Taking Action on Hunger and Homelessness in New York City
November is Homelessness Awareness Month, and November 15-21 is Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week. Our S:US Urban Farms® teams are helping to combat food insecurity and support people experiencing homelessness. Meet the changemakers of our Urban Farms program by watching the video below.
Food insecurity and homelessness are affecting New Yorkers at staggering levels. According to the 2023 True Cost of Living Report, 50% of working households in New York City are struggling to make ends meet, and more than one million New Yorkers earn less than they need to cover basic necessities. Among low-income households with children, nearly 61% experience food insecurity.
Homelessness has also reached levels not seen since the Great Depression. In August 2026, 96,852 people slept in New York City shelters each night, while thousands more were unsheltered and more than 250,000 stayed temporarily in the homes of others. Altogether, more than 350,000 New Yorkers were without a home.
Services for the UnderServed (S:US) works across both food security and housing to help New Yorkers meet their most essential needs. Last year, S:US Urban Farms® grew an estimated 14,000 pounds of fresh produce, herbs, and honey across 98 growing spaces in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronx, including eight community farms.
Our Community Fridges launched in 2022, provides free food and nonperishable items to neighbors at five locations across Brooklyn and the Bronx.
S:US also provides shelter and homelessness prevention services, including shelters serving individuals and families with a range of needs and HomeBase, a community resource center that helps New Yorkers at risk of homelessness remain stably housed.
