The largest food pantry and soup kitchen in Coney Island — a lifeline for thousands of allies every month — is facing a financial crisis that could force it to close its doors come January unless emergency funding is secured.
Operating for more than 25 years, the Coney Island Lighthouse Mission and its nonprofit arm, Acts Community Development, serve more than 7,000 families each month through a food pantry, hot meals kitchen and a range of outreach programs at their storefront on Mermaid Avenue. That translates to more than 14,000 people relying on the Mission for necessities, according to Pastor Tony Robbins, who has overseen operations since 2020.
“We’ve been operating for about 25 years now,” Robbins told Brooklyn Paper. “The food pantry was established to meet the needs and the people in our community. How can we help the people in our community? How can we meet their needs? And we understand that food insecurity was one of them.”
In addition to food distribution, the Mission operates a free after-school program for approximately 25 children, a weekly clothing drive, an annual coat drive in partnership with Coney Island Prep High School, and a sleeping bag project for individuals experiencing homelessness.
However, while the food supply itself is not the problem, the Mission is struggling to cover basic operating expenses — including rent, utilities, refrigeration, storage and minimal staff — after losing major donors in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Since COVID hit, we lost all our major donors,” Robbins said. “They’ve been very supportive, doing the best that they can, but it’s just not enough to take care of our overhead expenses.”
As costs have risen, the Mission has already cut staff and programming, relying heavily on volunteers to keep services running. Without an infusion of cash, leaders say the pantry may not survive into 2026. The organization needs to raise roughly $100,000 in the coming months to remain open.
The need on the ground is stark. Volunteers describe lines of people stretching down the block hours before the pantry opens — elderly residents, people with disabilities, families from nearby NYCHA developments, asylum seekers and residents from shelters throughout Coney Island.
“There are more than 200 people who come every day,” Scott Cantone, volunteer and co-owner of Bender Cantone Consulting, said. His firm is taking on the Mission pro bono to help ensure they stay open.
He described the limited supply of protein available at each distribution. “People are there in the morning waiting all day, because there’s only a certain amount.”
One moment in particular underscored the Mission’s impact, according to Cantone. After closing for the night, he heard a knock on the door: a mother, her four children and their grandmother, who had been turned away elsewhere.
“She started crying,” Cantone recalled. “[She said,] ‘I’ve got to feed my kids.’” The group was then let inside and given food, including shelf-stable milk.
“One of the daughters, she must have been eight years old, said, ‘Mom, we got milk! We got milk,’” he said. “For an eight-year-old girl to be excited about milk, the things we take for granted in life are amazing.”
Robbins said the closure of the Mission would be devastating for the neighborhood.
“This would just be heartbreaking,” he said. “We probably have the biggest food pantry in that district, and we give good-quality food.
While government grants and donations help cover food, Robbins emphasized that funding for physical space and infrastructure is harder to secure.
“What people don’t realize is the place to give out the food,” Kate Hallet, volunteer and member of Benter Cantone Consulting, added. “Where’s the refrigerator? The freezers? The kitchen for cooking the food?
Local officials, including Council Member-elect Kayla Santosuosso, have begun outreach to businesses and community partners, but Mission leaders say broader support is urgently needed. Santosuosso said she’ll “be doing everything I can to ensure this important organization can keep its doors open.” She also acknowledged the “countless” support it provides families in the area.
“We just need your help,” Robbins said. “If you have a heart to give, support and help for the impoverished areas, we need your help.”
Acts Community Development is located at 2114 Mermaid Ave, between West 21st and West 22nd streets. Community members who wish to support the mission are encouraged to donate, volunteer or help spread the word as the organization works to keep its doors open for the thousands who rely on its services each week.
