Trinity Church Serves Almost Five Million Free Meals, as Downtown Institutions Mobilize to Feed, Clothe, and House the Needy
A constellation of local institutions is stepping up to meeting rising hunger and related needs in and around Lower Manhattan. In the year to date, Trinity Church has served 4.7 million free meals (at a cost of more than $2 million), and given away vast quantities of free groceries, clothing, and household supplies to people struggling with poverty.
Every day of the week, Trinity distributes food through programs largely staffed by volunteers. The Compassion Meals initiative offers hot, prepared food at breakfast (Monday through Friday mornings), lunch (every day), and dinner (Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays). On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the Compassion Market offers free grocery shopping. In a typical week, the Compassion Market serves more than 1,000 customers.
An adjunct of the food programs, the Compassion Space initiative invites asylum seekers, the unhoused, and other members of the Lower Manhattan community to stop by Trinity Commons on Tuesday and Thursday mornings for free casual clothing, diapers, and hygiene essentials.
These on-site services at Trinity Church and Trinity Commons (109 Greenwich Street) are supplemented by the Church’s support of dozens of food pantries throughout Lower Manhattan. In the past 30 days alone, Trinity has donated an additional $1 million in emergency gifts to food organizations throughout the five boroughs of New York City, to offset funds made unavailable by the recent federal government shutdown, as well as separate shortfalls arising from budget cuts in Washington.
“Our Compassion Markets are now operating at double the demand we saw last year,” notes Father Phil Jackson, Rector of Trinity Church. “The individuals and families who come through our doors in need of food, clothing, diapers, and baby formula know they can depend on Trinity to support them in these challenging times.”
The 2025 totals come on top of 2.5 million free meals distributed in 2024, more than two million in 2023, and one million-plus the year before. This outpouring of support springs from comparatively modest beginnings: Trinity began by giving away 15,000 free meals in 2019.
In addition to complimentary meals, groceries, and clothing, the Trinity outreach team provides free guidance to people seeking services, such as New York’s free senior meal program, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, along other community resources. Trinity’s professional staff can assist clients with accessing housing, legal aid, mental health services, immigration advice, and other benefits. Anyone seeking help may call 917-594-6300 (Monday to Friday, 10am through 4pm), or email resources@TrinityChurchNYC.org.
A couple blocks north of Trinity Church, the parishioners of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine gather each month to prepare meals to be distributed to those in need. After the meals are packaged, a fleet of vehicles fans out to deliver the food to locations around the City. The same program also collects coats, warm clothes, blankets, new underwear, toiletries and socks. For more information, please email stnicholasvolunteers@gmail.com.
And the Downtown Alliance, in partnership with the Bowery Residents’ Committee and Trinity Church, operates a homelessness intervention program that has guided more than 250 unsheltered persons from Lower Manhattan streets into permanent housing in recent years. Trinity Church funds 50 percent of the program’s cost, while BRC conducts outreach, advocacy, and other services throughout the Downtown Alliance footprint (roughly Lower Manhattan south of Chambers Street, between the East River and West Street).