New York City and New Jersey SNAP recipients are bracing for the sudden loss of benefits on November 1 as the US Department of Agriculture announces it will stop making payments. The pause, which marks the first disruption since the program began during the Great Depression, threatens to leave thousands without their monthly stipend, leaving families scrambling to make ends meet.
As the federal funding dries up, local food providers are scrambling to stock up on supplies and prepare for a surge in demand. Pantries, soup kitchens, and food rescue groups are reporting an increase in visitors, with some already seeing a 10% rise in demand over the past two weeks. Providers say families will have to rely even more heavily on their networks of neighbors and community members to get by.
"This is real life," said Christine Quinn, CEO of WIN, a provider of shelter and supportive housing for families with children. "Babies won't have formula. Small children won't have breakfast or lunch. Kids who don't go to school, kids who aren't yet in school or daycare won't have breakfast or lunch during the week." To mitigate this crisis, Quinn's organization is raising funds to give clients gift cards they can use at the grocery store.
Despite the chaos, some local organizations are finding ways to adapt. DoorDash has announced it will waive delivery and service fees for grocery purchases by SNAP users, while Citymeals on Wheels delivers groceries daily to homebound older adults across the five boroughs.
New Yorkers can donate to their local food pantry or network anti-hunger organizations like Food Bank of NYC or City Harvest. The state of New York has also declared a state of emergency and is directing over $100 million in emergency funding to support food banks and pantries.
However, the uncertainty surrounding the SNAP cut-off has left many wondering if benefits will be restored on time. A group of attorneys general, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, has asked the courts to intervene to force the USDA to use contingency funding to keep SNAP funded. The Trump administration has said it cannot use those funds to make SNAP payments.
As families prepare for an uncertain future, they are left to wonder how they will cope without their monthly stipend. For many, the threat of food insecurity is a harsh reality that can no longer be ignored.
As the federal funding dries up, local food providers are scrambling to stock up on supplies and prepare for a surge in demand. Pantries, soup kitchens, and food rescue groups are reporting an increase in visitors, with some already seeing a 10% rise in demand over the past two weeks. Providers say families will have to rely even more heavily on their networks of neighbors and community members to get by.
"This is real life," said Christine Quinn, CEO of WIN, a provider of shelter and supportive housing for families with children. "Babies won't have formula. Small children won't have breakfast or lunch. Kids who don't go to school, kids who aren't yet in school or daycare won't have breakfast or lunch during the week." To mitigate this crisis, Quinn's organization is raising funds to give clients gift cards they can use at the grocery store.
Despite the chaos, some local organizations are finding ways to adapt. DoorDash has announced it will waive delivery and service fees for grocery purchases by SNAP users, while Citymeals on Wheels delivers groceries daily to homebound older adults across the five boroughs.
New Yorkers can donate to their local food pantry or network anti-hunger organizations like Food Bank of NYC or City Harvest. The state of New York has also declared a state of emergency and is directing over $100 million in emergency funding to support food banks and pantries.
However, the uncertainty surrounding the SNAP cut-off has left many wondering if benefits will be restored on time. A group of attorneys general, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, has asked the courts to intervene to force the USDA to use contingency funding to keep SNAP funded. The Trump administration has said it cannot use those funds to make SNAP payments.
As families prepare for an uncertain future, they are left to wonder how they will cope without their monthly stipend. For many, the threat of food insecurity is a harsh reality that can no longer be ignored.
... My mom used to rely on SNAP when I was growing up and it really made a huge difference in our lives. Now my own kids are at an age where they need formula and breakfast every morning, and the thought of them not having access to that because of some government funding issue is just heartbreaking 
. 
, and I'm glad the state of NY is providing emergency funding. But still, this whole situation just feels like a recipe for disaster 
. Can't we just have one smooth transition without all this drama?! 
snap recipients in NYC & NJ are gonna lose benefits on Nov 1 
it's not just about food tho, formula and childcare too for babies & small kids who won't get breakfast or lunch if they dont go to daycare 
local orgs r raisin funds & partnering with door dash to help out 
this is so not good... thousands of ppl gonna struggle 
no formula for babies 
no breakfast for kids 
and it's all cuz of gov't cut 
gotta love that but 
local orgs finding ways 2 adapt 
doorDash helping w/ fees 
citymeals on wheels saving dayz 
and ppl can donate $$$ to food banks 
hope benefits come back soon 
Food bank chaos in NYC & NJ 
. We need to support our food banks & anti-hunger orgs, stat! 
. Can't believe the feds are pulling the plug on SNAP benefits like this. I mean, what's next? Food banks just gonna get left high and dry too? 
And people are talking about a 10% increase in demand already? That's not just chaos, that's disaster 
. I'm all for supporting local food pantries and organizations, but we need some real solutions here, like guaranteed funding or something 
. And what's up with the Trump admin saying they can't use contingency funds? Are they outta their minds? 
This is just a recipe for disaster...
. I mean, who even gets used to living with uncertainty? The thought of little kids going hungry or not getting their breakfast is just heartbreaking 
I'm so worried about these families, especially with kids who need formula and breakfast every day 
. It's like the US is playing a cruel game of musical chairs, except instead of chairs, they're playing with people's livelihoods 
.
. Raising funds for gift cards is a great idea, but it's just not enough 
. What about the ones who can't afford groceries at all? Those who are already struggling to make ends meet? 
. We need real solutions, not just temporary fixes 
.
, but we need systemic change too 
. The USDA needs to step up and provide more funding for SNAP recipients 
. It's time to put people over profits 
. Families with kids will have to rely on neighbors for meals, hope they have a good network