New York State’s Statue of Liberty is seen in the background. Once the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) emergency allotments run out in March, many families will need to find other means of support to continue eating healthy.
For almost three years now, SNAP users have been eligible to receive at least $95 in additional benefits each month, on top of their regular benefits, to help alleviate the financial strain brought on by the global spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
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As of January 2023, SNAP participants will only get their regular monthly benefits due to a provision in the federal omnibus bill for the fiscal year 2023 that was passed in December.
The director of Policy and Government Relations at City Harvest, Jerome Nathaniel, was quoted in Advance/SILive.com as saying that once the “lifeline” that the supplements have been cut off, there will be a bigger demand for emergency food.
According to Nathaniel, “SNAP is seen as the government’s first line of defense against hunger.” Most of the people who use the food pantries at City Harvest are also part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
As a result, the demand for emergency food is bound to be affected indirectly if there are changes to the SNAP program, such as reductions or interruptions to the payments.
Over a million households in New York City participated in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as of December 2022, per the most recent report from the New York State Office of Temporary Disability and Assistance (OTDA), the state agency in charge of administering SNAP in the state of New York.
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One of the major food rescue organizations in New York City, City Harvest, is ready to fulfill the increasing demand, as Nathaniel pointed out, but the food insecurity numbers are shocking nonetheless.
We have always been ready to react quickly and effectively to any crisis, whether it be a natural disaster or, in this case, a crisis resulting from public policy decisions.
By working fast with our network of food donors and also by advocating for increased help for acquiring food to fulfill that demand, we were able to show that our response to the pandemic was effective. Yet in the context of 2019, he continued, “we’re far from out of the woods.
A City Harvest analysis found that in 2022, there were more than 3.5 million trips made to NYC food pantries, a 69% increase over 2019.
Throughout the course of this year, City Harvest anticipates delivering over 75 million pounds of food.
In What Ways May the Government Be of Assistance?
As federal funding for emergency SNAP distributions is cut, states and municipalities must figure out how to make up the difference.
Pantries and food banks in New York are actively lobbying for increased financing for Nourish New York, a state program that redistributes surplus agricultural products to food banks.
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Nathaniel explained that they were advocating for state-level programs like Nourish New York in order to help with the rising demand. We’re presently lobbying for an increase from last year’s $50 million to this year’s $75 million.
New Yorkers are urged to lobby their state senators and assembly members to approve the higher spending levels.
Sources of Food Aid
Food stamp beneficiaries who have exhausted their emergency allotments may be eligible for alternative assistance programs, such as:
- Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding and children under the age of five who receive SNAP may be eligible for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
- Coupon programs like FreshConnect, Double Up Food Bucks, and NYC Health Bucks make it easier to shop for healthy groceries at places like farmers’ markets and grocery stores.
- Cost-cutting incentives for home internet service are made available through the Affordable Connectivity Program.
- Heat assistance is available through the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP).
- Provided by local food pantries.
City Harvest’s interactive map helps New Yorkers locate free food distribution centers in their neighborhood. Soup kitchens, food pantries, community fridges, City Harvest Partner Distributions, and City Harvest Mobile Markets are all available resources.
