(WNY News Now) Millions of New Yorkers in need have received vital assistance from the administration of Governor Kathy Hochul through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, a federally funded program that helps families with children, older adults, and people with disabilities throughout the State afford the cost of buying nutritious food, New York State has provided nearly $6.5 billion in essential food assistance to low-income working New Yorkers in 2024, Governor Kathy Hochul announced today. The most successful program in New York for combating hunger and food insecurity throughout the state is SNAP, which is a top focus for the administration of Governor Hochul.
According to Governor Hochul, no parent or caregiver should ever have to decide between keeping the lights on and purchasing groceries, and no New Yorker should ever go hungry.In order for so many working families, families with children, and seniors in New York to buy food, feed their loved ones, and make ends meet, we need congressional leaders to take the initiative and continue financing SNAP.
The Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) is in charge of overseeing the federally funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is run by local social service departments. More than 1.7 million households, or over 3 million New Yorkers, are SNAP recipients each month. Each household receives $376 in SNAP benefits on average each month. In 2024, New York State disbursed over $6.5 billion in SNAP payments by the end of October.
Approximately 18 percent of New Yorkers got SNAP benefits in 2024, making them a vital lifeline for those in need. Families with children made up more than half of SNAP-receiving households, and roughly 47% of them had an elder over 55 or a person with a handicap.
A federal study measuring the impact of SNAP on the U.S. economy found that for every dollar invested by SNAP, up to $1.54 in economic activity is generated.
By removing needless regulations and streamlining the application process, New York has extended SNAP in recent years, removing significant obstacles to reducing hunger in both adults and children while continuing to work toward maximizing benefits for all eligible New Yorkers.
- The Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP) simplifies the SNAP application, recertification and verification processes for eligible households, where all adult members are aged and/or disabled, thereby increasing access to and preventing interruptions in receipt of benefits for these households. Since ESAP was implemented in December 2021, OTDA has enrolled approximately 500,000 eligible households in the program.
- OTDA continues to work closely with local departments of social services and community-based organizations to ensure potentially eligible individuals are aware of SNAP and are able to easily access assistance.
-
OTDA contracts with community-based organizations that provide SNAP outreach and prescreening services, application assistance and referrals to potentially eligible households, and provides direct client assistance to enable households to continue to receive SNAP benefits, including individuals with disabilities.
- The SNAP-Ed nutrition education program teaches people how to shop for and cook healthy meals on a limited budget. This program is free to anyone who qualifies for SNAP, including people with disabilities, with the goal of giving SNAP households tools and tips to make nutritious food choices and choose a physically active lifestyle.
Children who live in food insecure households are more likely than their classmates to experience health issues and academic difficulties, according to Barbara C. Guinn, Commissioner of the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. The main weapon in the fight against hunger and food insecurity in New York State is SNAP, which enables millions of residents, including working families, families with children, and the elderly, to afford nutritious food. We appreciate Governor Hochul’s steadfast dedication to lowering hunger and food insecurity in New York and her emphasis on policies and initiatives that increase the affordability and accessibility of nutritious food for all New Yorkers.
“SNAP is one of the most effective tools we have to decrease hunger and food insecurity,” stated Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, adding that the benefits are a vital lifeline for thousands of low-income New Yorkers. Nobody should have to go hungry, and I’m honored to have contributed to the roughly $6.5 billion in federal funding that New Yorkers received this year through the SNAP program, which will help families in our state have easier access to nutritious food. I’m determined to keep fighting for money for food assistance programs as we start the new year to ensure that everyone in New York has the means to put food on the table.
In order to combat hunger and food insecurity throughout the State, New York State agencies collaborate with the federal and local governments through a variety of initiatives, including SNAP. In addition to creating and supporting a number of new laws and initiatives that assist reduce hunger and food insecurity in New York, Governor Hochul has made it a top priority for New Yorkers to have access to reasonably priced, healthful food.
Anyone can apply for SNAP online atmyBenefits.ny.gov, if you live outside of New York City, or by usingACCESS HRA, if you live in New York City, in person at alocal department of social services, or in a New York CitySNAP Center. In many areas through the State,community-based organizationscan assist with completing a SNAP application, answer any questions, or help current recipients recertify their eligibility to continue receiving SNAP.
At approved retail food establishments, specific items can be purchased with SNAP benefits. SNAP-eligible food can also be purchased online atparticipating retailers, but delivery charges and other fees cannot be paid for with SNAP benefits. The monthly benefits that an eligible household receives are determined by their household size and income. The maximum benefit is $292 for an individual and $768 for a family of three.
In 2024, New York also issued more than $240 million in food assistance to families of more than two million low-income, school-aged children as part of the newSummer EBT program. Summer EBT is a new federally funded program that supports efforts to address food insecurity among children from low-income families, providing $120 per eligible child to help families pay for healthy meals.
The Department of Health operates nutrition programs to reach underserved populations who often don t have equal access to abundant, affordable, healthy food options. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), provides a monthly prescription of nutritious foods tailored to supplement the dietary needs of participants. Participants receive valuable nutrition counseling and education to increase their knowledge of healthy choices and use their eWIC card to shop for nutritious food items at WIC approved vendors. In addition, the Child and Adult Care Food Program supports healthy meals and snacks served to children and adults in day care settings each day. These programs are essential to supporting nutrition security.Find more information about WIC here.
The Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program, along with theNourish New YorkInitiative, support the provision of emergency meals that are provided through a network of about 2,500 Emergency Food Relief Organizations. These meals include nutritious New York State grown produce and dairy products.Learn more about the DOH s Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program here.
In 2023, Governor Hochul signed legislation that formalized the State s Council on Hunger and Food Policy, which is charged with providing recommendations on how to address food insecurity and provide residents with greater access to healthy, locally grown foods.
The Council s work further aligns with and supports many additional State programs focused on alleviating food insecurity and hunger.
TheNourish New Yorkprogram helps food banks and other emergency food providers to purchase New York foods, such as milk, yogurt, cheese, vegetables, fruit and more, from local farmers and delivers meals to communities across the State.
The Farmers Market Nutrition Program, run by the Department of Agriculture and Markets, provides low-income seniors and WIC recipients with coupons to use for fresh, local produce at participating farmer s markets, farm stands, and mobile markets. The newly modified FreshConnect Fresh2You Initiative, which wasannounced by the Governor in spring 2023, doubles the buying power for SNAP recipients and Veterans and their families at participating farmers markets.
The SNAP-Ed Food Box and Community Growers Grants programs provide funding to further expand access to fresh, affordable foods in underserved communities across New York State and support New York s agricultural industry, making it easier for low-income families to access fresh, affordable food in their community while better connecting New Yorkers with local farmers and growers.
Double up Food Bucks is a statewide nutrition incentive program that helps thousands of SNAP recipients gain greater access to and afford more healthy food by maximizing the purchasing power of SNAP recipients at a growing list of grocery stores and farmers markets across the State. The Field & Fork Network s Double Up Food Bucks program expands the purchasing power of SNAP recipients, enabling them to purchase more healthy, fresh produce for themselves and their families, while also supporting local economies and farms. The State s growing partnership with Field & Fork Network helps New Yorkers meet their essential needs and strengthens Governor Hochul s work to expand access to affordable, nutritious, locally grown food in underserved communities across the State.
Share this:
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!