Boxes packed with food were being prepared by volunteers in assembly lines at Food Bank for New York City’s Hunts Point Distribution Center Saturday.

Most of the volunteers were from top law firms as part of a Justice Served Campaign.

“For most of us we don’t have the life experience of facing food insecurity we’re very fortunate, the Justice Served Campaign gives us a change to first of all become aware of the need around us and then do something about it,” said Lary Stromfeld, founder of the Justice Serve Campaign.

Volunteers worked in shifts — packing over 19,000 pounds of food for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, which helps improve the health of seniors.

According to Food Bank for New York City, an estimate of 1.7 million low income New Yorkers are food insecure.

With the end to the emergency pandemic SNAP program this past Wednesday, the organization says this will only add to that problem.

“Peoples monthly benefit will be cut by 90 some odd dollars depending on your household size so we’re really anticipating that people are going to need to rely on food bank and our partner charities to meet the needs of their families,” said Jessica Presedo, director of corporate engagement of Food Bank for New York City.

Presedo said Food Bank for New York City saw an 80% increase in clientele since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that was with the SNAP benefits program that recently ended.

The organization said it drastically had to increase the amount of food they put out to meet the needs of the city.

Having extra hands in its warehouses has helped.

“I’m here with my wife, my daughter and my sister. This is mostly for my daughter to get into that habit of giving back to our community,” said Kirk Morrison, who was weighing the packed boxes at the end of the assembly line.

Morrison said volunteering at this distribution center has become something his family does on a regular basis.

“I feel like this is a really good opportunity to give back to people who are less fortunate,” said 13-year-old Makayla Morrison.

“I think it’s sad that we live in one of the greatest countries on earth and a lot of people right in our backyard are experiencing food insecurity, so I think everybody should get involved. This is a problem for everybody,” added Kirk Morrison.

Food Bank of New York City staff say with the help from individual volunteers and organizations like the Justice Served Campaign, these packets of food are ready to be delivered to its 800 partner charities ranging from soup kitchens to food pantries across the boroughs.  

But they’re also sounding the alarm to legislators that with the surge in need a gap is forming- putting more of a strain on low income New Yorkers.

“Food banks across the country are anticipating that gap so we really need snap to be supported in order for us to be able to function at our highest capacity - we’re working here in the city with United Way, as well as City Harvest to advocate on behalf of snap benefits being reinstated,” said Presedo.