Replacment SNAP Benefit Deadline Extended for Herkimer, Madison and Montgomery Counties

Due to severe storms on June 27 and 28, NYS has directed the SNAP offices in the following counties: Herkimer, Madison, Montgomery to allow recipients of SNAP benefits to report a loss until Friday, July 29.

Current SNAP recipient households, in the counties listed above, that have lost food purchased with SNAP benefits due to the storms on June 27 and 28 are entitled to a replacement issuance of benefits if they:

1.  Report food loss by Monday, July 29 to their SNAP office.  This can be done either by phone, in person or in writing, and
2. Return a signed and completed Form 2291A "Request for Replacement of Food Purchased with SNAP Benefits" to the SNAP office by the close of business 10 days after reporting the loss.
3. By submitting form 2291 A by Monday, July 29, SNAP recipients will fulfill both the above requirements of reporting the loss of food and submitting the form.  When using this option SNAP recipients no longer must report the loss separately from submitting the form.

 Other things SNAP recipients should know:

• Form 2291A is a legal Statement indicating a loss of food due to a household misfortune and to the cost of the food lost.
• The SNAP office may use available information regarding power outages and flooding to confirm the accuracy of the statement.  
• Make sure to print clearly when filling out the form.

Click here to download the form. 

Click here for additional resources (flyer, policy alert)

Your local Nutrition Outreach and Education Program (NOEP) Coordinator can help you. Your NOEP Coordinator is a free and confidential partner in your community that can answer any questions you have about SNAP and will work with you on getting any food bought with your EBT card that was destroyed by flooding/power outages replaced. 

Click here to find a NOEP coordinator.

You can find the location of your local SNAP office by calling the toll-free New York State Temporary Assistance Hotline at 1-800-342-3009 or by clicking here for a county by county listing.

Action for Healthy Kids School District Breakfast Grant

Action for Healthy Kids District Breakfast Grant: With generous funding from Kellogg's Corporate Citizenship Fund, Action for Healthy Kids is pleased to release its School Breakfast to School Wellness Partnership grant opportunities for the 2013-2014 school year. School districts will be awarded funds to impact 10-20 schools that will range from $12,600 to $25,200 with significant in-kind contributions from Action for Healthy Kids in the form of people, programs, and school nutrition expertise. We'll provide districts with management expertise and support to develop strong alternative and universal breakfast programs to increase breakfast participation in 10-20 schools districtwide. Applications are due August 23, 2013.

Click here for more information.

FRAC President Jim Weill’s Reaction to House Passage of H.R. 2642

From Food Research and Action Center - July 12, 2013 Federal Nutrition Programs Update:

On July 11th the House passed a partial Farm Bill (H.R. 2642) that dropped the nutrition title entirely. The move was viewed as part of conservatives’ strategy to make SNAP cuts at a later point in the process, whether by passing a bill with nutrition provisions, by negotiating such in conference with the Senate, on its Farm Bill (S. 954), or by enacting other legislation. Nonetheless, in the meantime, SNAP, which has a permanent authorization, continues under current law subject to appropriations.

FRAC President Jim Weill’s Reaction to House Passage of H.R. 2642: “It is unfortunate that the House passed this partial Farm Bill. The nutrition title was not included, and the path that the House majority leadership is pursuing is one that does not bode well for SNAP in the House. Over the past year, the House majority leadership has used every opportunity to try to cut and weaken SNAP. The bad committee Farm Bill, the adoption of the Southerland amendment and others on the House floor, and the Ryan budget proposal all portend a new assault on SNAP after today’s action. FRAC will continue to work towards a Farm Bill that protects SNAP and the nation’s children, seniors, and working families.”

Follow this link to the online version of the FRAC statement.

