAGEMENT AND LIVE HEALTHY (NUTRITION EDUCATION) SERVICES. THE PROGRAM SERVED 2,279,050 MEALS (11% INCREASE VS. FY24) TO 151,135 VISITORS IN FY25. THE COST PER MEAL WAS $0.93 IN THE MOBILE PANTRY PROGRAM.
named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

Choice Pantry Manhattan
Distributes pantry packages of wholesome food to low-income New Yorkers at 8 East 109th Street; open 365 days a year with screening, enrollment, and emergency food provision. Integrated with HELP 365 resource screening for SNAP, tax, and health benefits.
HELP 365 Resource Screening
Provides case management and access to benefits including SNAP, tax assistance, and health benefits; integrated with pantry services to reduce food insecurity and promote self-sufficiency.
Live Healthy Nutrition Education
Offers nutrition and wellness education to clients, promoting health and informed food choices as part of a holistic approach to food security.
Mobile Pantry
Brings food to over 75 regular locations and 100 pop-up sites monthly across NYC using a trusted partner model; also offers HELP 365 case management and Live Healthy nutrition education services.
activities · 4 groups

What they do

  • Food Distribution and Hunger Relief 5 activities
    • Distributing emergency food and daily meals
      Provides emergency bags of food for first-time registrants and operates daily meal programs including Brown Bag Lunches to Go on Sundays. Distributes over 8 million meals annually through rescued surplus food from restaurants, markets, and events. Total distribution reached 11,743,091 meals in fiscal year 2025, a 6% increase from the prior year.
    • Operating Choice Pantry Programs
      Distributes supplemental grocery packages containing protein, dairy, grains, fruit, and vegetables every two weeks to registered households, with package size based on household composition. Served 2,824,138 meals to 180,996 visitors through the Manhattan program in fiscal year 2025.
    • Operating Farm to Community and Food MD programs
      Distributes weekly farm shares with 6–8 varieties of seasonal produce suitable for 1–2 people. Runs Food MD, a prescription program that includes health screenings, nutrition workshops, biweekly pantry access, fresh produce, and social services to reduce chronic disease risk among high-need populations.
    • Organizing volunteer and charitable drives
      Operates on-site volunteer programs at food pantries in Manhattan and the Bronx and a hot meals program in Harlem. Engages external groups in off-site activities such as food drives for the Choice Pantry, toiletry collections for Project Dignity, and sandwich donations for Help 365. Organizes annual drives for Thanksgiving food and toys in partnership with schools, companies, faith groups, and community organizations.
    • Running mobile pantry programs
      Delivers food directly to communities across Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn through mobile pantry services. Distributed 2,279,050 meals to 151,135 visitors in fiscal year 2025.
  • Youth and Family Cooking Education 1 activity
    • Conducting nutrition education and healthy eating programs
      Delivers behaviorally focused nutrition education and obesity prevention workshops in schools, community centers, senior centers, pantries, colleges, and healthcare settings. Offers in-person and virtual sessions in English, Spanish, and Chinese covering nutrition basics, healthy lifestyles, and budgeting. Hosts live cooking demonstrations via Zoom and Facebook Live through the Recipe Club featuring seasonal, budget-friendly recipes.
  • Mobile and Fixed Hygiene Services 1 activity
    • Operating hygiene and essential services for unhoused individuals
      Provides shower, laundry, haircut, and mail services to unhoused individuals through Project Dignity. Showers and laundry available Monday through Friday mornings; men's haircuts on Thursdays and children’s on Tuesdays; mail service Tuesday–Friday during specified hours. Sign-up required in person before 10:30am on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • Public Benefits Navigation and Enrollment 1 activity
    • Providing case management and public benefits assistance
      Offers comprehensive case management services including SNAP, Medicaid, SSI/D, rental assistance, unemployment, and eviction prevention support. Directly processes applications on-site and provides referrals for financial counseling, legal services, tax preparation, housing, medical care, and substance abuse treatment. Integrates food distribution with HELP 365 screenings to connect participants with health and social services.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$24.35M
Contributions & grants$23.87M98%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$286K1%
Other revenue$187K
expenses
Total expenses$23.76M
Program expenses79%
Admin / overhead13%
Fundraising8%
Salaries & benefits$7.54M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$27.25M
Cash$3.24M
Investments$1.87M
Liabilities$9.71M
Net assets$17.54M
Liquid reserves2.6 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +5.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 6
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
GRIMALDI STEPHEN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 35 $428K
SECON JUDITH DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 35 $228K
MURTHA DEANA SENIOR DIRECTOR-INSTITUTIONAL GIVING 35 $156K
ONAIFO GREG SENIOR DIRECTOR OF FINANCE 35 $150K
AL-AMIN MUHAMMAD MANAGING DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS 35 $138K
NAZARIO-BALTAR ZORAYA MANAGING DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS 35 $129K
board members · 19
  • ANDREWS SHERRELL — TRUSTEE
  • BECKSTROM BRAD — TRUSTEE
  • BERNSTEIN HARTLEY — TRUSTEE
  • BROWN EDWARD — VICE CHAIR
  • CLARK ELAINE — VICE CHAIR
  • CRAWFORD SCOTT — TRUSTEE
  • DAVIS THADDEUS — TRUSTEE
  • EMERY PAUL — VICE CHAIR
  • FENTON-SCHAFER DIDI — TRUSTEE
  • FISHMAN JIM — TRUSTEE
  • FRAWLEY CANDICE — TRUSTEE
  • FRITZ AMY — VICE CHAIR
  • HIGGINS CHARLIE — TRUSTEE
  • HUNEKE ANNIE — TRUSTEE
  • JONES DOMINIQUE — TRUSTEE
  • LI CHRISTINA — TREASURER
  • MERILL SUSAN — TRUSTEE
  • MORALES DOREEN — TRUSTEE
  • NACHMAN MICHAEL — TRUSTEE
relationships · 21

