New York City Steps Up Food Effort Amid SNAP Benefits Halt
Mayor Eric Adams has announced an unprecedented public-private initiative to address the growing food insecurity crisis in New York City, where more than 1.8 million residents, including 540,000 children and 540,000 older adults, have lost access to federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits due to the ongoing federal shutdown.
As the city faces a shortfall of $420 million in monthly SNAP benefits, Adams is urging businesses, philanthropies, and community members to help bridge the gap. While local efforts can't replace federal funding, Adams emphasized the need for collective action to prevent hunger among vulnerable populations. "While we sadly can never provide as much support as our federal partners, our social services agencies are ready to help New Yorkers in need, and we're calling on business leaders, philanthropic partners, faith leaders, and community members to join us in this effort," he said.
The city's efforts will be spearheaded by the New York Community Trust, which will direct donations to nonprofits across the region. Partnering organizations include City Harvest, Food Bank for New York City, and the Roundtable: Allies for Food Access, a coalition of nine large food pantries and soup kitchens that provide kosher and halal food.
One notable recipient of additional funding is the Met Council, a provider of kosher and halal food, which received an additional $200,000 from the city and another $200,000 in private donations. CEO David G. Greenfield reported a 15% increase in demand for their services and expects a 30% rise in the coming week.
Meanwhile, Food Bank For NYC has seen a surge in demand, with 87% of participating food pantries reporting an increase in attendees over the weekend. However, nearly half of these pantries faced challenges in distributing food due to insufficient resources.
The city's resource list for affected SNAP recipients and outreach efforts with local food providers aim to support those struggling with hunger. As the federal shutdown continues into its second month, Adams' initiative marks a crucial step in addressing the growing food insecurity crisis in New York City.
Mayor Eric Adams has announced an unprecedented public-private initiative to address the growing food insecurity crisis in New York City, where more than 1.8 million residents, including 540,000 children and 540,000 older adults, have lost access to federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits due to the ongoing federal shutdown.
As the city faces a shortfall of $420 million in monthly SNAP benefits, Adams is urging businesses, philanthropies, and community members to help bridge the gap. While local efforts can't replace federal funding, Adams emphasized the need for collective action to prevent hunger among vulnerable populations. "While we sadly can never provide as much support as our federal partners, our social services agencies are ready to help New Yorkers in need, and we're calling on business leaders, philanthropic partners, faith leaders, and community members to join us in this effort," he said.
The city's efforts will be spearheaded by the New York Community Trust, which will direct donations to nonprofits across the region. Partnering organizations include City Harvest, Food Bank for New York City, and the Roundtable: Allies for Food Access, a coalition of nine large food pantries and soup kitchens that provide kosher and halal food.
One notable recipient of additional funding is the Met Council, a provider of kosher and halal food, which received an additional $200,000 from the city and another $200,000 in private donations. CEO David G. Greenfield reported a 15% increase in demand for their services and expects a 30% rise in the coming week.
Meanwhile, Food Bank For NYC has seen a surge in demand, with 87% of participating food pantries reporting an increase in attendees over the weekend. However, nearly half of these pantries faced challenges in distributing food due to insufficient resources.
The city's resource list for affected SNAP recipients and outreach efforts with local food providers aim to support those struggling with hunger. As the federal shutdown continues into its second month, Adams' initiative marks a crucial step in addressing the growing food insecurity crisis in New York City.
️! I swear it was like a taste explosion in my mouth. And have you ever noticed how some food trucks can be so...adventurous with their menu options? Like, one day they'll have this crazy spicy sauce and the next, it's all about that vegan quinoa bowl 
. But seriously, food insecurity is no joke and I'm glad the city is stepping up to help out. We should totally start a petition for more falafel funding 
!
! So like, NYC is facing this huge gap of $420 million in SNAP benefits and I'm thinking how are they gonna make up for that? 
It's not just about throwing money at the problem tho, we need to talk about sustainability here. Like, what's being done to support these food banks and pantries long-term? Is it just a matter of private donations? Because even though $200k is nice, it's not gonna cut it for everyone.
. But at the same time, nearly half of them can't distribute food due to resource constraints... it's like we're just patching holes with band-aids instead of addressing the root issue.
. Can we get on board with that?
Food insecurity is on the rise in NYC 
It's super concerning that over 1.8 million people have lost access to SNAP benefits due to the federal shutdown 
The city's $420 million monthly shortfall is huge 
Like, City Harvest and Food Bank for NYC are doing amazing work 
We need more initiatives like this to support vulnerable populations 
And yeah, I think it's awesome that The Met Council got an extra $400k 
! Losing SNAP benefits is a major issue, especially for kids and older adults 
. It's so cool that he's teaming up with local businesses, philanthropies, and community members to fill the gap 
15% increase in demand at Met Council is crazy! 
I'm really worried about these 1.8 million people in NYC who just lost their SNAP benefits... it's crazy how one thing can affect so many lives 
. But what about the ones who can't even get food because there aren't enough pantries or food banks? 
. It's great that the city is recognizing their efforts and giving them more funding. But we can't just rely on private donations and government aid... we need a systemic change here 
. We need to make sure everyone has access to healthy food, regardless of their income or background.
. We can do better than this, NYC! 
. I'm all for businesses and philanthropies joining forces to bridge the gap left by the federal shutdown. $420 million might seem like a lot, but imagine if we could double or triple that amount! 
The city's initiative is a good start, but we need more ASAP 
what if they can't afford groceries? What if they have to go hungry? 
It's not just about food, it's about dignity & respect for human life 
we can't just sit back & watch people suffer 'cause of some gov't drama. the fact that local orgs are takin' initiative is awesome tho 
meanwhile, city harvest is collectin 300k+ lbs of food each week 
& mayor adams is callin on biz/philanthropies to help bridge the gap 
& mayor adams is sayin we cant replace federal funding w/ local efforts but collective action can help 
so, i think it's time for us all to step up 
. I think we're already over-investing in charity and handouts to people who aren't even trying hard enough. If they really need help, maybe they should get a part-time job or look for a better-paying gig instead of relying on the government all the time 
But you know what's even crazier? The fact that some of these pantries are struggling to distribute food due to insufficient resources 
.
. Maybe if more people cared, we could find a way to make things right 
. I'm just glad they're gettin' some cash to help out but it still feels like the city is just patchin' holes instead of fixin' the problem.
lets hope everyone does their part to make a difference 
the gov is basically letting people go hungry & theres nothin bein done about it 
4crry theyre countin on local businesses & orgs 2 step up & help bridge the gap 
and i'm all for local orgs stepping up, but it's sad we need to resort to this kinda stuff in the first place 
