Brooklyn Opens New Food Hub

Met Council has expanded its food distribution network in Brooklyn. The organization opened a new warehouse and conference center in Canarsie on Oct. 26.

The facility at 5361 Preston Court covers 22,000 square feet. It will serve as the central hub for 344 food pantry partners. David G. Greenfield, Met Council’s chief executive, stated that no New Yorker should choose between rent and food.

The site features expanded cold storage and inventory management systems. These tools aim to improve the distribution of fresh produce, chicken, fish, eggs, and dairy. Artificial intelligence software will help forecast demand and optimize delivery routes to reduce waste.

Residents of Canarsie can use a digital food pantry at the site. This program allows online selection of groceries with local pickup. The inventory includes fresh produce, dairy, proteins, and pantry staples. UJA-Federation of New York helped fund this initiative.

The building will support kosher school lunches at 144 schools. It will also facilitate home deliveries to vulnerable residents and mobile food pantries. Medically tailored food assistance is available for eligible Medicaid members. The adjacent conference center will host training for partner organizations and public agencies.

Funding came from city, state, federal, and private sources. State Sen. Sam Sutton secured a $1 million state matching grant. Former City Council Speaker Adrienne E. Adams helped secure additional city funding. Met Council distributed more than 20 million pounds of food in fiscal year 2026. The organization serves approximately 350,000 New Yorkers annually.

The warehouse is designed to handle operations for up to 1 million New Yorkers. This figure represents potential capacity rather than current service numbers. The site will support seasonal distributions before Rosh Hashanah, Sukkos, and Passover alongside year-round programs.