Advocates say halting the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP, benefits would be catastrophic, not just for families, but for food banks already stretched thin if it’s paused because of the federal government shutdown.

What You Need To Know

  • Across the city, 1.8 million people rely on those benefits. Most are children, seniors or people with disabilities

  • The Trump administration confirmed federal food aid will stop Nov. 1, citing legal limits on contingency funds

  • Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Monday the state is stepping in with a total of $41 million to keep pantries stocked

“SNAP provides 95 million meals per month in New York City. And that’s more than Food Bank for New York City distributes in a year,” said Nicole Hunt, director and public policy and advocacy for Food Bank for New York City.

Across the city, 1.8 million people rely on those benefits. Most are children, seniors or people with disabilities.

“We typically don’t buy food unless we’re responding during a time of crisis, and it’s fair to say that this is a time of crisis,” CEO of City Harvest Jilly Stephens said.

The Trump administration confirmed federal food aid will stop Nov. 1, citing legal limits on contingency funds. This will be the first time in U.S. history food assistance would pause during a government shutdown.

“I’m fast-tracking $30 million in emergency and food assistance funds that will support 16 million meals,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said.

Hochul announced Monday the state is stepping in with a total of $41 million to keep pantries stocked.

Meanwhile, Republican members of the House sent a letter to the governor accusing Senate Democrats of using the shutdown as political leverage.

“The charitable food network cannot absorb the impact of people not getting their SNAP benefits,” Hunt said.

State data shows the hardest-hit congressional districts in the city would be those of Reps. Ritchie Torres, Adriano Espaillat, Hakeem Jefferies, Yvette Clarke and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Together, it would impact more than one million New Yorkers.

“No one. Not [every] organization can be prepared for the hit that we’ll take when SNAP benefits don’t flow through,” Stephens said.

With federal workers also furloughed and turning to pantries for help, advocates say the Cities Emergency Food Network is bracing for what could become a hunger crisis unless Washington acts fast.