Need free pet food in NYC? You can now find it at your nearest neighborhood food pantry.
For the first time ever, New York City is now providing free pet food at 22 city-funded food pantries across all five boroughs. If the rising cost of living has you struggling to afford pet supplies, help is officially here.
Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, New York City Council, the Mayor’s Office of Animal Welfare (MOAW), and the NYC Department of Social Services (DSS) officially announced the program on October 15, 2026.
The groundbreaking initiative follows a massive funding increase for the DSS’s Community Food Connection (CFC) program, which supports more than 700 food pantries citywide. As inflation impacts daily expenses, feeding a pet has become a severe financial burden for many locals, often forcing families to make the heartbreaking decision to surrender an animal they love to city shelters.
By making free pet food available right where thousands of New Yorkers already pick up their weekly groceries, the city aims to help families care for themselves and their pets under one roof. Out of the $78 million allocated for food distribution in Fiscal Year 2027, an additional $500,000 has been strictly dedicated to providing pet food.
The affordability crisis affects every member of a family, including the pets we love. No New Yorker should have to choose between feeding themselves and feeding their pets. – Mamdani
Where to find free pet food in NYC
Starting today, Monday, October 19, free pet food for dogs and cats is officially available at the following NYC food pantries:
Manhattan:
- Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen Pantry: 296 Ninth Ave., 10001
- New York Common Pantry: 8 East 109th Street, 10029
- St. Clemens Food Pantry: 423 West 46th Street, 10036
- The Father’s Heart Ministries: 543-545 East 11th Street, 10009
- The Lower Eastside Girls Club: 402 East 8th Street, 10009
- Trinity’s Services and Food for the Homeless: 602 East 9th Street, 10009
Queens:
- First United Methodist Church of Jamaica: 162-10 Highland Ave., 11432
- River Fund: 89-11 Lefferts Boulevard, 11418
- Yeshua Worldwide Ministries Food Pantry: 7911 Caldwell .Ave., 11379
- Hour Children Community Outreach: 36-49 11th Street, 11106
Brooklyn:
- Community Help in Park Slope: 200 Fourth Ave., 11217
- Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty: 5361 Preston Court, 11234
- On the Go Relief: 2832 Fulton Street, 11207
- St. John’s Bread and Life Food Pantry: 795 Lexington Ave., 11221
- The Campaign Against Hunger: 2004 Fulton Street, 11233
- YMCA Community Market: 2980 West 29th Street, 11224
Bronx:
- Part of the Solution: 2759 Webster Ave., 10458
- New York Common Pantry: 1290 Hoe Ave., 10459
- Davidson Community Center: 2038 Davidson Ave., 10453
- The Kingsbridge Heights Community Center: 3067 Kingsbridge Terrace, 10463
Staten Island:
- Project Hospitality: 205 Canal Street, 10304
- Feeding with TLC: 309 St. Paul’s Ave., 10304
(Note: It’s recommended to contact the specific pantry ahead of time to confirm hours of operation and current pet food stock).
Oh, and while we’re on the topic, be sure to check out the pack of 12 large-scale dog sculptures that has taken over Central Park! It’s on view through August 29, 2027.
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