Food insecurity isn’t just about hunger—it’s about the lack of consistent access to enough nutritious food to lead an active, healthy life. It’s a challenge fueled by unemployment, lack of access to transportation, poverty, and sudden financial hardships, often leading to serious health and economic consequences. In fact, research shows that food-insecure adults incur 20% (about $2,500) more per year in healthcare costs than families with sufficient food.
For years, food insecurity in Westchester remained steady, affecting about 8% of households between 2015 and 2021, a rate lower than state and national averages. However, rising inflation and the financial strain of the COVID-19 pandemic have deepened preexisting inequalities. The 2024 ALICE Report from United Way of Westchester and Putnam reveals that about 1 in 4 households in the county earn above the federal poverty level yet still live paycheck to paycheck, leaving them vulnerable to afford basic necessities, including nutritious food.
Black and Latinx households experience disproportionate food insecurity in Westchester
Food insecurity disproportionately affects Black and Latinx communities nationwide, and Westchester is no exception. In Westchester, Black and Latinx households rely on government-funded food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) at nearly four times the rate of White and Asian households.
Between 2018 and 2022, 22% of Black households and 18% of Latinx households participated in SNAP, compared to 5% of Asian and 4% of White households. Participation among Black, Latinx, and Asian households increased between 2008 and 2012, while rates among White households have remained essentially unchanged.
In some areas, food insecurity is even more concentrated. In Yonkers, 25% of Black households and 26% of Latinx households in Yonkers relied on SNAP assistance, highlighting significant disparities in food access.
Looking at the broader picture, Black households account for 32% of SNAP recipients in Westchester yet make up only 14% of total households, underscoring a stark disparity in food insecurity and economic hardship.
Addressing food insecurity is a key step toward health equity
Lack of access to nutritious food is a critical determinant of health at every stage of life. Families who cannot afford or struggle to access fresh, healthy foods are often forced to rely on cheaper, processed alternatives high in fat, sugar, and sodium. These dietary imbalances increase the risk of obesity, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes.
The impact is particularly severe in Black and Latinx communities, where systemic barriers to healthcare further widen existing health disparities. According to the American Diabetes Association, these communities face higher rates of diet-related illnesses, experience more complications, disproportionate diabetes mortality rates, may lack health insurance, and receive lower-quality medical care—putting them at an even higher risk for long-term health problems. Addressing food insecurity is crucial for promoting health equity and preventing chronic disease.
Westchester takes action to improve food access
In Westchester, local food programs are experiencing demand that surpasses pre-pandemic levels. While many families continue to face economic hardship, additional pressures—including rising food costs due to inflation, an influx of newly arrived migrants, and a decline in donations following the surge of support seen during the pandemic—are further straining local hunger relief efforts.
The New York Community Trust in Westchester supports organizations that address immediate hunger needs and work toward long-term solutions to reduce food insecurity. These organizations take innovative, systems-based approaches, ensuring that resources are used efficiently and effectively while meeting the urgent needs of Westchester’s most vulnerable residents.
Westchester County government also addresses food insecurity through direct assistance programs, community partnerships, and policy initiatives. The county supports low-income mothers and children through the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), which serves over 600 participants. It has used federal funds to expand food access to purchase a mobile food pantry van serving Port Chester and Ossining. The county also conducts food drives and provides emergency food assistance through Feeding Westchester, particularly in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Recognizing that food insecurity is linked to broader economic challenges, Westchester integrates efforts to improve affordable housing, job opportunities, and transportation access, aiming for long-term solutions to reduce hunger.
Learn More about The Trust’s grantees addressing food insecurity in Westchester
Episcopal Charities provides critical funding and operational support to approximately 100 non-sectarian charitable organizations in NYC and the Hudson Valley. In Westchester, it runs a bulk-buy program that helps food pantries purchase nutritious food at wholesale prices and a farm-to-pantry initiative that connects Hudson Valley farmers with Westchester pantries to provide fresh, culturally relevant produce.
Hillside Food Outreach delivers high-quality, nutritious food that enables low-income, chronically ill, disabled, and those who cannot access a traditional food pantry to achieve a better quality of life.
Second Chance Foods improves the health of people and the planet by recovering nutritious food before it goes to waste and delivering it to the tables of hungry families in Westchester and the Hudson Valley.
Community Center of Northern Westchester provides a hub of emergency resources, including a food pantry and workforce preparation programs, to help food-insecure neighbors enhance their well-being and achieve self-sufficiency.
Meals on Main Street provides mobile pantry trucks and food hubs to supplement the work of Westchester County pantries and soup kitchens, delivering recovered food and farm-fresh produce to families in need where they live.
Rivertowns Village Green produces the community-based TaSH Farmer’s Market, which offers food access programs, shopper rewards, and bilingual translations.
Community Food Pantry in Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown purchases and distributes groceries and fresh produce to food-insecure households.
Glenwood Center for Regional Food Farming builds resilient and equitable food systems in Westchester and the Hudson Balley by supporting farmers, offering food access programs, developing climate-resilient farming solutions, and building food markets and movements to advance social justice in the regional food system.
