Mets Owner Steve Cohen Gives $1.5 Million To Food Pantry

GREENWICH, CT—From watching his team hit home runs on the field, New York Mets owner Steve Cohen is now hitting a home run off the field for his community.

Neighbor to Neighbor (NTN), a Greenwich non-profit which aims to improve the lives of those in need in the Greenwich area by creating access to food, clothing and basic living essentials, recently announced the receival of a $1.5 million gift from the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Foundation, according to a news release.

Neighbor to Neighbor is currently constructing a new stand-alone, 6,363 square-foot building, which will be called The Cohen Center for Neighbor to Neighbor. Along with being the Mets' new owner, Cohen is a Greenwich resident and founder of Point72 asset management, a hedge fund company headquartered in Stamford.

According to the foundation website, the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Foundation was formed in 2001. Over the past 20 years, the foundation has given $625 million in gifts to organizations that "improve children’s healthcare and education, serve the underserved, support the arts, protect the environment, and further Lyme and tickborne disease research."

NTN Executive Director, Margaret Tjimos Goldberg, said the nonprofit has seen an increasing need in the community for assistance, and that currently, 42% of NTN's clients are children. The new building will help NTN continue its mission.

"We are incredibly grateful to Steve and Alex Cohen, who exemplify partnerships in philanthropy by making a transformative investment in the community. Neighbor to Neighbor relies on community partners like Steve and Alex, and we know that their leadership and generosity will inspire others," Tjimos Goldberg said.

The new building is situated to the rear of the Tomes Higgins House at 248 E. Putnam Ave. in Greenwich. It will be ADA compliant, and feature many sustainable design features, such as: energy-super-insulated building envelope, a high-efficiency heating and cooling system, and LED lighting throughout.

NTN previously worked out of a temporary space at the Arch Street Teen Center, and will now work out of the North Greenwich Congregational Church while construction is ongoing.

"We are happy to be there to help Neighbor to Neighbor reach their goal of building a home to serve Greenwich," said Alex Cohen, President of the foundation, in a news release. "It doesn’t matter what zip code you come from, there will always be people who can use the support of their community."

The pandemic has created an unprecedented demand for access to nutritious food, even in Greenwich. NTN noted in a news release that 20% of residents lack the income needed to cover basic necessities, and 28% of Greenwich Public School students qualify for free and subsidized lunches.

Throughout the pandemic, Neighbor to Neighbor has provided food assistance to approximately 525 Greenwich family households each week. Home delivery has been in partnership with the Transportation Association of Greenwich (TAG).

Greenwich First Selectman Fred Camillo praised the Cohens for their generosity. Camillo has long been a proponent for public/private partnerships to get projects done in town.

"I commend Steve and Alex Cohen for their continued generosity and investment in resources that provide essential services to our residents, such as Neighbor to Neighbor. Their civic spirit is truly representative of all that we cherish here in Town," Camillo said.