“SNAP is a safe, effective way to ensure that low-income children and their families can get the food they need during this difficult time”
As Senators negotiate the next COVID-19 federal relief bill, 200 organizations across New York have joined together to call for expanding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to support New Yorkers facing hunger. Read the letter below to or click here learn more about our joint priorities for improving and expanding SNAP in the upcoming legislation.
July 21, 2020
The Honorable Charles Schumer
Minority Leader
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
The Honorable Kirsten Gillibrand
U.S. Senator for New York
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
Expand SNAP in the Next Federal COVID-19 Relief Package to Lift Up Vulnerable Families
Dear Leader Schumer and Senator Gillibrand:
We, the undersigned organizations serving communities across New York State, appreciate your work on the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to help workers, employers, older Americans, and children, but much more needs to be done to ensure New Yorkers can weather this crisis. During this time of soaring unemployment, financial insecurity, and growing hunger, we urge Congress to temporarily increase SNAP benefit levels in the next federal COVID-19 relief package.
New York is on the front line of responding to unprecedented disruption triggered by COVID-19. Our organizations are working each day to help families struggling with food insecurity. According to the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, more than 121,000 New Yorkers enrolled in SNAP in April of 2020. New York State needs every option available to fight hunger and stimulate our economy. SNAP is a proven solution to both challenges. By providing families with a grocery benefit they can use to purchase food directly, SNAP is a safe, effective way to ensure that low-income children and their families can get the food they need during this difficult time.
While the FFCRA provided USDA with authority to increase emergency SNAP allotments for existing SNAP households to the maximum benefit, the most vulnerable families—roughly 12 million people, including 5 million children—received no additional nutrition assistance because their household already received the maximum SNAP benefit. Given the extraordinary increase in need during this public health emergency, we urge you to temporarily expand SNAP by increasing the benefit available to all households by 15%, increasing the minimum benefit from $16 to $30 in the next federal relief package, and suspending all SNAP administrative rules that would terminate or weaken benefits. This increase is needed to offset the significant loss in income and soaring unemployment resulting from COVID-19-related closures and disruptions.
Strengthening SNAP will not only feed struggling families, it will boost the economy. Economists estimate that every SNAP dollar that households redeem expands the economy by approximately $1.50 by enabling low-income households to buy other essential items, like diapers and medication, and provides revenue directly to local businesses, thus helping maintain jobs in our cities. For example, USDA’s Economic Research Service estimates that every $1 billion invested in SNAP supports 13,600 jobs. As the federal government continues to respond COVID-19, we urge you to quickly act to provide relief to low-income families by temporarily increasing the SNAP benefit amount.
Congress has taken important steps to help communities navigate this challenging time, but more is required. Given the unprecedented nature of this crisis, struggling families and their children need SNAP benefits more than ever before. Congress should act now to ensure that families in New York and across the country are able to put food on the table.
Sincerely,
Adirondack Foundation – Birth to Three Alliance
Angels In Motion Ministry
Anna’s Pantry
Ascension Holy Trinity Food Pantry
Bethel Seventh-Day Adventist Church
Black Forum of CO-OP City Food Pantry
Bnois Spinka
Bolivar-Richburg Central School District
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Capital Area
Braman Hall Food Pantry
Bread of Life Food Pantry
Brooklyn Faith Feeding Program
Campus and Community Children’s Center
CAPTAIN Community Human Services
Cathedral of Joy Christian Center, Inc.
Catholic Charities Tri-County Services
Cattaraugus Community Action, Inc.
Center for Independence of the Disabled, NY
Central Nassau Guidance & Counseling Services
Centro Corazón de María
Chatham Area Silent Pantry
Child Development Support Corporation
Children’s Aid
Children’s Defense Fund NY
Chinese-American Planning Council
Christ Temple
Christian Cultural Center
Christian Pentecostal Church
Church of God, Inc.
Church Of Praise And Worship God In Christ
Citizen Action of New York
Citizens’ Committee for Children
City Harvest
Coalition on Human Needs
Commission on the Public’s Health System
Community Action Planning Council of Jefferson County, Inc.
Community Food Advocates
Community Services HDC
Cooperstown Food Pantry
Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County
Crossroads Community Services at St. Bartholomew’s Church
Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation
Disabled in Action of Greater Syracuse Inc.
Divine Truth Ministry Inc.
Dryden Kitchen Cupboard
Dutchess County Progressive Action Alliance
Dutchess Outreach
EAC Network
Early Care & Learning Council
Eden-North Collins Food Pantry, Inc.
Edith and Carl Marks Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst
Emmaus Seventh-Day Adventist Church
EPIC Long Island/South Shore Child Guidance Center
Expressway Assembly of God Food Pantry
Family Enrichment Network
Feed My Sheep Community Food Pantry
Feed the Frontlines NYC
Feeding New York State
Feeding Westchester
FeedMore WNY
First Church of God In Christ
First Congregational United Church of Christ Food Pantry
First Presbyterian Church in Jamaica
Food Bank For New York City
Food Bank of Central New York
Food Bank of the Southern Tier
FoodCorps New York
Foodlink
Fulmont Community Action Agency, Inc.
