The New York Food Program

What this program does

The New York Food Program helps New York residents living with diet-related chronic conditions get nutritious food delivered to their homes at no cost. Applicants complete a short online application with their contact details, household members, Medicaid information and health condition. From there, our screening team verifies Medicaid eligibility, reviews the information with the applicant by phone or text, and enrolls approved households so weekly meals can be delivered.

The people behind the application are real: screeners, back-office staff and community partners review each case, follow up on missing information, and stay in touch with applicants by phone and SMS throughout the process. This site is the working platform they use — applicants apply here, referring organizations submit and track their referrals here, and our team coordinates every step from intake to delivery.

Who it is for

The program serves New York residents who are enrolled in Medicaid and managing a qualifying health condition such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, kidney disease, COPD, asthma or a behavioral health condition. Applications cover the whole household, so family members in the same home can be screened together.

It is also built for the organizations that support those families — community health centers, food pantries, social service agencies and outreach workers — who can refer applicants directly and follow their progress through a partner dashboard and referral links.

Who builds and runs it

The platform is built and maintained by the New York Food Program team in New York, in partnership with the community organizations that refer families to us. Every feature in it exists to shorten the distance between a family that needs food and the meal on their table: fast intake, clear screening, honest status updates and direct communication with a person who can help.