Who they work with

  • BBB Wise Giving Alliance Government — Accredited New York Common Pantry under BBB’s charity standards.
  • Bloomberg Partner — Collaborated on publishing content about NYCP's health and community programs.
  • CEAL Government — Recognized New York Common Pantry with a Web Badge for community engagement and accountability.
  • Candid Government — Awarded New York Common Pantry a Platinum Seal of Transparency.
  • Charity Navigator Government — Rated New York Common Pantry with a Four-Star Rating.
  • Dagele Brothers Produce Partner — Partner in the Farm to Community program supplying seasonal fruits and vegetables.
  • Double the Donation Partner — Partners with Double the Donation to facilitate employer volunteer grant matching for supporters.
  • GrowNYC Partner — Partner in the Farm to Community program providing local produce for farm shares.
  • HELP 365 Partner — Integrated resource screening program that connects NYCP participants with tax assistance, SNAP, and health benefits.
  • Help 365 Partner — Collaborates with Help 365 case managers to register participants and assist with public benefits enrollment.
  • Hudson Harvest Partner — Distributes local food from over 70 regional producers to New York Common Pantry as part of the New York Food for New York Families program.
  • Hunter College New York City Food Policy Center Partner — Published research on how NYC households are navigating SNAP benefit losses in 2026.
  • Larry Morales Toy Drive Partner — Hosts the annual Larry Morales Toy Drive as part of its charitable activities.
  • Project Dignity Partner — Partners with Project Dignity to provide case management and services for unhoused individuals, including food, hygiene, mail, and housing support.
  • Starrlight Pizza Partner — Supplies organic, sustainably made sourdough bread to New York Common Pantry for distribution to guests.
  • Sweet Spice & Honey Partner — Supplies artisanal halal baked goods made with locally sourced ingredients to New York Common Pantry for distribution to guests.
  • The Grandpa Farm Partner — Provides fresh produce including peppers, celery, jalapeños, and cabbage to New York Common Pantry through the New York Food for New York Families program.
  • community agencies Partner — Partners with community agencies across New York City to deliver SNAP screening and application assistance through the Help 365 Mobile program.
  • map.thefoodpantries.org Partner — Partners with map.thefoodpantries.org to connect individuals with community food resources.
  • restaurants, caterers, food markets, supermarkets and events Partner — Partner businesses that donate surplus food to NY Common Pantry's food rescue program.
  • social service providers Partner — Collaborates with social service providers to directly process SNAP and Medicaid applications on-site at Help 365 offices.
strategies · 4

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Client-Choice Model with Case Management
    methodology: client_choice_model
    By allowing clients to choose their own food items within a structured pantry setting, we increase dignity and engagement; combining this with case management links immediate food access to long-term stability because autonomy and personalized support together reduce dependency and improve health outcomes.
  • Food Rescue to Reduce Waste and Hunger
    methodology: food_rescue
    By redirecting surplus food from businesses to communities in need, we simultaneously reduce food waste and food insecurity because coordinated recovery systems allow efficient redistribution of otherwise lost resources.
  • Food as a Foundation for Stability and Health
    methodology: food_is_medicine
    By treating food as a foundational need that enables broader stability, we integrate nourishment with health education, benefits enrollment, and social services because addressing hunger alone is insufficient—combining it with wraparound support creates pathways to long-term well-being and self-sufficiency.
  • Long-Term Independence through Integrated Services
    methodology: two_generation_approach
    By combining emergency food access with supportive services like benefits screening, case management, and health programs, we produce long-term resident stability because addressing both immediate needs and systemic barriers enables movement toward self-sufficiency.