Foodscapes

Foodscape: Brownsville

by NYC Food Policy Editor
written by NYC Food Policy Editor

About Foodscapes

Brooklyn Community District 16

Access to affordable and nutritious food is one of the cornerstones of good health. Without this, individuals—and communities—are at a higher risk of food insecurity and serious chronic diseases, including obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. To improve the health of New Yorkers, we must recognize that each neighborhood has a distinct food environment.

Purpose

These Foodscape reports provide a community-level snapshot of a community’s food environment, including data on healthy and unhealthy food consumption, food access, and diet-related diseases. Additionally, the reports detail a comprehensive guide of the many food-related resources available to residents within their neighborhoods to support them in eating healthier. The Hunter College New York City Food Policy Center has compiled this information from various sources, presenting it in a user-friendly format to help NYC residents and communities better understand their local foodscapes.

The NYC Foodscape Reports were published in 2020 and are continually updated every six months. Data in the Foodscape Reports is collected from multiple primary sources to ensure the most up-to-date statistics for each indicator. Learn more about organizations and resources highlighted in the Foodscape Reports by visiting the Center’s Neighborhood Food Resource Guides as well as the Food Policy and Practice Database. Together, these three resources provide a comprehensive food-related guide to each New York City neighborhood. 

Zip codes include: 11212, 11233

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

DEMOGRAPHICS:

  • Total Population: 98,506 (0.99% of NYC population) (1)
  • Population by Race and Ethnicity of Brownsville and New York City (2)
    • Brownsville: 22.5% Latino | NYC: 29.2% Latino
    • Brownsville: 71.8% Black | NYC: 22% Black
    • Brownsville: 2.9% White | NYC: 32% White
    • Brownsville: 1.6% Asian/Pacific Islander | NYC: 15% Asian
    • Brownsville: 1.1% Other | NYC: 2% Other
  • Brownsville Population by Age: (3)
    • 0-17 years: 28%
    • 18-24 years: 11%
    • 25-44 years: 27%
    • 45-64 years: 23%
    • 65+ years: 12%
  • Life Expectancy: 
    • Brownsville: 75.6 years (2) | NYC: 82.1 years (2)
  • Born Outside the US: 
    • Brownsville: 27.8% (3) | NYC: 37% (3)

NEIGHBORHOOD ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD:

  • Supermarket to Bodega Ratio: One (1) supermarket in Brownsville to 15 bodegas (2)
  • Meal Gap (# of meals needed per year for food security): 6,890,757 (2)
  • Food Insecurity: 
    • Brownsville: 25.5% of residents (2)| NYC: 15.4% of residents (2)
  • Residences that Lack a Kitchen: 
    • Brownsville: 0.7% of housing units (2)| NYC: 0.8% (2)
  • Households Receiving SNAP Benefits: 
    • Brownsville: 45.1% of households (2)| NYC: 22.4% of households (2)

HEALTH BEHAVIORS:

  • No Fruits and Vegetables Yesterday: 
    • Brownsville: 20% of adults (2) | NYC: 12.9% of adults (2)
  • One or More 12-ounce Sugary Drinks Per Day (percent of adults): 
    • Brownsville: 35% (2) | NYC: 23% (2)
  • No Physical Activity in the Last 30 Days
    • Brownsville: 26% (2) | NYC: 27.1% (2)

HEALTH AND DISEASE STATUS:

  • Adults Reporting Their Own Health as “Excellent,” “Very Good” or “Good” (percent of adults): 
    • Brownsville: 79% (2) | NYC: 78% (2)
  • Obesity (percent of adults): 
    • Brownsville: 41% (2) | NYC: 24% (2)
  •  Childhood Obesity (percent of public school children in grades K through 8): 
    • Brownsville: 23% (3) | NYC: 20% (3)
  • Diabetes (percent of adults): 
    • Brownsville: 13% (2) | NYC: 11% (2)
  • Hypertension (percent of adults): 
    • Brownsville: 33% (3) | NYC: 28% (3)
  • Binge Drinking
    • Brownsville: 14% (2) | NYC: 17.4% (2)
  • Smokers
    • Brownsville: 17% (2) | NYC: 13.9% (2)

ECONOMIC AND LIVING-CONDITION STRESS, CONTRIBUTORS TO FOOD INSECURITY:

