New Yorkers Flock to Free Egg Giveaways

Hundreds of New Yorkers lined up early Friday morning at three separate locations across the city, hoping to secure one of today’s most sought-after items: free eggs.

In Harlem, bundled up residents waited over an hour in the cold, windy weather outside a local restaurant for their chance at a carton. However, the excitement quickly turned to disappointment when the supply of 100 egg cartons vanished within ten minutes, leaving many without the eggs they had hoped for.

Jackeline Tejava, who stood in a line that stretched around the block, expressed confusion about the situation. “I heard from the news that they would be giving around 1,500 eggs or something like that. I just came because I needed eggs. But now I’m waiting here, and they say the eggs are gone, though not even 20 people have received any. I don’t know what happened.”

This scramble for free eggs comes at a time when egg prices have reached record highs nationwide, largely due to an ongoing bird flu outbreak. The crisis has forced poultry farms across the United States to cull more than 168 million birds since early 2022, drastically limiting the supply and driving up prices.

The egg giveaway event was organized by FarmerJawn, a Pennsylvania farm spanning 128 acres dedicated to providing organic food to underserved communities. FarmerJawn partnered with a local butchery and an upstate New York farm to carry out additional giveaways in Brooklyn and Queens on the same day. The group held similar giveaways in New York City last month.

In a statement, FarmerJawn explained the motivation behind their efforts: “We’re conducting this egg giveaway because, as food producers, we believe it’s our responsibility to support the communities that support us. Food is medicine, and everyone—especially the often-overlooked middle class—deserves reliable access to it.”

Other organizations, including local churches, have also held similar egg giveaways recently in New York City and other cities such as Las Vegas, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Richland County, South Carolina, as communities struggle with rising food costs.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture anticipates egg prices will rise about 41% this year compared to last year’s average price of $3.17 per dozen. In New York City, eggs often cost two to three times that national average, placing additional strain on residents’ budgets.

Marion Johnson, who waited more than two hours at the Harlem giveaway but left without eggs, expressed frustration at the situation. “They’re so expensive,” she said. “This is not fair. They knew everybody was going to line up like this.”