Senators Oppose Bill Split: By letter dated July 11th (pdf), 17 Senators led by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) urged Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) to oppose splitting the Farm Bill.  Joining Senator Gillibrand in cosigning were Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Mark Begich (D-AK), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Bob Casey (D-PA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Angus King (I-ME), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Christopher Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Tom Udall (D-NM), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

AARP Opposition: In a letter opposing H.R. 2642, AARP said: “Removal of the nutrition title of the Farm Bill represents an abandonment of the nation’s commitment to ensuring essential nutrition access for the many U.S. households that face a constant struggle against hunger and food insecurity daily as well as emergency food assistance in times of economic and natural crises or disasters. Along with helping low-income people eat healthier, more nutritious food, the nutrition programs also benefit the economy. For example, every $5 in new Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits generates $9 - nearly twice as much - in total community spending.”

Message and Action Needed: 1) Thank Representatives for votes against the Farm Bill H.R. (2642) Rule and final passage. 2) Urge Representatives and Senators to protect and strengthen SNAP in any Farm Bill or other legislative vehicle, including in conference committee.

Roll Call Votes: For the vote on the Rule and final passage of H.R. 2642, follow this link to see votes 349 and 353.

Resources: For background on Farm Bill proposals and developments, including analyses of proposals to cut SNAP funding, go to the Legislative Action Center on FRAC’s website.

House Farm Bill Ignores the Hungry: Statement by Linda Bopp, Executive Director of Hunger Solutions New York

House Farm Bill Ignores the Hungry

Statement by Linda Bopp, Executive Director of Hunger Solutions New York

Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed a Farm Bill that does not include the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP is our country’s first line of defense against hunger and has proven to be very effective.  SNAP enables low-income people to eat healthier, more nutritious food while benefiting local economies.   Currently, over 3 million New Yorkers rely on SNAP to put food on their tables which consequently brought more than $5 billion into New York’s economy last year.  We need a Farm Bill that honors our country’s commitment to help our most vulnerable. Hunger Solutions New York will continue to work for a Farm Bill that protects SNAP and the nation’s children, seniors, disabled, veterans, and working families who depend on this vital Program.

# # #

Hunger Solutions New York is a statewide organization dedicated to alleviating hunger for all New Yorkers. For more information visit www.HungerSolutionsNY.org.

To find a local NOEP provider or to learn more about SNAP and other nutrition assistance programs, visit www.FoodHelpNY.org.

Press Release: Hunger Solutions New York Announces Request For Proposals for the Nutrition Outreach and Education Program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                          

Contact: Michelle Golden

518-436-8757 x 114

Hunger Solutions New York Announces Request For Proposals for the Nutrition Outreach and Education Program

Albany, New York—July 12, 2013—Hunger Solutions New York is soliciting proposals for the Nutrition Outreach and Education Program (NOEP).  Community Based Organizations will have the opportunity to apply for a grant to provide free and confidential services that connect hungry New Yorkers to nutrition assistance programs.

New York State has long recognized that the use of federal nutrition assistance programs is critical to addressing the problem of hunger and that many of these programs are underutilized.  As a result, NOEP has operated in New York State since 1987. Through NOEP, 501(c)(3) community-based organizations are funded to:  promote the benefits of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program) to the local community; provide outreach to eligible, non-participants of SNAP; assist households through the SNAP application process; and help resolve barriers to participation in SNAP.   In addition, NOEP projects promote awareness of the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP). 

To be eligible to participate in the process, an agency must be a 501(c)(3), tax-exempt organization incorporated for a purpose sufficiently broad enough to include providing services or other assistance to economically or socially disadvantaged persons.

A Letter of intent to submit a proposal in response to this RFP should be e-mailed, to the attention of Paige Cerulli, and received by Hunger Solutions New York no later than 5:00 pm on Friday, August 9, 2013. 

# # #

Hunger Solutions New York is a statewide organization dedicated to alleviating hunger for all New Yorkers. For more information visit www.HungerSolutionsNY.org.

To find a local NOEP provider or to learn more about SNAP and other nutrition assistance programs, visit www.FoodHelpNY.org.