  • Median Household Income: 
    • Brownsville: $28,862 (2) | NYC: $60,879 (2)
  • Poverty (percent of households with incomes below poverty): 
    • Brownsville: 29.6% (2) | NYC: 19.7% (2)
  • Unemployment (percent of people ages 16 and older): 
    • Brownsville: 7% (2) | NYC: 4.5% (2)
  • Extreme Housing Burden (Extreme Housing Burden includes households spending more than 50% of income on housing): 
    • Brownsville: 37.9% (2) | NYC: 29.5% (2)
  • Rent Burden (households that spend 35% or more of their income on rent)
    • Brownsville: 54.3% (5) | NYC: 44.2% (5)

EXERCISE AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY BURDEN

  • Air Pollution (micrograms of fine particulate matter per cubic meter): 
    • Brownsville: 7.4 (2) | New York City-wide: 7.5 (2)
  • Bicycle Network Coverage (percent of streets with bike lanes): 
    • Brownsville: 9% (3) | New York City-wide: 10% (3)
  • Pedestrian Injury Hospitalizations (per 100,000 people): 
    • Brownsville: 32 (3) | New York City-wide: 23 (3)
  • Percentage of Land Used for Public Parks, Open Space, and Recreation:
    • Brownsville: 5.5% (2) | New York City-wide: 24.7 (2)
  •  Canopy Coverage (percent of ground covered by tree crown/canopy):
    • Brownsville: 17.33%(6) | Brooklyn: 17.61% (6) | New York City-wide: 22.04% (6)

BROWNSVILLE GREENTHUMB GARDENS:

There are over 600 GreenThumb community gardens across the city, and any resident can join a garden. Find the most up-to-date list of gardens using GreenThumb’s searchable Garden Map. (4)  

  • 11th Street Community Garden: 422 E 11th St
  • Padre Plaza: 545 E 139th St
  • 6th Street & Avenue B Garden: 78-92 Ave B
  • Hart to Hart Community Garden: 104-108 Hart St
  • Bridge Plaza Community Garden: 153 Concord St
  • Classon / Fulgate Block Association Garden: 472-474 Classon Ave
  • East 43rd Street Community Garden: 1087 E 43rd St
  • P.S. 4K - Paradise Garden: 676-696 Glenmore Ave
  • Canarsie Neighborhood: 9299 Schenck St
  • Sunshine Community Garden: 55 McKibben St
  • Hancock Community Backyard Garden Park: 322-324 Hancock St
  • Serenity Gardens: 522 W 146th St
  • Dias Y Flores: 520-522 E 13th St
  • Rev. Linnette C. Williamson Memorial Park: 65-67 W 128th St
  • William A. Harris Garden: 869 St Nicholas Ave
  • Windmill Community Garden: 39-22 29th St
  • Clayton Williams Garden: 303 W 126th St
  • Ralph-Lincoln Service Center Garden: 1654 St John's Pl

BROWNSVILLE SCHOOL GARDENS:

  • Pre-K Inner Force Tots: 1181 E New York Ave
  • HS 697 Teachers Preparatory High School: 226 Bristol St
  • PS 189 The Bilingual Center: 1100 E New York Ave
  • MS 522 Mott Hall IV: 1137 Herkimer St
  • PS 298 Dr. Betty Shabazz: 85 Watkins St
  • PS 141 P141@MS35: 272 Macdonough St
  • Middle School for Art and Philosophy: 1084 Lenox Rd
  • PS 368 @ Brooklyn Children Ctr.: 1819 Bergen St
  • PS/IS 137 Rachel Jean Mitchell: 121 Saratoga Ave
  • PS 040 George W. Carver: 265 Ralph Ave
  • PS 178 Saint Clair Mckelway: 2163 Dean St
  • PS 012 Dr. Jacqueline Peek-Davis School: 430 Howard Ave
  • PS 628 Brooklyn Brownstone School: 272 Macdonough St
  • Gotham Professional Arts Academy: 265 Ralph Ave
  • PS 446 Riverdale Ave Community School: 76 Riverdale Ave
  • MS 671 Mott Hall Bridges Academy: 210 Chester St
  • PS/IS 041 Francis White: 411 Thatford Ave
  • PS 184 Newport: 273 Newport St
  • PS 262 El Hajj Malik El Shabazz Elementary School: 500 Macon St
  • PS 284 The Gregory Jacko Jackson School of Sports, Art, and Technology: 213 Osborn St
  • PS 165 Ida Posner: 76 Lott Ave
  • PS 005 Dr. Ronald Mcnair: 820 Hancock St
  • The Cultural Arts Academy at Spring Creek Charter School: 1400 Linden Boulevard
  • MS/HS 644 Eagle Academy for Young Men II: 1137 Herkimer St
  • HS 646 Aspirations Diploma Plus High School: 1495 Herkimer St
  • PS 396 @main: 110 Chester St
  • CS 021 Crispus Attucks: 180 Chauncey St
  • PS 770 New American Academy: 60 E 94 St
  • PS/IS 323 : 210 Chester St
  • PS 396 @323: 210 Chester St
  • Brownsville Ascend Charter School: 1501 Pitkin Ave
  • HS 568 Brownsville Academy High School: 1150 E New York Ave
  • PS 599 Brooklyn Landmark Elementary School: 251 Mcdougal St
  • MS 484 Ronald Edmonds Learning Center II: 430 Howard Ave

