By Dan Murphy
Tens of thousands of Westchester residents and families are “Food Insecure,” which means that they are unsure where their next meal will come from?
We recently received a message from Feeding Westchester and their distribution manager
No light at the end of the tunnel…
By Peter Pozo, Mobile Food Pantry Manager
We were at a distribution in Shrub Oak. It was a drive-thru, and we asked each vehicle, “How many families do you have?” We often need to measure ourselves because the line keeps on getting longer as time passes. One particular SUV had five families. We couldn’t give them what they needed.
The gentleman driving was very frustrated. He said, “This is not enough.”
People are already frustrated because they can’t make ends meet. Now, they come to a distribution where they think they’ll get enough food and there’s not always enough. And they need it. It was upsetting. It’s hard to say, “No.”
The lines are getting longer, by about 30%. Some places a little bit more. The SNAP benefits have been cut and this lady was receiving almost $300 per month. Now she’s receiving $66. What can you buy with that? It’s a sad situation. No light at the end of the tunnel as of now. This is not something that everybody sees. It’s unfortunate. Hopefully we can get more people to support us,” writes Pozo.
Every Sunday, on our way to church, my wife and I drive by the Peekskill-Cortlandt 7th Day Adventist Church in Cortland Manor. This Feeding Westchester mobile food pantry gives away a food bag every week, and we have noticed the lines of cars starting earlier and stretching longer.
And food insecurity for many Westchester families is expected to increase now that emergency SNAP benefits has now come to an end, after two years of additional beneifts during and after COVID.
Westchester families, seniors, and individuals receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will experience a minimum reduction of $95.00 in their monthly benefit amount, with some households experiencing a much higher reduction, up to $250 a month, beginning in March.
This will be a significant loss of food assistance for the over 74,000 people in Westchester who participate in SNAP, leaving many to struggle to afford nutritious food and pay other bills. This devastating loss is coming on top of a sharp year-over-year increase in the cost of food and utilities, which has already led to more people seeking emergency food from Feeding Westchester and our partners than this time last year.
A senior in Westchester County who is receiving SNAP benefits expressed her concern over this significant negative impact on her ability to buy food: “How [can they] expect me to live on $23? What can I buy for a whole month?”
Since March 2020, Congress temporarily increased SNAP benefits because of the COVID-19 public health emergency to address food insecurity challenges exacerbated by the pandemic. These increased benefits will end after February 2023 and return to pre-pandemic levels in March. The reduction in SNAP benefits is a result of a federal policy change (due to cuts in the 2023 Omnibus spending bill), not because of changes to individual SNAP cases.
Older adults, who are typically part of smaller households and receive the minimum benefit level, will likely feel these cuts the hardest. The national anti-hunger organization, Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), estimates that seniors will see their allotments fall from $281 to pre-pandemic levels, just $23 per month.
These extra benefits have been a lifeline for families who are already struggling with high costs of food and increased utility bills. With this dramatic decrease in benefits, there will be more pressure on Feeding Westchester and their partners when they are already dealing with long lines and higher fuel and food prices due to inflation. In fact, 80% of Feeding Westchester’s partners said they are already feeding more people and serving more food this year than last year.
Feeding Westchester along with their partners are doing everything they can to prepare SNAP recipients for the decrease in benefits, alert them to emergency food resources in their communities, and connect them to other services to help them meet their basic needs. If you live in Westchester and need help navigating your SNAP benefits or to connect with other help with food and basic needs, visit https://feedingwestchester.org/find-help/#foodbenefits. If you are able to help bridge this significant gap for the community, visit https://feedingwestchester.org/why-donate/.
In fiscal year 2022, Feeding Westchester provided more than 19 million pounds of food equivalent to nearly 16 million meals through soup kitchens, food pantries, schools, shelters, residential programs, and mobile distributions. That fed 200,000 people – including children, seniors, veterans, and hardworking families – every month. The nonprofit, a 4-star Charity Navigator organization, is committed to creating a community where all people have access to the food they need today, and the fundamental resources to build a better tomorrow.
More important, help Feeding Westchester provide food to your neighbors in our county. You can volunteer, make a donation, or help in other ways. Feeding Westchester is located at 200 Clearbrook Road, Elmsford, NY 10523. For more information, visit feedingwestchester.org.