June 2013 Storms-Replacement SNAP Benefits Information and Form

Due to severe storms on June 27 and 28, NYS has directed the SNAP offices in the following counties: Broome, Chenango, Clinton, Delaware, Essex, Franklin, Herkimer, Madison, Montgomery, Oneida, Otsego, St. Lawrence, Schoharie, Tioga and Warren to continue taking applications for replacement of June SNAP benefits through Friday, July 29.

Current SNAP recipient households, in the counties listed above, that have lost food purchased with SNAP benefits due to the storms on June 27 and 28 are entitled to a replacement issuance of benefits if they:

1.  Report food loss by Friday, July 19 to their SNAP office.  This can be done either by phone, in person or in writing, and
2. Return a signed and completed Form 2291A "Request for Replacement of Food Purchased with SNAP Benefits" to the SNAP office by the close of business Monday, July 29.
3. By submitting form 2291 A by July 19, SNAP recipients will fulfill both the above requirements of reporting the loss of food and submitting the form.  When using this option SNAP recipients no longer must report the loss separately from submitting the form.

 Other things SNAP recipients should know:

• Form 2291A is a legal Statement indicating a loss of food due to a household misfortune and to the cost of the food lost.
• The SNAP office may use available information regarding power outages and flooding to confirm the accuracy of the statement.  
• Make sure to print clearly when filling out the form.

Click here to download the form. 

Click here for additional resources (flyer, policy alert)

Your local Nutrition Outreach and Education Program (NOEP) Coordinator can help you. Your NOEP Coordinator is a free and confidential partner in your community that can answer any questions you have about SNAP and will work with you on getting any food bought with your EBT card that was destroyed by flooding/power outages replaced. 

Click here to find a NOEP coordinator.

You can find the location of your local SNAP office by calling the toll-free New York State Temporary Assistance Hotline at 1-800-342-3009 or by clicking here for a county by county listing.

USDA Announces Nutrition Standards for Snack Foods and Beverages Sold in Schools

From the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC): 

Today the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced its nutrition standards for all foods sold in school outside of the federal school lunch and breakfast programs, including cafeteria “a la carte” items, vending machines, and other snack foods, and beverages. These new standards are an important step to remedy nutritional shortfalls in our nation’s children’s diets and to help address the obesity crisis.

These new nutrition standards, consistent with the U.S. Dietary Guidelines, will promote the health of all school children throughout America. 

Click here to read the full press release from FRAC.

Governor Cuomo Announces $3.4 Million For Low Income Families To Access Healthy Foods At Farmers' Markets Across The State

Press Release from Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA):

Governor Cuomo Announces $3.4 Million For Low Income Families To Access Healthy Foods At Farmers' Markets Across The State

New York Operates the Largest Such Program in the Nation

June 14, 2013 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced $3.4 million to help low-income Women, Infants and Children (WIC) increase their access to healthy, locally-grown food at farmers’ markets across the state. The funding will provide over 215,000 families with access to healthy food at 470 farmers’ markets. WIC families can find Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) checks at their local WIC clinic. New York operates the largest such program in the nation.

“Farmers’ markets help pump money back into local economies while encouraging New Yorkers to support local agriculture and promote healthy eating,” Governor Cuomo said. “The WIC program connects low-income families with affordable, fresh and locally-grown food at farmers’ markets in their communities. Not only does this program help New Yorkers to eat better and healthier, it also expands the customer base for our local farmers and promotes New York-grown products.”

Click here to read more. 

FRAC Applauds House for Voting Against Farm Bill Containing Harmful SNAP Provisions

Washington, D.C. – July 20, 2013 – The Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) applauds the House of Representatives for decisively rejecting a Farm Bill that would have harmed millions of struggling people in need of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The committee bill put on the floor would have cost two million low-income individuals their benefits entirely, 210,000 children would have lost their free school meals, and an additional 850,000 households would have seen their benefits cut by an average of $90 a month. Then, amendments adopted on the floor would have added uncounted more low-income people to the bill’s victims.

House Members who voted against this bill because of its awful SNAP provisions have shown they care about the hungriest people in America – children, seniors, working families, unemployed workers, and individuals with disabilities – who are struggling every day to meet their basic needs and to put food on the table,” said FRAC President Jim Weill. “The House did the right thing, and we applaud them for it.”

