Op-ed by Rachael Gazdick | Tackling NYC’s food insecurity: Why students need more than education to thrive

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.

For many families, the challenge is not just putting food on the table but deciding whether to sacrifice meals in order to cover rent, transportation, or other essentials. 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. Alongside enriching opportunities in STEM, sports, arts, and more, New York Edge operates food pantries in neighborhoods considered food deserts to help reduce food insecurity among students and families. 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. [Read More]

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