Each week, around 650 people line up at the IRIS food pantry in New Haven.

Deep federal funding cuts left it on the brink of closure.

But now, a community nonprofit has stepped up to save the food bank – and even expand it.

The cars come early and often at the IRIS food pantry on Hamilton Street. It has fed the community for three decades.

“People walk by you every day and you don’t know that they’re not eating or they're hungry,” said Winston Sutherland, with the Community Soup Kitchen of New Haven (CSK).

Sutherland said the rising price of food is even driving middle-class families to seek help.

“You know, life happens,” he said. “And they’re hungry.”

The pantry is run by IRIS, which stands for Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services. It is one of Connecticut’s only refugee resettlement agencies.

Since President Donald Trump took office, IRIS has lost $4 million in federal funds, forcing the agency to close its New Haven office.

The funding loss also ripped a hole in the food pantry’s budget. The warehouse is open to anyone, not just immigrants.

“When we have to reduce operating costs, we look around for partnerships that allow us to continue serving,” said IRIS executive director Maggie Mitchell Salem.

But the community stepped in.

IRIS’ food bank will stay open thanks to CSK – a privately-funded group that will cover the $50,000 a year lease. CSK will consolidate some of its operations into IRIS’ warehouse, and even offer hot meals there four days per week.

“If we can pay the bills and feed more people until the day that we're no longer needed, that's the objective,” said Greg DePetris, CSK’s board chair. “Our goal is to essentially do what we can as the soup kitchen, whose simple mission is feed the hungry no matter the circumstances.”

The city of New Haven wants to help too, but its federal grants are also frozen. The city has filed two lawsuits challenging the decision.

“This particular grant is a very large $20 million U.S. EPA Community Change Grant,” said Mayor Justin Elicker, a Democrat.

Advocates are asking the state to chip in. Lawmakers are considering a $10 million request for food assistance – far more than the current $800,000 per year allocation.

“We’re going to do what we can within the context of an honestly balanced budget,” said Gov. Ned Lamont, who toured the IRIS pantry on Wednesday.

No matter what happens in Washington, the crowds will keep coming. And thanks to the community, the doors will stay open.

“It just shows that a lot of us – a lot more of us – care than we see,” said Sutherland.

He said that food banks always need money, but volunteering for just one or two hours also makes a huge difference.

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