Read full statement...

see role call for house vote of 195-234

Message and Action Needed: Thank Members of Congress for votes that protected SNAP, including votes against final passage of H.R. 1947 and for the McGovern SNAP restoration amendment.

Check FRAC’s website for links to key roll call votes on H.R. 1947. Roll call votes on H.R. 1947 also are available via on the Thomas site.

Food Stamp Cuts Draw White House Veto Threat

by Aurthor Delaney
Huffington Post Politics
Posted: 06/17/2013 6:24 pm EDT  |  Updated: 06/17/2013 6:42 pm EDT

WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration on Monday threatened to veto farm legislation that would cut billions from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps.

"The bill makes unacceptable deep cuts in SNAP, which could increase hunger among millions of Americans who are struggling to make ends meet, including families with children and senior citizens," the White House said in a statement, adding that the president's senior advisers would tell him to veto the legislation if it reached his desk.

"The Administration believes that Congress should achieve significant budgetary savings to help reduce the deficit without creating hardship for vulnerable families -– for example, by reducing crop insurance subsidies," the White House said.

Read full article

Read President Obama's Statement of Adminstrative Policy

FRAC Applauds New Proposed Legislation to Strengthen SNAP Benefits

By Contrast, House Agriculture Committee Bill Would Leave Millions of Americans with Empty Cupboards

Statement attributable to FRAC President Jim Weill

June 17, 2013 – Washington, D.C. – As the Farm Bill moves to the floor of the House of Representatives this week, Congress must acknowledge that any cut to SNAP means less food in the cupboards and refrigerators of the hungriest people in America – including children, seniors, working families, unemployed workers, and people with disabilities.

At a time when more than one in six Americans struggle to put food on the table, it is unconscionable for Congress to consider any cuts to SNAP, let alone the proposed House bill’s more than $20 billion over the next ten years. Specifically, the House bill would result in at least 1.8 million people losing SNAP benefits entirely, and another 1.7 million people losing $90 per month.

SNAP must be strengthened. According to the Institute of Medicine, current SNAP benefit levels are inadequate in most circumstances, and leave many households hungry by the end of the month. FRAC applauds Congressman Ted Deutch (D-FL), and 25 additional House Members (see link to list below) for introducing a bill that would require SNAP benefits to be calculated using USDA’s low-cost food plan, which would improve benefit allotments, would positively impact the health and nutrition of millions of Americans, and would reduce long-term health costs.


The House of Representatives must reject cuts to SNAP and pass a Farm Bill that protects and strengthens the program. Ensuring that our most vulnerable populations have enough food to eat is not only the right thing to do, it is essential to the nation’s social, economic, and fiscal success. Seven out of 10 voters say cutting SNAP funding is the wrong way to reduce government spending – it’s past time for Congress to listen.　


Read full statement and view list of co-sponsors

Participate in National Call-in Day to Support and Protect SNAP in the Farm Bill

From the Food Research and Action Center: 

Take Action: Participate in National Call-In Day to Support and Protect SNAP in Farm Bill (Tuesday, June 18)

Next week, the House is expected to take up its Farm Bill and we need your help protecting SNAP from proposed cuts — cuts that would cause 2 million individuals to lose their benefits entirely, 210,000 children to lose free school meals, and 850,000 households to see their benefits cut by an average $90 per month.

On Tuesday, June 18, join advocates from across the country and call your Member of Congress and urge him/her to support and protect SNAP.

Take Action:  

1) Pick up the phone, dial 866-527-1087* and urge your Member of Congress to:

• Speak out in support of SNAP and against any cuts on the House floor.
• Vote NO on any harmful amendments to SNAP.
• Vote YES on any amendments to restore SNAP cuts or to strengthen the program.
• Vote NO on a Farm Bill that includes SNAP cuts.

2) Spread the word by sharing with your networks and on social media.

