When it comes to fighting hunger and food insecurity for New Yorkers, teamwork makes the dream work.
On September 30, 2026, Catholic Charities of New York’s Westchester neighborhood center in Yonkers teamed up with Meals on Main Street, a Port Chester–based hunger relief organization, for a Mobile Food Pantry distribution that provided neighbors in need with the equivalent of 1,000 meals’ worth of fresh produce, protein, and pantry staples.
“I found out about this event about two weeks ago through a text message and I was very happy because I recently had my food stamps taken away from me,” said Dinys, who participated in the event, referring to recent federal cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that have deepened the need for hunger relief. “I came into Catholic Charities to sign up, and everyone was very kind and helpful.”
Then, she spread the word.
“Dinys recommended this mobile food pantry to me,” said Candita, who also received a bundle of food and ingredients at the event. “It was really good help not only for me, but for my daughter and grandson. I was very happy about the news.”
Residents lined up for the event before food distribution started. Each was provided with a calendar of similar food distributions in the area for the month of October.
Many of the people served by the Mobile Food Pantry are participants in Catholic Charities of New York’s Day Laborers Program in Yonkers (Programa de Jornaleros y Jornaleras de Yonkers), a workforce development program that includes skills training in trades from construction to cooking, as well as site safety and OSHA certification training, English as a Second Language (ESOL) and GED classes, and even legal advocacy to combat wage theft.
In Westchester County, recent estimates indicate that 11% of households face food insecurity, meaning they lack substantial nutrition or don’t know where their next meal will come from. In the city of Yonkers, where 13.8% of the population lives below the poverty line, the situation is even more dire, with some neighborhoods reporting food insecurity affecting 2 in 5 households.
Candita and Dinys agreed that the need in the area is serious. “Events like this are very important because there are some families that aren’t able to afford groceries, especially with high rent and bills, and this is a way of helping the community that is struggling with their income.”
Janet Hernandez, Westchester Coordinator for Catholic Charities of New York’s Day Laborers Program, sees food relief as part of the wider goal of delivering not just help, but hope to a community in need. “Working together with other organizations, in this case with Meals on Main Street, to nourish our community is a way of building community through solidarity, dignity, and respect,” she said.
“When we come together, we not only share food—we build connections, strengthen relationships, and remind one another that no one must face challenges alone,” added Hernandez.
The Day Laborers Program thanks staff from several divisions across Catholic Charities of New York for their help in making this event a success: Sheila Tineo, Tenant Advocate, Preserving Housing – Eviction Prevention Grant Program; Mariana Duenas, Program Manager, Refugee Resettlement; Yesenia Ariza, Job Developer, Refugee Resettlement; Marcela Arano, Case Assistant, AMP Program; Amarilis Hidalgo, Nutrition Outreach Education Program Coordinator; the Food and Housing Division: Lizbeth Quiroz Jimenez, Day Laborers Program Intern; along with the Day Laborers Program team: Lucia Goyen, Director; Janet Hernandez, Program Coordinator; Joann Torres, Community Organizer; and Alexa Mayorquin, Training Coordinator.
A big thank you to Meals on Main Street and its Director, Jon Haseltine, who was in attendance for the Mobile Food Pantry.
