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Coalition asks New Haven to add $993,000 to support food pantries, healthy-food procurement
Summary
At a Board of Alders finance hearing, the Coordinated Food Assistance Network (CFAN) and partner organizations urged the city to include $993,000 in the municipal budget to shore up pantries and soup kitchens, expand healthy-food purchases, and fund staff for SNAP outreach and logistics.
On a night of packed public testimony before the Board of Alders' Finance Committee, the Coordinated Food Assistance Network asked the city to add $993,000 to the proposed budget to support New Haven's network of food pantries, soup kitchens and related programs.
CFAN representatives told aldermen the request covers healthy-food procurement, equipment for pantries and meal-distribution programs, and staff capacity — including a proposed SNAP outreach worker and a community health worker to connect clients with benefits and services. "We are asking the city of New Haven to do your part," CFAN speaker Alicia Santilli said at the hearing.
CFAN and dozens of partner speakers described rising demand and operational strain. Steve Worland, executive director of the Downtown Union Soup Kitchen and one of CFAN’s co-chairs, noted that a pending Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) proposal could provide a major one-time boost but is not guaranteed. "Putting food assistance into the general fund declares an intent to maintain this network when federal funding falls short," Worland said.
Speakers supplied local data and operational details to justify the ask. Kathleen O’Connor Daphne of the Community Alliance for Research and Engagement cited the citywide food-insecurity rate: "In 2024, food insecurity among residents in New Haven rose to 27 percent," she said. CFAN testimony summarized recent program activity: volunteers pack roughly 1,200 grocery bags per school-break distribution; over three years those distributions totaled about 10,800 bags serving roughly 18,000 people, including 8,365 youth.
Front-line pantry operators described day-to-day shortages. Maurice Grant of Loaves & Fishes said his organization has seen weeks in which Connecticut Foodshare deliveries dropped from their normal 10,000 pounds to 3,000 pounds, leaving storage rooms nearly empty. "When we ran out of food five weeks ago, I ran laps to grocery stores to make sure we had food on Saturdays. That's not sustainable," Grant told the committee.
Food recovery groups and logistic partners urged investment in infrastructure. Roberto Casanueva of Haven's Harvest said the nonprofit redistributes tens of thousands of pounds of surplus food each week and asked the city for operating support, a full-time warehouse manager (CDBG-funded), and assistance securing a long-term food-recovery hub. "Rescue food recovery is the best return on investment," he said, citing environmental and social benefits.
Speakers described how the requested dollars would be used: purchase and refrigeration of fresh produce, a refrigerated vehicle for distribution, staffing to coordinate pantry logistics and SNAP outreach, and expansion of school-break grocery programs so more children can receive groceries during extended breaks. Several speakers stressed that many pantries are volunteer-run and lack funds to store and distribute fresh foods.
No vote on the CFAN request occurred during the hearing. Aldermen and staff said they will consider the ask during formal budget deliberations.
Looking ahead, CFAN leaders and partners asked the city to stabilize food assistance funding in the general fund — not only CDBG — so pantries and recovery networks can continue when federal sources are uncertain.
Notes: testimony combined public comments from CFAN and multiple partner organizations including Downtown Union Soup Kitchen, Loaves & Fishes, Haven's Harvest, Beulah Heights Social Integration Program, New Haven Pride Center, United Way of Greater New Haven, and others.
