Economy
What Urban Hunger Looks Like Now
In her work, the photographer Joey O’Loughlin captures the diverse reality of New York’s food pantry lines.
On East 11th Street between Avenues B and C in New York City’s East Village, the line for the Father’s Heart food pantry wraps around the block. On cold winter days, people bundle up in puffer coats to hold their place; they might be outside, standing still, for as long as three hours.
The surrounding neighborhood is hip, and expensive. Locals walk their dogs through Tompkins Square Park, sipping delicately crafted cappuccinos. Commuters hop on Citi Bikes and spin off to their jobs. Joggers pass by in designer gear. If they notice the line, they don’t acknowledge it.