Gov. Kathy Hochul declares food emergency for New York amid possible SNAP cuts
Hochul also announced $65M in state funds for emergency food assistance
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Gov. Kathy Hochul has declared a State of Emergency for New York as more than 42 million low-income Americans who rely on SNAP benefits, including 16 million children, brace for the potential freeze in food assistance due to the government shutdown.
"The Trump Administration is cutting food assistance off for three million New Yorkers, leaving our state to face an unprecedented public health crisis and hurting our grocers, bodegas and farmers along the way," Governor Hochul said during a news conference on Thursday. "Unlike Washington Republicans, I won't sit idly by as families struggle to put food on the table."
Hochul also announced $65 million in new state funds for emergency food assistance to help provide 40 million meals to New Yorkers.
She also announced she will deploy SUNY Empire State Service Corps members to help support food banks.
"Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress have the power to stop this crisis - millions of families depend on it," Hochul said.
The governor says every student in the state will be able to eat breakfast and lunch at school.
University Prep in the Bronx is taking it one step further, where a GoFundMe has already raised over $11,000.
'It's really to provide food for after the school day, not only for the students, but for their families, they have siblings that aren't in school yet, they have siblings that are out of school and so they need this food at home as well," said Assistant Principal Sally Schwab.
Over 85% of the charter high school's families rely on SNAP, so the timing is critical.
"Monday we want to give gift cards, we're going to use that for gift cards and we're also going to use it to buy groceries so we can package grocery bags for families to come pick up groceries and bring them home every week," Schwab said.
Mayor Eric Adams said the city will allocate an additional $15 million in emergency assistance, but all told, that number falls well short of the $650 million the state distributes in SNAP benefits each month.
It's an amount the governor says is impossible for the state to backfill.
The possible disruption to SNAP funding on Nov. 1 would have a direct impact on beneficiaries of the food assistance program and has already caused a ripple effect on the country's food system.
To qualify for SNAP in 2025, a family of four's net income can't exceed the federal poverty line, which is about $31,000 per year.
For those seeking alternative resources if SNAP benefits are discontinued on November 1 or if you are looking to help, please visit abc7ny.com/foodhelp for more information.
(The Associated Press and ABC News contributed to this report.)
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