As if the COVID-19 pandemic wasn't bad enough, making people worry whether the air they breathe could make them ill or kill them, economic hardships caused by people out of work during lockdowns also kept many from getting healthy affordable food.

That's especially true in New York City's Bronx neighborhoods, where supermarkets can be sparse and many lower-income people have struggled to make ends meet, including basic good foods.

Thanks to a grant from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, the cost of buying foods through GrowNYC at Fresh Food Box sites was cut from $14 to $7 for customers shopping with SNAP food stamps, The Bronx Times said.

People have waited online for hours at food pantries and there has been a 113 percent increase this year in SNAPsales at GrowNYC Greenmarkets and other retail sites, the report added, the grant helping people eat better and cheaper.

“A big part of our mission is making sure the box is affordable to all New Yorkers,” said Cheryl Huber, Assistant Director of Food Access and Agriculture of GrowNYC, lauding the foundation. “It’s definitely making a difference for families,” she said.