New York Common Pantry
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
NEW YORK COMMON PANTRY REDUCES HUNGER WHILE PROMOTING DIGNITY, HEALTH AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
- Income
- $24.3 million
- Spending
- $23.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- -0.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 71%
- Employees
- 144
- Volunteers
- 13,629
- Highest pay
- $427,925, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 55 out of 100. Higher than 13% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 36% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 5% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1579% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 30% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2531 of 31 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $8.2 million spent. PROGRAM ONE: NOURISH (COMMODITY SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD PROGRAM)A COMMODITY SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD PROGRAM, NOURISH IS NYCP'S LARGEST PROGRAM SERVICE BY EXPENSE AND IS FUNDED BY USDA AND NEW YORK STATE. THE PROGRAM HELPS DISTRIBUTE LARGE NUTRITIOUS FOOD PACKAGES TO LOW-INCOME SENIORS FROM A HOME OFFICE IN THE BRONX AND OVER 125 SITES THROUGHOUT NEW YORK CITY AND SOME PARTS OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY. NOURISH SERVES FIVE DAYS A WEEK, ONE DAY DURING EARLY MORNING EXTENDED HOURS, AND ONCE A MONTH ON THE WEEKEND AT THE HOME SITE. IN FY25, THESE MONTHLY PACKAGES SERVED 207,784 VISITORS AND DISTRIBUTED 4,779,032 MEALS. THE COST PER MEAL IN THE NOURISH PROGRAM IN FY25 WAS $1.72 (DOWN 1 CENT PER MEAL FROM FY24). NOURISH'S PRIMARY ENROLLMENT AND THE HOME OFFICE IS AT 788 SOUTHERN BOULEVARD IN THE BRONX, ALTHOUGH THE PROGRAM ALSO OPERATES ACROSS FOUR BOROUGHS AND LOWER WESTCHESTER.
- $3.4 million spent. PROGRAM TWO: CHOICE PANTRY MANHATTANCHOICE PANTRY MANHATTAN DISTRIBUTES A VARIETY OF WHOLESOME AND HEALTHY FOODS VIA 'PANTRY PACKAGES' AVAILABLE TO ANY LOW-INCOME NEW YORKER. THESE FOODS ARE ACCESSED THROUGH BULK PURCHASING, LARGE-SCALE FOOD DONATIONS BY FOOD BANKS, AND NYCP'S FOOD RESCUE TEAM, WHICH PICKS UP FROM WHOLESALERS AND WAREHOUSES, RESTAURANTS, SUPERMARKETS, AND OUR FOOD DRIVE PARTNERS ACROSS THE CITY. PANTRY SCREENING, ENROLLMENT, AND EMERGENCY FOOD PROVISION ARE OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, 365 DAYS A YEAR, WITH SHORTENED HOURS ON SUNDAYS AND HOLIDAYS. REGULAR CHOICE PANTRY MANHATTAN DISTRIBUTION DAYS ARE WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. THE PROGRAM SERVED 2,824,138 MEALS (10% INCREASE VS. FY24) TO 180,996 VISITORS IN FY25. THE CHOICE PANTRY PROGRAM IS INTEGRATED WITH THE HELP 365 RESOURCE SCREENING PROGRAM, WHICH FACILITATES AND ACCESSES OTHER RESOURCES (TAX ASSISTANCE, SNAP, AND HEALTH BENEFITS) TO REDUCE FOOD INSECURITY. THE COST PER MEAL AT CHOICE PANTRY MANHATTAN WAS $1.09 IN FY25. CHOICE PANTRY MANHATTAN IS LOCATED AT 8 EAST 109TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10029.
- $2.1 million spent. PROGRAM THREE: MOBILE PANTRY THE MOBILE PANTRY PROGRAM DISTRIBUTES FOOD ACROSS NYC TO OVER 75 REGULAR LOCATIONS EACH MONTH, OFTEN MORE THAN ONCE. IN ADDITION, THE PROGRAM SERVED OVER 100 POP-UP SITES. THE PROGRAM UTILIZES A 'TRUSTED PARTNER' MODEL, AND EACH PROGRAM IS VETTED AND SCREENED. DEPENDING ON THE ABILITY OF THE SITE, NYCP WILL ALSO PROVIDE OTHER SERVICES LIKE HELP 365 CASE MANAGEMENT AND LIVE HEALTHY (NUTRITION EDUCATION) SERVICES. THE PROGRAM SERVED 2,279,050 MEALS (11% INCREASE VS. FY24) TO 151,135 VISITORS IN FY25. THE COST PER MEAL WAS $0.93 IN THE MOBILE PANTRY PROGRAM.