At a time when millions of families are still struggling to put food on the table, now is the time to protect and strengthen SNAP, not cut benefits for people and families in need.

These proposed cuts would come on top of an across-the-board benefit reduction affecting every SNAP recipient  scheduled to occur on November 1, 2013, as the benefit boost provided in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) expires, resulting in a cut of approximately $25/month for a family of four.

For more information on the proposed cuts go to FRAC’s Legislative Action Center.

Remember to follow @fractweets for the latest on the Farm Bill and include #SNAPWorks, #SNAPChallenge, and #endhungernow in your tweets.

*Special thanks to our friends at Feeding America for providing their toll-free number.

For Many Working Families Loss or Reduction of SNAP Benefits Can Cause Serious Harm

Children's HealthWatch
May 15, 2013

Children's HealthWatch summarized their forthcoming analysis about the child health effects of lost or reduced Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The research shows that when families lose SNAP they are more likely to be food insecure and to have a child in poor health and at risk of developmental delays. Children's HealthWatch urges Congress to consider these findings when making decisions about SNAP legislation in the Farm Bill. 

Read the summary...

Pediatric Health Professionals from around the Country Know SNAP is Good Medicine

Children's HealthWatch
May 15, 2013

Children's HealthWatch has released a statement titled, Pediatric Health Professionals from around the Country Know SNAP is Good Medicine, affirming our support for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) given the strong scientific evidence showing the importance of SNAP for children’s health and development.  As the Senate and House work on Farm Bill legislation that will determine the funding and structure of the SNAP program for the next five years, Children's HealthWatch urges Congress to protect and strengthen SNAP. 

Read the statement...

Food Research and Action Center Expresses Disappointment with Senate Farm Bill Cutting SNAP Benefits

Statement attributable to FRAC President Jim Weill

 Contact: Jennifer Adach, 202.986.2200 x3018

Washington, D.C. – June 11, 2013 – The Farm Bill passed yesterday by the Senate contains a $4.1 billion cut to SNAP that will harm large numbers of struggling families. That provision limits the ability of states to operate “Heat and Eat” policies, and will trigger sizable reductions in monthly SNAP benefits for many households, as well as increasing state administrative burdens. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), an estimated 500,000 households a year will lose $90 per month in SNAP benefits.

The cuts being proposed by the House are even more outrageous, building on the Senate bill by adding another cut that would remove two million people from the program altogether and cause more than 200,000 low-income children to lose access to school meals.

We appreciate that the Senate rejected – in Committee and on the floor – several amendments that would have made the situation far worse.

We applaud those in the Senate who fought off larger cuts, as well as those Senators who voted to restore the $4.1 billion cut.

As the Farm Bill moves through the rest of the process, FRAC will work to produce a final bill that contains no SNAP cuts and that preserves the strong structure of the program.

Read full statement...

New Webpage for the Summer Food Service Program

The USDA Food and Nutrition Service has launched an easy-to-use Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) webpage (www.summerfood.usda.gov) with all the tools and information that you and your organization need to get involved in SFSP!   Here you can download radio public service announcements, watch training videos, download flyers, connect with summer sites, and much more!  Whether you want to become a sponsor, feeding site, volunteer, or promote SFSP, this webpage is a resource to help you.  We believe your use of these tools will help us achieve the USDA's goal of serving 5 million additional meals across the nation during this Summer.

The Learning Connection: What You Need to Know to Ensure Your Kids Are Healthy and Ready to Learn

The Learning Connection: What You Need to Know to Ensure Your Kids Are Healthy and Ready to Learn demonstrates that physical activity supports academic achievement, well-nourished kids learn better and that healthier practices in schools can increase school revenue. The easy-to-read special report, released in 2013, is a roadmap for parents, educators, school administrators and school volunteers to create healthier school environments so the kids in their lives are better positioned to learn. 

Click here to read the full report.

