The Urban Outreach Center of New York City

Food Pantry Program: Food and Screening - The food pantry provides a nutritious variety of goods, including fresh produce suited to guests needs. This program services over 1000 families each month. Guests are also screened for food stamps during the food pantry in-take process. The food program also offers nutrition education to the in-take guests, helping them learn how to prepare simple nutritious meals using canned and fresh fruits and vegetables available in the Food Pantry. The program also offers daily distribution of pastries, sandwiches, bread and fruit to its guests. Weekly Dinner Program - Each Tuesday evening a carefully planned meal is prepared to provide a balanced diet, including at least three of the five daily vegetable portions recommended, to as many as 200 men, women and children; and on average 170 guests. Farmers Market Style Food Pantry Program and Community Dinner - Our two food programs - our Farmers Market Style Food Pantry and Community Dinner - supply over 2,000,000 annual meals worth of food to homeless and low-income New Yorkers, including an increased number of senior citizens and asylum-seeking neighbors. As we build toward our vision of ending the hunger gap in East Harlem and the Upper East Side, in 2022, we will launch 5 Mobile Pantry Partner food pantry sites across East Harlem, expanding our impact and bringing our model of hospitality and dignity- centered access to fresh fruits and vegetables to more NYC families.

Hygiene and Healthcare Program - The Center supplies the homeless community with basic necessities: toiletries such as soap, razors and deodorant, toothpaste and toothbrushes, sunscreen and body lotion. During the winter season items essential to outdoor guests health, comfort and peace of mind, new warm and stay-dry socks, hats and gloves, and thermal underwear. In addition, the Center provides flu shots, HIV/AIDS awareness packets, blood screenings and scheduled health-related workshops and speakers, benefits screening and advocacy for its guests. Emergency Transportation - One round trip Metro Cards are provided to those who need emergency transportation for health and other urgent reasons. Placements and Referrals; and Advocacy - The Center offers support and referral services that assist guests with personal documentation (birth certificates, marriage licenses, social security cards, etc.), anti-eviction support and initial screening and referrals for housing, health care, hygiene, medical and substance abuse referrals and placements. This support and referral facility is open five days a week, 52 weeks a year. The Center also provides a job support space with a computer, printer, and phone and volunteers who are available to help with employment questions and resume writing. Also, individuals who have no permanent address are able to receive their personal mail and distribute small parcels through the Center.