BROWNSVILLE FARMERS’ MARKETS: 

Data is updated on a continuous basis in collaboration with the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center’s Neighborhood Food Resource Guides.

Many farmers’ markets accept cash, SNAP/EBT, debit/credit, WIC and Senior FMNP coupons. They may also offer Health Bucks for EBT users — for every $5 spent in EBT, customers receive a $2 Health Buck coupon to purchase additional fruits and vegetables. 

BROWNSVILLE OFFICIAL SNAP ENROLLMENT SITES IN NYC – HUMAN RESOURCES ASSOCIATION (HRA):

Data is updated on a continuous basis in collaboration with the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center’s Neighborhood Food Resource Guides.

*It is possible to apply for SNAP benefits online at https://www.ny.gov/services/apply-snap

BROWNSVILLE WIC SITES:

Data is updated on a continuous basis in collaboration with the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center’s Neighborhood Food Resource Guides.

BROWNSVILLE PANTRIES AND SOUP KITCHENS:

Data is updated on a continuous basis in collaboration with the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center’s Neighborhood Food Resource Guides.

*Food pantry and soup kitchen hours subject to change, and requirements may be needed to register for food pantries. Call a specific location for more information before going for the first time. 

BROWNSVILLE RETAIL FOOD STORES:

Data is updated on a continuous basis in collaboration with the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center’s Neighborhood Food Resource Guides. This list below includes all retail food stores within the neighborhood from the New York State Retail Food Store Open Data and a Google Maps Places API search with keyword search terms “bakery, convenience store, deli, food, grocery, supermarket.”

