Community Help in Park Slope, also known as CHiPS, has served the community for over five decades but is now struggling to keep up with increased demand.  

CHiPS says that they’re currently serving two times as many people per day that they were serving during this time last year. For chef Matthew Caban and the volunteers, that means double the cooking, plating, packing, and delivering of meals.  

“The numbers really spiked during COVID, and then we had another jump back in January,” said Peter Endriss, executive director of CHiPS, who says they also saw another jump in the spring with the influx of asylum seekers.  

Endriss says that the demographic of those lining up at their locations have changed, as they are seeing more and more migrants who are reliant on the pantry’s services.  

The staff says they’re currently doing all they can to meet up with the increased demand, but that they are running out of space and money to feed all those who need.  

“We accept everything from volunteer time to sandwiches to leftover food… to financial donations,” said Endriss.