City-funded pet food program comes to 3 East Village pantries

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

The Father's Heart Ministries on 11th Street between Avenues A and B has added something new to its food pantry: free food for dogs and cats. 

We recently visited the longtime organization at 543-545 E. 11th St., between Avenue A and Avenue B, where executive director Marian Hutchins showed us around the pantry and explained how their pantry program works. 

Instead of handing out prepacked bags of groceries, the pantry lets visitors choose the food they want and take what they need. Information is available in English, Spanish and Chinese.

The organization also prepares breakfast on-site, with a space for visitors to sit and eat.

The new pet food offering includes dry food for dogs and cats, but no wet food ... available every Saturday from 8:30 to 11 a.m.

The pet food is part of a new citywide initiative that began on Monday, making free dog and cat food available at 22 city-funded food pantries across the five boroughs. The city has allocated $500,000 for the program to help New Yorkers struggling to feed their pets. 

Three participating pantries are in the East Village:

 

• The Father's Heart Ministries: 543-545 E. 11th St.

• The Lower Eastside Girls Club: 402 E. Eighth St., between Avenues C and D 

• Trinity's Services and Food for the Homeless (SAFH): 602 E. Ninth St. at Avenue B 

While the Father's Heart has already begun distributing pet food, Trinity is still awaiting its first delivery.

"I just talked with our executive director Alex Lawrence, and he said that our delivery is coming later in the month," Pastor Will told EVG. "It's an exciting program and we're happy to be a part of it, especially with our proximity to the dog run and the dog community." 

The initiative is part of the city's broader expansion of food assistance. The Mamdani administration and City Council have allocated $78 million for food distribution in fiscal year 2027 through the Community Food Connection program, which supports more than 700 food pantries citywide. 

The additional $500,000 for pet food is intended to help residents care for their animals without having to give them up because of financial hardship.