Senior Food Program

The Food Bank's Senior Food Program provides direct service to elderly New Yorkers — one of the largest groups relying on emergency food throughout the five boroughs — at senior centers run at the dining facilities of PS 154 in Harlem and PS 134 on the Lower East Side. The program creates a supportive and welcoming environment for senior citizens through free meals as well as educational and cultural activities.

Between 3:30 and 6:00pm every weekday, with the exception of national holidays, our senior centers serve an average of 225 dinners to seniors age 60 and older. In addition to meals, the program also offers activities that aim to promote physical health and create a stimulating social environment — including fitness instruction, dance lessons, nutrition workshops, information sessions on social and financial benefits, film screenings and trips to the theater, concerts and other recreational activities.

As part of our effort to create an engaging environment, the Senior Food Program also offers opportunities for volunteers — with a special emphasis on recruiting New York City youth — who assist in every aspect of the centers' operations, from serving meals to assisting in fitness instruction. The seniors who visit our centers enjoy connecting the younger generation while youth are able to assist aging New Yorkers and gain hands-on social work experience.

To learn more about the Food Bank's senior centers, contact Jesse Taylor, Senior Director of Community Kitchen & Senior Food. Contact Heather Joseph, Volunteer Services Manager, for volunteer opportunities. Read stories about individual seniors who rely on the Food Bank's Senior Food Program and our citywide network of food assistance programs. Meals provided by the Food Bank's Senior Food Program are calculated using Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program (HPNAP) standards.