Down 109th street huddled in the center of East Harlem, forms a daily line of people waiting to be fed. There, is the location of the NY Common Pantry (NYCP). Founded in 1980, it was first the Yorkville Common pantry for a small community and has grown into the most innovative emergency food provider in the city. 

Judy Secon is the Director of Programs and Operations at NYCP. 

Secon told AL DIA the location serves food seven days a week, and have made hot meals to go throughout the COVID-19 pandemic Monday through Friday, 2:30-3:30 p.m. 

She said that the way people find out about the organization is mainly through word of mouth, but it is well known because of 40-year existence.

In 2019, NYCP gave out 6.2 million meals to over 63,000 people and additionally provided case management resources. 

On any given day, the pantry sees between 200 and 300 families with upwards of 15 members each. The size bag they get depends on the family size and each contains dry goods and proteins (like frozen chicken or pork) equivalent to 12 meals.

“It’s a whole package of every food group,” said Secon, who also emphasized the pantry’s focus on providing fresh food for families to cook.

They can come every two weeks to get a bag.

On Monday, Sept. 21, in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, private chef Kelvin Fernandez surprised families with a healthy recipe to take home with their bags.

He prepared a salmon with mango and avocado salad, and emphasized the message of being able to cook such a healthy meal on a budget — considering the 25% childhood obesity rate among Hispanic American children. 

“We don’t always have the opportunity to have fresh produce or just an outlet to get ingredients,” said Fernandez.

He also said he wanted to give back to the community where he grew up. 

“I think it’s important to bring awareness to the New York Common Pantry because what they’re doing here is incredible… I wanted to be able to showcase my talent, use a basket, and create a latin inspired dish,” said Fernandez.