  • Ziggy Deli & Grill
    1676 E New York Ave 11212, (718) 708-4018
  • Express Deli
    283 Ralph Ave 11233, (718) 773-0914
  • North Carolina Country Store
    2001 Atlantic Ave 11233, (718) 498-8033
  • Bashar Deli & Grocery
    1167 Lenox Rd 11212,
  • Chela Foods Market
    44 New Lots Ave 11212, (718) 346-4532
  • A & J Meat Market
    670 Rockaway Ave 11212,
  • Brownsville Deli
    694 Rockaway Ave 11212, (347) 350-8556
  • 787 San Victor Grocery (Fede Grocery)
    787 Macdonough St 11233,
  • Calcano Mini Market
    642 Rockaway Ave 11212,
  • Mashrah Gourmet Deli
    1380 Eastern Pkwy 11233, (718) 493-1217
  • Mama Gaston Deli & Market
    645 Mother Gaston Blvd 11212,
  • Food Universe
    1132 1132 405 Remsen Ave 11212, (917) 893-9453
  • La Vakana Grocery
    1157 Willmohr St 11212,
  • BLM Natural Deli
    165 Ralph Ave 11233,
  • Family Dollar
    384 Mother Gaston Blvd 11212,
  • Family Dollar
    830 Rockaway Ave 11212,
  • Kim's Good Farm
    1103 Rutland Rd 11212, (718) 953-9495
  • Garden Basket Market
    354 Lewis Ave 11233, (718) 455-5619
  • Kiwi Food Market
    1741 Fulton St 11233, (718) 774-1059
  • Key Food Supermarket
    800 Rockaway Ave 11212, (718) 485-0169
  • 308 Patchen Deli & Grocery
    308 Patchen Ave 11233,
  • Legion Grocery Deli
    297 Legion St 11212,
  • Bravo Supermarkets
    80 E 93rd St 11212, (718) 773-9000
  • Angel Deli Food Corp.
    713 Decatur Ave 11233,
  • Atlantic Deli & Grocery
    2053 Atlantic Ave 11233, (718) 345-1666
  • CK Market
    1033 Rutland Rd 11212,
  • New Happiness Fruits
    9515 Church Ave 11212,
  • 1961 Fulton Deli
    1961 Fulton St 11233, (718) 221-4399
  • Plaza Food Market Corporation
    980 Rutland Rd 11212,
  • Dempanada Deli Food
    1078 Rutland Rd 11212,
  • Ralph Super Deli
    578 Ralph Ave 11233, (718) 676-1223
  • GB Halal Deli
    111 Rockaway Ave 11233, (347) 405-7050
  • Pitkin Deli Grocery
    1674 Pitkin Ave 11212,
  • Chens Fresh Fish Food Mart
    378 Mother Gaston Blvd 11212, (718) 498-9100
  • Tenares Grocery Corp
    351 Evergreen Ave 11233,
  • Brownsville Gourmet Deli
    250 Livonia Ave 11212, (718) 495-2524
  • Santa Grocery
    137 Blake Ave 11212,
  • Mini Market 2
    77 Hegeman Ave 11212, (718) 922-9155
  • GS Deli In Grocery
    367 Rockaway Ave 11212, (718) 922-3913
  • Grand Convenience Store
    361 Sutter Ave 11212,
  • East Gaston 99
    439 Mother Gaston Blvd 11212, (718) 345-5408
  • Rutland Grocery Deli
    1035 Rutland Rd #95 11212,
  • Gana Mini Market
    382 Ralph Ave 11233, (718) 221-1808
  • Soto Grocery
    202 Mother Gaston Blvd 11233, (718) 498-3416
  • Kev & Jacob Grocery Inc.
    212 Ralph Ave 11233, (718) 455-2373
  • Rite Aid
    1631-43 Pitkin Ave 11212, (718) 498-9530
  • 53 Buffalo Deli Grocery
    53 Buffalo Ave 11233, (718) 221-4900
  • Fresh Fillet Seafood Market
    129 Osborn St 11212, (718) 975-2244
  • Halsey Traders Market
    587 Halsey St 11233, (929) 234-3220
  • Family Dollar
    130 New Lots Ave 11212,
  • Green Village Meat Market/Supermarket
    253-201 E 98th St 11212, (718) 342-4647
  • Family Dollar
    294-304 MacDougal St 11233,
  • Pitkin King Deli
    1742 Pitkin Ave 11212,
  • Morales Grocery
    433 Ralph Ave 11233,
  • Food Bazaar Supermarket
    417 Junius St 11212, (718) 498-8737
  • Rite Aid
    960 Halsey St 11233, (718) 602-1607
  • Maquen Food
    792 Saratoga Ave 11212,
  • Grace Farmers Market & Vegetables
    437 Rockaway Ave 11212, (718) 485-2551
  • Lily Food Store
    1932 Fulton St 11233, (718) 774-1210
  • Chester Food Market Corp.
    241 Blake Ave 11212, (718) 922-2225
  • Golden Gourmet Deli
    1500 Pitkin Ave 11212,
  • Food Bazaar Supermarket
    1682 St Johns Pl 11233, (718) 907-9280
  • Nice Deli And Grocery
    1660 Johns Pl 11233,
  • Rite Aid
    1154 Clarkson Ave 11212, (718) 345-6355
  • Halsey Deli & Grocery
    146 Ralph Ave 11233,
  • Glenn Deli & Grocery
    55 Hegeman Ave 11212,
  • Cecilia Grocery
    1006 Clarkson Ave 11212, (718) 495-4260
  • Family Dollar
    455 Dumont Ave 11212,
  • Blake Food Market Corp.
    244 Chester St 11212,
  • Pitkin Mini Food Mart
    1625 Pitkin Ave 11212, (718) 345-0721
  • Big Papa and Sons Market
    689 Ralph Ave 11212,
  • El Especial Deli & Grocery
    774 Rockaway Ave, Store 4 11212, (718) 676-0521
  • Giselle Mini Market
    1697 E New York Ave 11212,
  • 79 Livonia Food (Deli and Grill)
    79 Livonia Ave 11212,
  • America's Food Basket
    2220 Atlantic Ave 11233, (718) 342-6626
  • Flea Market
    251 Malcolm X Blvd 11233,
  • King Tobacco & Grocery
    1735 Pitkin Ave 11212, (347) 442-0797
  • Alexandra Deli & Grocery
    79 Saratoga Ave 11233, (718) 484-4835
  • Rite Aid
    1950 Fulton St 11233, (718) 493-0854
  • Brownsville Deli & Grocery
    784 Saratoga Ave 11212, (347) 425-0117
  • Fine Fair Supermarket
    783 Saratoga Ave 11212, (347) 281-7517
  • Gourmet Deli & Grocery
    9717 Kings Hwy 11212,
  • Lucky Star Deli Corporation
    177 Sumpter St 11233,
  • Samantha Grocery
    994 Winthrop St 11212,
  • 51 Deli & Grocery NYC
    51 Hegeman Ave 11212, (631) 757-3354
  • Montse Deli Grocery
    564 Bainbridge St 11233,
  • Family Dollar
    2010 Atlantic Ave 11233,
  • Key Food Supermarket
    9530 Church Ave 11212, (718) 345-3280
  • Express Stop and Shop 1
    9411 Church Ave 11212,
  • 874 Janico Deli Grocery
    874 Thomas S Boyland St 11212, (347) 221-0759
  • Mucho Loco Deli & Grocery
    441 Sutter Ave 11212, (718) 484-3691
  • Circle Plaza Deli
    390 Malcolm X Blvd 11233,
  • Dollar Tree
    198 E 98th St 11212, (347) 563-9078
  • Eghe African Market
    1782 Pitkin Ave 11212, (718) 498-3193
  • Cecilia Grocery
    285 E 91st St 11212,
  • Circle Plaza Deli
    1747 Fulton St 11233, (347) 240-7822, (631) 836-6948
  • Economic Food Market
    9424 Kings Hwy 11212,
  • MT Deli Grocery
    245 Howard Ave 11233, (347) 553-1068
  • Natural Valley Market
    182 Ralph Ave 11233, (718) 484-3522
  • Cherry Valley Marketplace
    381 Mother Gaston Blvd 11212, (718) 342-7100
  • Highly Quality Deli
    421 Bainbridge St 11233, (929) 234-2130
  • New Happiness Fruit & Vegetable
    9515 Church Ave 11212,
  • Los Tumbajos Food Center
    9619 Church Ave 11212,
  • Homeland Food 1
    307 Stuyvesant Ave 11233, (917) 651-1524
  • 248 Deli
    248 Livonia Ave 11212,
  • Los Punkis Mini Market
    78 Thatford Ave 11212,
  • Associated Supermarkets
    1888 Fulton St 11233, (718) 778-8665
  • Angis Grocery Store
    243 Ralph Ave 11233, (718) 455-0008

