Tackling NYC's food insecurity: Why students need more than education to thrive | amNewYork

"Photo via Getty Images With fall upon us and New Yorkers preparing for upcoming holidays, the stark reality remains: thousands of students and families across New York City continue to face food insecurity every day. According to the latest data from Feeding America, 1.4 million New Yorkers are facing food insecurity, and 1 in 4 children do not know where their next meal will come from."

"According to a 2025 report from the Office of the New York State Comptroller, the food price index is still over 25 percent higher than it was in 2019. With prices climbing, that impossible choice is becoming even harder to make. And when a child comes to school hungry, they struggle to focus, learn, and thrive in the classroom. Programs like New York Edge the city's largest provider of school-based afterschool and summer programming across all five boroughs and Long Island are increasingly stepping in to address this critical need."

"No young person should bear the weight that comes with wondering when their next meal is and if it will be enough to sustain them. While these programs have helped alleviate financial burdens for many families, the need for increased funding has only grown with rising grocery costs stretching budgets to a breaking point. As parents and caregivers continue to face mounting pressure from inflation, ensuring that these families have reliable support and access to essential resources is more critical now than ever."

1.4 million New Yorkers face food insecurity and one in four children do not know where their next meal will come from. Many families must choose between meals and essentials like rent or transportation as grocery prices remain more than 25 percent higher than in 2019. Hunger undermines students' ability to focus, learn, and thrive in school. New York Edge provides afterschool and summer programming and operates food pantries in food deserts across all five boroughs and Long Island to reduce insecurity. Funding restrictions often limit food spending, increasing the need for expanded, reliable financial support amid ongoing inflation.

Read at www.amny.com