Bringing together local leaders, independent restaurants and community organizations, new program addresses recent surge in food insecurity

NEW YORK — Continued fallout from the pandemic and the rise in grocery prices due to inflation means more New Yorkers are facing food insecurity, and Grubhub’s Serving the City is partnering with members of the New York City Council to help address the need. Launching tomorrow, the program will run for at least 16 weeks and expects to deliver 25,000 meals to communities in need across each of the City Council’s 51 districts.

“Grubhub launched Serving the City to help address the surge in food insecurity which is up 36% citywide—and 46% among children,” said Adam DeWitt, Grubhub CEO. “And as with every community-first initiative, locking arms with local leaders helps ensure we maximize our impact by focusing on those who need it most. We’re off to an amazing start, and we can’t wait to roll this program out across the entire city as soon as possible.”

Tomorrow, at an event with Speaker Adrienne Adams (District 28), Serving the City will bring 500 meals from Unique Eats to two senior residences: Calvary Baptist Senior Housing (CALBAC) and Northeastern Towers Annex. 

“Food insecurity remains a challenge for many New Yorkers, including residents who live in District 28,” said Speaker Adrienne Adams. “Small businesses and restaurants are also struggling to recover from the pandemic, and need support from community partners. Grubhub’s new Serving the City initiative will bring together elected officials, local eateries, and residents to deliver meals to those who need it most. I thank Grubhub, Unique Eats, Calvary Baptist Senior Housing, Northeastern Towers Annex, and other partners throughout New York City for being part of this new innovative program.”

Last month, Grubhub kicked off a pilot of the program with Council Member Julie Menin (District 5), purchasing 500 meals from family-owned restaurant Mansion Diner and distributing them to area residents at The Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center. Additionally, in coordination with Council Member Majorie Velazquez (District 13), Grubhub purchased 500 meals from Havana Cafe that were distributed at the Throggs Neck Community Alliance. 

“Grubhub’s Serving the City initiative is an excellent partnership between community leaders, small businesses and an online food ordering company,” said Council Member Julie Menin, Chair of the City Council Small Business Committee. “By partnering with our local restaurants, GrubHub is truly committing dedicated resources to combating hunger in New York City.”

Over the next three months, Grubhub’s Serving the City will work with Council Members to help identify locations for meal distribution including housing authorities, senior centers and community organizations in their district. Local, independent restaurants will provide more than 500 meals at one or more distribution events per district. 

The COVID-19 pandemic and recent rise in grocery prices have increased food insecurity across the nation, impacting nearly 1.5 million New Yorkers, including one in four children. 

“The Isaacs Center is proud to partner with Grubhub, Council Member Julie Menin and the Mansion Diner in taking one more step towards eliminating hunger and food security in our community,” said Roderick L. Jones, president of the Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center.

Serving the City is the latest effort from Grubhub to help close the hunger gap. The company is a leading supporter of the Food Donation Improvement Act, which encourages companies to donate surplus food and grocery products to nonprofits by providing civil and criminal liability protection to food donors and food recovery organizations. Grubhub also partners with organizations fighting food insecurity, including Food Bank for NYC, Boys and Girls Clubs, and Rescuing Leftover Cuisine, a food rescue non-profit headquartered in New York City that purchases meals from minority and women-owned restaurants that are donated back into the community to food insecure families. Grubhub Community Fund grants to these and other related organizations totaled more than $2 million in 2021.

For more information about Grubhub’s Community Impact programs, visit https://about-stage.grubhub.com/community/programs/.

Supporting Voices

“GrubHub’s Serving The City is taking bold initiative in combating the food insecurity that has been exacerbated by the pandemic,” said Council Member Marjorie Velázquez. “I was thrilled to partner with them and local restaurant Havana Café to provide meals and produce at Throggs Neck Community Alliance.”

“We were so excited to partner with Grubhub’s Serving the City program, along with Council Member Marjorie Velazquez, to provide nutritious and delicious meals from a local favorite restaurant, Havana Cafe,” said Angela Torres, director of Throggs Neck Community Alliance. “The pandemic and current inflation conditions have further weighed upon our community in the Bronx, but these meals were a welcome treat that brought nutrition and hope into the lives of our residents. On behalf of Throggs Neck Community Alliance, we extend our gratitude and cannot wait to see this project continue to make a profound impact.”

“Food insecurity is something that quite frankly is unacceptable in a city and, for that matter, a country like ours,” said John Phillips, 3rd generation owner of The Mansion Diner. “Millions of pounds of food are thrown in the garbage every single year, which is why we jumped at the chance to partner with NYC’s largest food delivery service to give back to the community which supports us all.”

“Upon opening Unique Eats NYC, it has been my mission to provide healthier, more diverse food options for the community,” said Chef Uniqua Grant, owner of Unique Eats NYC. “We pride ourselves on serving fresh, locally-sourced products which are always made to order! It’s an honor to Serve The City.”