South Queens residents lining up at the River Fund food pantry in Richmond Hill last week said federal cuts to food stamps left them struggling even more than usual. Anna Gustafson/The Forum Newsgroup
For Queens residents whose food stamps were just cut, some relief could be coming their way after Gov. Cuomo announced last week that the state is allocating $4.5 million in emergency food assistance grants during the holiday season.
The funds will aid 2,600 emergency food providers throughout New York, including in Queens, that work with individuals impacted by the federal government’s cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, otherwise known as food stamps. The recent reduction to SNAP has impacted more than 47 million people across the country and is the largest cut to food stamps since Congress first passed the 1964 Food Stamps Act.
The cuts went into effect last month, and, for example, one Howard Beach resident who went to the River Fund food pantry in Richmond Hill last week, said his monthly $200 food stamp budget was cut by $11 – which, he told The Forum, “really hurts me.”
“With the holiday season upon us, New York state is stepping up to help food banks and soup kitchens across the state stock their shelves and feed those in need,” Cuomo said in a prepared statement. “These state grants are aimed at filling the gap caused by recent cuts in federal SNAP benefits and provide a boost to vital food assistance programs, to help provide relief to impacted New Yorkers.”
“This time of year is also about celebrating the spirit of giving, so I encourage all New Yorkers to join our efforts by donating food or volunteering their time at local food banks and soup kitchens,” Cuomo continued. “A little can go a long way, and I encourage all who can to help those less fortunate this year.”
Overall, the number of emergency meals reported for 2013 is trending at approximately 13 percent more than the same time last year, according to data provided to the state’s Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program. Recent federal cuts to the SNAP program will eliminate a total of $302 million of annual SNAP benefits in New York, and this year’s increased demand for emergency food has resulted in emergency food providers struggling to keep their shelves stocked.
By Anna Gustafson