GEEL Community Services, Inc.
Good Neighbor Food Pantry of Woodstock
Goshen Ecumenical Food Pantry
Gowanda Central School District
Grace Episcopal Church, West Farms
Grand Concourse Community Services Food Pantry
Greenpoint Reformed Church
Harlem Village Academies
Health & Welfare Council of Long Island
Helping Hands Food Pantry/St. Augustine Church
High Hill Food Pantry
Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen
Holy Innocents Food Pantry
Hudson Valley Community Services, Inc.
Hunger Free America
Hunger Solutions NY
Inspirational Gospel Assembly
JASA Long Island Center for Dignity and Support
Jewish Community Council of the Rockaway Peninsula
Keith Nelson Food Pantry
Laurie M. Tisch Center for Food, Education & Policy, Teachers College, Columbia University
Lenox Hill Neighborhood House
Lighthouse of Hope Outreach and Resource Center
LiveOn NY
Long Island Cares, Inc. – The Harry Chapin Food Bank
Long Island Center for Independent Living, Inc.
Long Island Coalition for the Homeless
Macedonia Community Development
Manna of Life Ministries, Inc.
Martin Luther King Multi-Purpose Center
Massachusetts Avenue Project Inc.
Massena Independent Living Center, Inc.
Mater Christi Food Pantry
Mechanicville Area Community Services Center
Melville Chamber of Commerce
Mental Health Association of Nassau County
Metropolitan Community Church
Mosholu Montefiore Community Center
Nachas Health and Family Network
Nassau Alumnae Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Long Island Chapter, Inc.
National Council of Jewish Women New York
National Organization of Wayne County
Neighbors Supporting Neighbors Babylon
Neighbors Together
Network of Religious Communities
New York Common Pantry
New York State PTA
New York State School Boards Association
Newburgh Tabernacle Seventh Day Adventist Church
No Kid Hungry New York
North American Board of Rabbis
Northern Rivers
Noticia
NYC Healthy School Food Alliance
Oakwood Community Center
Olean Food Pantry, Inc.
Open Bible Church Food Pantry
Opportunities for Otsego, Inc.
Pakistani American Youth Organization, Inc.
Peace Valley Haven Inc.
Pentecostal Rescue House of Prayer for All Nations, Inc.
People Organized for Our Rights, Inc. (P.O.O.R.)
Peter & Paul Parish Outreach
Pine Bush Central School District
Pointe of Praise Family Life Center
Potsdam Snack Pack Program
Prevent Child Abuse NY
Progressive Doctors
Public Health Solutions
Putnam Valley Community Food Pantry
Queens Jewish Community Council
Raymond Community Church Food Pantry
Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York
Richmond University Medical Center
Riverdale Senior Services, Inc.
Roscoe Free Library
Sanctuary for Families
Saratoga Immigration Coalition
Schenectady City School District
Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy
SCO Family of Services
Second Baptist Church
Second Chance Agape Worship Center
St Elizabeth Church
St. Andrew’s Food Pantry
St. Bernard Parish Social Ministry
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Food Pantry
St. Francis of Assisi – St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry
St. John Deliverance Tabernacle Food Pantry
St. Mark’s Lutheran Pantry
St. Peter’s Love Kitchen
St. Vincent De Paul – St. Charles Borromeo Church
Suffolk Independent Living Organization
Syracuse-Onondaga Food Systems Alliance
Taurus Associates Inc.
Teens for Food Justice
The Campaign Against Hunger
The Education Trust–New York
The Elevated Studio
The Gospel Tabernacle Church of Jesus Christ
The Legal Aid Society
The New York State Association of County Health Officials
The Redeemed Christian Church of God Restoration Assembly
The Resource Group
The Roscoe Shepherd’s Food Pantry
The Salvation Army-Harlem Temple
The Urban Outreach Center of NYC
Together We Can Community Resource Center, Inc.
Treasures in Earthen Jars Food Pantry
Trillium Health
Trinity United Methodist Church Food Pantry
Trinity’s Services and Food for the Homeless
Troy Area United Ministries
Ulster County Community Action Committee, Inc.
Union Baptist Church Community Feeding Program
Uniondale Early Childhood Center
United Way of New York City
United Way of The Greater Capital Region
Unity House of Troy, Inc.
University Consultation & Treatment Center
University Presbyterian Church Food Pantry
Urban Strategies Inc.
Veterans Enterprise Technology Solutions, Inc.
Village Green Apartments
West Side Campaign Against Hunger
WIC Association of New York State, Inc.
Worldwide Movement Father Son and Holy Spirit
Xavier Mission
Youth Enrichment Services, Inc.
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