PARKS IN BROWNSVILLE:

FOOD POLICY ORGANIZATIONS IN BROWNSVILLE:

Data is updated on a continuous basis in collaboration with the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center’s Food Policy Organization Directory.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

REFERENCES:

  1. “2020 Data for NYC, Boros, CDs, Council Districts, NTAs, & Tracts.” NYC Planning. 2021, https://www1.nyc.gov/site/planning/planning-level/nyc-population/2020-census.page.
  2. “Data2Go: Brownsville & Ocean Hill” data2go.Nyc, Measure of America of the Social Science Research Council and Helmsley Charitable Trust, https://data2go.nyc/map/?id=111*36047015900*meal_gap_puma!undefined!ns*!other_pop_cd_506~ahdi_puma_1~sch_enrol_cd_112~age_pyramid_male_85_plus_cd_20~median_household_income_puma_397~median_personal_earnings_puma_400~dis_y_perc_puma_102~poverty_ceo_cd_417~unemployment_cd_408~pre_k_cd_107!*air_qual_cd~ahdi_puma*family_homeless_cd_245#12/40.8086/-73.9294.
  3. Hinterland, K, et al. “Community Health Profiles 2018, Brooklyn Community District 16: Brownsville.” Community Health Profiles 2018, Brooklyn Community District 16: Brownsville, 2018, pp. 1–20.
  4. “Green Thumb Garden Map.” NYC Parks, https://greenthumb.nycgovparks.org/gardensearch.php.
  5. “NYC Community District Profiles” NYC Planning https://communityprofiles.planning.nyc.gov/bronx/2#indicators.
  6. Treglia ML, Acosta-Morel M, Crabtree D, Galbo K, Lin-Moges T, Van Slooten A, Maxwell EN. The State of the Urban Forest in New York City. The Nature Conservancy. 2021. doi:10.5281/zenodo.5532876

Article Image: “New York City (NYC) Neighborhood Maps – By Borough – Brooklyn.” NYCdata, Baruch College Zicklin School of Business, https://www.baruch.cuny.edu/nycdata/population-geography/maps-boroughs.htm.

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Copyright © 2021 Hunter College New York City Food Policy Center. All Rights Reserved.
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