“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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