Posted by NASWNY Chapter
posted on October 30, 2025
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a critical federal initiative that combats food insecurity by providing benefits to eligible families for purchasing food. NASW-NY commends Governor Kathy Hochul for declaring the revocation of federal SNAP funding due to the federal shutdown a statewide disaster emergency. This urgent action will help provide immediate relief to families and individuals in need through food banks and pantries across New York.
Food is a human right. No human should experience hunger in one of the wealthiest nations and states in the world. Governor Hochul emphasized, “This is the first federal shutdown where they did not make an accommodation for food. We are going to stop feeding Americans. No state can backfill the money. We can’t backfill that. I am officially declaring a food emergency and will unleash every tool at our disposal.”
Her swift response follows calls from food pantries and advocacy organizations such as Legal Aid, who raised alarm about the growing number of New Yorkers facing hunger. New York typically receives and distributes approximately $650 million per month in SNAP benefits from the federal government. However, the recently allocated $65 million for the Hunger Prevention Nutrition Assistance Program and Nourish New York will only cover roughly 40 million meals; about 14 meals per person for the 3 million New Yorkers who rely on SNAP. To maintain three meals a day throughout November, each person would need 93 meals, underscoring that this level of funding is unsustainable.
NASW-NY reaffirms that food security is a fundamental human right, and feeding those in need reflects the core values and ethical obligations of the social work profession. Should federal funding remain unavailable in the short term, New York State must act to fill the gap and ensure adequate resources for those most affected.
NASW-NY will continue to monitor this issue closely and share updates as they develop. For questions, ideas, or opportunities to collaborate, please reach out to us directly.
Contact your Members of Congress and ask them to put pressure on USDA to release the contingency funds. MAZON has a click-to-action here and talking points for calls/emails.
Dr. Shakira Kennedy, Ph.D., LMSW NASW-NY Executive Director skennedy.naswny@socialworkers.org
Gideon Mosse NASW-NY Policy Coordinator gmosse.naswny@socialworkers.org
Amanda Pressly, MS NASW-NY Policy Coordinator apressly.naswny@socialworkers.org