On Friday, large crowds gathered at three locations in New York City, with some individuals arriving over an hour in advance, to secure one of the most coveted items in the country: a dozen free eggs.
Despite the cold and windy conditions, people lined up outside a restaurant in Harlem, waiting to receive a carton of free eggs. Within less than ten minutes, the 100 available cartons were completely distributed, leaving many people without any.
Jackeline Tejava, who was standing in a line that extended around the block, expressed her surprise and dissatisfaction: “I heard from the news that they would be giving away about 1,500 eggs. I came because I needed some eggs, but after waiting in line, I don’t see any. They say the eggs are gone, even though not more than 20 people have passed through, so I’m unsure of what happened.”
Egg prices in the U.S. reached a record high recently as the country struggles with a bird flu outbreak that has led poultry farms to cull over 168 million birds since 2022.
Locating eggs on grocery store shelves in New York City has become inconsistent, and when available, they are often expensive.
The free egg giveaway on Friday was organized by FarmerJawn, a Pennsylvania-based farm spanning 128 acres (52 hectares) dedicated to providing organic food to underserved communities. Additional giveaways took place in Brooklyn and Queens, following a similar event organized by FarmerJawn in New York the previous month.
In a written statement, FarmerJawn explained their motivation: “We’re doing this egg giveaway because, as food producers, we believe it’s our responsibility to support the communities that support us.” They collaborated with a local butchery and an upstate New York farm to facilitate Friday’s events.
FarmerJawn emphasized the importance of food accessibility: “Food is medicine, and everyone – particularly the often-overlooked middle class – deserves access to it.”
In response to rising egg prices, other organizations such as churches have also held egg giveaways in various cities across the country, including Las Vegas, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Richland County, South Carolina.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture projects a 41% rise in egg prices this year compared to last year’s average of $3.17 per dozen. In New York City, a carton of eggs often costs twice or three times that amount, varying by store.
Marion Johnson, who waited over two hours at the Harlem giveaway only to leave empty-handed, shared her frustration over the high cost of eggs: “They’re so expensive. This is not fair. They know everybody will be in line like this.”
This article was originally featured on Fortune.com.
