Four boroughs within New York City — Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens — have a higher poverty rate than that in the nation at large. Food insecurity continues to be a major issue for people with little to no financial stability across the city, including many immigrant residents.
Support in the form of nutritious meals delivered straight to their doorstep is available for older folks, people with serious illness and mothers of young children, with eligibility varying according to the agency.
Here is a list of popular sources for no-cost home-delivered meals in New York City.
God’s Love We Deliver
God’s Love We Deliver makes food from scratch in their state-of-the-art kitchen in lower Manhattan and delivers meals to their program participants throughout New York City. Medically-tailored meals lower healthcare costs, increase patient satisfaction and lower hospitalization rates. Registered dietitians work with clients to develop an individualized meal plan.
Who is eligible?
- People living with a chronic or life-altering illness like cancer, Alzheimer’s, renal failure, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), HIV/AIDS, mental illness, or substance use challenges that cause them difficulty when cooking
- Former US Military service members
- People living with gestational diabetes who need food
Where can I apply?
Interested applicants should fill out the forms available on the God’s Love We Deliver website, which includes a form that has to be filled out by their doctor. The Client Services team will review the forms for eligibility and contact them via phone or email if they qualify.
Citymeals on Wheels
Citymeals on Wheels provides nourishing food to homebound elderly New Yorkers, even including weekend and holiday meals, breakfast boxes, emergency food, mobile grocery services and grocery shopping assistance.
Who is eligible?
Recipients must be 60 years old or older, must be physically or mentally incapacitated and in need of some assistance, must be unable to prepare nutritious meals or have no one to do so for them and must be able to live safely at home if services are provided to them.
Where can I apply?
Enter the applicant’s address on the City Meals on Wheels website in the box that says “Do You Need Meals?” It will bring up contact information for the Case Management Agency nearest to the address. Reach out to the Case Management Agency to get in touch with a representative who will be able to guide the applicant through the process of obtaining food delivery.
Mom’s Meals
Mom’s Meals delivers medically-tailored meals suitable for people with dietary restrictions directly to the homes or preferred locations of people who qualify for the program. They offer more than 60 meal choices designed by registered dietitians and professional chefs and made from high-quality ingredients.
Who is eligible?
- People who are enrolled in Medicaid or a Medicare Advantage Plan, have screened positive for food insecurity and have at least one chronic condition, (including Diabetes or Pre-Diabetes, Congestive Heart Failure, COPD or Asthma, Hypertension, Cancer, Chronic Kidney Disease, Sickle Cell, HIV/AIDS)
- A new or expecting mother
- People who were recently discharged from a hospital or skilled nursing facility, or people at high risk of hospitalization
- Older Americans Act program recipients
- PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) program participants
- Medicaid Waiver members
Where can I apply?
To find out if you may qualify, fill out the New York Health-Related Social Needs Inquiry Form. Once you have submitted the form, an agency representative in the Social Care Network will reach out by phone to further discuss program eligibility and explain whether you are eligible for the free meals.
Home Delivered Meals for Older Adults
New Yorkers ages 60 and over who can’t prepare meals for themselves could be eligible for free home-delivered meals up to five days a week. The need for food might be short-term, due to recent discharge from the hospital for instance, or long-term, where a person is incapacitated for any reason and cannot prepare their own food.
Who is eligible?
New York residents who are over 60 years old can apply for meal delivery, regardless of their income. If the person is married, their spouse may also get meals even if they are under 60 years old. If a person of any age with a disability is also residing in the household, they may also qualify for free delivered meals.
Where can I apply?
Contact the New York City branch of NY Connects and the Department for the Aging by calling 212-AGING-NYC or filling out the online form to inquire about food delivery services.