- $5.1 million spent. CHOICE PANTRY BRONX:CHOICE PANTRY BRONX DISTRIBUTES A VARIETY OF WHOLESOME AND HEALTHY FOODS VIA 'PANTRY PACKAGES' TO ANY LOW-INCOME NEW YORKER, EMPHASIZING THOSE RESIDING IN THE BRONX. IN FY25, THE PROGRAM OPERATED ON A TUESDAY-TO-SATURDAY SCHEDULE FOR ENROLLMENT AND EMERGENCY PACKAGES AND DISTRIBUTED REGULAR PANTRY PACKAGES FROM THURSDAY TO SATURDAY. IN FY25, THE PROGRAM SERVED 1,759,692 MEALS (A 12% INCREASE FROM FY24) TO 127,078 VISITORS (AN INCREASE OF 7% FROM FY24). THE COST PER MEAL AT CHOICE PANTRY BRONX WAS $0.90.TOTAL EXPENSES: $1,580,964HELP 365:HELPED 365 BRONX, MANHATTAN, AND MOBILE PROGRAMS SCREENED AND ACCESSED RESOURCES FOR 61,155 LOW-INCOME NEW YORKERS IN FY25. THE PROGRAM COMPRISES HELP 365 BRONX, HELP 365 MANHATTAN, AND THE HELP 365 MOBILE TEAM. THE MOBILE TEAM FOCUSES ON SNAP BENEFITS AND TRAVELS TO COMMUNITIES WHERE DATA INDICATES THERE IS UNDERUTILIZATION OF THE BENEFIT. TOGETHER, THESE THREE HELP 365 PROGRAMS COST $1,556,411 AND DIRECTLY ACCESSED $10,148,290 FOR THOSE SERVED, A RETURN ON INVESTMENT (ROI) OF $6.52 FOR EVERY DOLLAR SPENT.TOTAL EXPENSES: $1,556,411LIVE HEALTHY!:THE LIVE HEALTHY! DELIVERS NUTRITION EDUCATION AND FOOD EQUITY INTERVENTIONS TO CULTURALLY DIVERSE SNAP-ELIGIBLE POPULATIONS AT RISK FOR FOOD INSECURITY. THE PROGRAM SERVES NEW YORKERS ACROSS ALL BOROUGHS, PROVIDING RESOURCES FOR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH PRINT AND VIRTUAL EFFORTS. THE LIVE HEALTHY PROGRAM HOSTS NUTRITION EDUCATION WORKSHOPS VIRTUALLY AND AT PARTNER SITES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITIES SERVED. OVER 280 WORKSHOPS WERE OFFERED IN FY25, SERVING 7,547 VISITORS. LIVE HEALTHY PROGRAM ALSO LEADS FOOD EQUITY INITIATIVES: FOODMD, A FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PRESCRIPTION PROGRAM, AND FARM SHARE, A COMMUNITY-SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE MODEL. FOODMD WORKS WITH FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS AND OTHER CLINICAL COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO SCREEN AND REFER PATIENTS EXPERIENCING FOOD-RELATED CHRONIC DISEASE AND FOOD INSECURITY WITHIN THE HOUSEHOLD. 24 UNIQUE PARTICIPANTS VISITORS PARTICIPATED IN FOODMD WORKSHOPS IN FY25. THE FARM SHARE INITIATIVE PROVIDED OVER 124,005 LBS. OF FOOD TO 530 UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS IN FY25. THIS PROGRAM WAS ELIMINATED DUE TO CHANGES IN FEDERAL FUNDING. STAFFING AND PROGRAM WERE THUS IMPACTED IN FY25 AND THE PROGRAM WILL NEED TO FIND ALTERNATIVE FUNDING SOURCES IN FY26 AND BEYOND.TOTAL EXPENSES: $1,100,403HOT MEALS:THE HOT MEAL PROGRAM PRIMARILY SERVES THE HOMELESS AND THOSE UNABLE TO PROVIDE FOOD IN THEIR HOMES FOR THEMSELVES. IN FY25, IT OPERATED OVER 250 LUNCH EVENTS AND SERVED 47,574 MEALS. THE BROWN BAG SERVICE (FOOD DISTRIBUTED ON DAYS WHEN THE HOT MEAL PROGRAM WAS NOT ADMINISTERED) SERVED 20,386 MEALS. THE COST PER MEAL FOR BROWN BAGS AND HOT MEALS IN FY25 WAS $9.63.TOTAL EXPENSES: $654,521PROJECT DIGNITY:PROJECT DIGNITY PROVIDES VARIOUS CRITICAL SERVICES TO THE HOMELESS, INCLUDING SHOWERS, HAIRCUTS, LAUNDRY, MAIL, PSYCHIATRIC SUPPORT, AND HOUSING REFERRAL AND PLACEMENT. IN FY25, THE PROGRAM PROVIDED 3,010 SHOWERS, HELPED 188 GUESTS USE NYCP AS THEIR MAILING ADDRESS, REFERRED/ASSISTED 31 PEOPLE TO/WITH TELE-HEALTH PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES, AND COMPLETED 30 HOUSING APPLICATIONS. THE PROGRAM ACCESSED $619,560 IN RESOURCES FOR HOMELESS GUESTS, WITH A RETURN ON INVESTMENT (ROI) OF $2.55 FOR EVERY $1 SPENT ON THE PROGRAM.TOTAL EXPENSES: $242,825
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since November 1982.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
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