Masbia Soup Kitchen in Borough Park says it is struggling to feed families in need just weeks before Passover and say their emergency food distribution is being significantly limited by the city. 

A line stretched around the building as New Yorkers picked up food from the pantry’s emergency food program on Wednesday. This is an effort to get food on the tables in need, with distributions seeing a 500% increase throughout the pandemic. 

The program is in jeopardy, as Executive Director Alexander Rapaport says the Department of Social Services is limiting their orders on food. 

"We were getting truckload deliveries every day of the week, and on Feb. 28 those trucks just stopped showing up. The program is now 80% less than what it was before,” said Rapaport. 

He says the program, which is funded by federal dollars, is now seeing $1 million in cuts. 

With Passover just weeks away, he says the cuts couldn’t come at a worse time. 

"Potatoes, onions, and carrots are a basic staple for Passover. It's creating a huge food gap right in this time of year when our need is the greatest historically,” said Rapaport. 

They say the staff is now scrambling to feed nearly 500 families a day. 

They’re urging New Yorkers to donate money or food. In the meantime, the network is relying on its newly opened food reserve, which houses its backup food supply. 

News 12 reached out to the city’s Department of Social Services and hasn’t heard back yet.