Rochester City to Participate in Leadership Academies on Reducing Childhood Hunger

The National League of Cities (NLC) has launched its second round of their Cities Combating Hunger through Afterschool and Summer Meal Programs (CHAMPS) initiative by selecting 21 cities to participate in two regional Leadership Academies that will help them leverage federal funding to reduce childhood hunger. The city of Rochester has been selected as one of the cities under this CHAMPS initiative, designed to help the city increase the number of children receiving healthy meals through the Afterschool Meal Program and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).  NLC's Institute for Youth, Education, and Families and the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) have partnered on this initiative through a generous grant from the Walmart Foundation. 

Visit NLC’s announcement of the project to learn more.

School Breakfast to School Wellness Partnership Grant Opportunities

With generous funding from Kellogg's Corporate Citizenship Fund, Action for Healthy Kids is pleased to release its School Breakfast to School Wellness Partnership grant opportunities for the 2013-2014 school year.  School districts will be awarded funds that will range from $12,600 to $25,200 with significant in-kind contributions from Action for Healthy Kids in the form of people, programs, and school nutrition expertise.  Action For Healthy Kids will provide districts with management expertise and support to develop strong alternative and universal breakfast programs to increase breakfast participation in 10-20 schools district-wide. Letters of intent are due June 21, 2013. 

Click here for more information. 

SNAP + SNAP ED = Smart Policy

Huffington Post 

Blog by Billy Shore

Founder and CEO, Share Our Strength

Posted 5/17/2013 11:20 am 

This week, Congressional committees voted to cut funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, or food stamps) and SNAP-Education, which funds programs that help families access healthy food and get the most nutrition from their limited dollars. This is short-sighted and impractical.

The powerful effect that SNAP and SNAP-Ed can have on a family is a story best told not by me but by a woman who has been a part of our No Kid Hungry campaign, Lareese. 

Lareese is a busy mother of two. She's trained as a dental assistant, but on-and-off employment in her small town has sometimes made it tough to make ends meet. Her meager income has made it hard to feed her family, but the $1.80 she gets per person per meal through SNAP benefits has made it possible to put food on the table.

She took a six-week cooking and nutrition education course through No Kid Hungry's Cooking Matters, the type of program that SNAP-Ed supports. In Cooking Matters, a chef taught Lareese to cut up a whole chicken, to bake instead of fry and shared ways to stretch ingredients. A nutritionist taught her to read food labels at the store, to watch out for added sugar and sodium, and to find healthier items even when eating out. Each week, Lareese left empowered with a new set of skills. She also left with a bag of groceries, to practice making the healthy meals taught in class. 

Dinnertime looks very different at Lareese's house now. Her SNAP benefits last longer than they did before the course - up to a week and a half longer sometimes. She's stretching her dollars primarily by shopping smarter - writing a list, comparing unit prices, and reading food labels. 'This little thing is three gulps and you've had 25 grams of sugar!' Lareese exclaimed about an 8 oz. bottle of mango soda back when we tagged along on a grocery trip.

This is just one example of how nutrition education can make a real difference in the lives of real Americans trying to do the best for their families. Yet Congress today is looking to slash funding for SNAP and SNAP education. 

Smart fiscal policy today must look to tomorrow. Ensuring our kids get the healthy food they need through programs like SNAP is a smart investment. Research shows kids who get the healthy food they need are likely to have fewer health problems, do better in school and grow up stronger. Investing in programs like SNAP and SNAP-Ed today will off-set enormous expenses in health-care costs, educational failures and lost wages in the future.

 These programs work in unison: parents like Lareese need both benefits to put food on the table, and education to maximize those benefits in a healthy way.

Responsible, proactive policy starts with protecting SNAP. Join me in urging Congress to protect funding for this important program.

 Follow Billy Shore on Twitter: www.twitter.com/billshore

No Time to Cut Food Stamps

The New York Times Editorial
Published May 13, 2013

“Families who are living in poverty did not spend this nation into debt,” says Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, “and we should not be trying to balance the budget on their backs.” That humane principle will guide the New York Democrat as she seeks to persuade colleagues to resist a proposed $4.1 billion cut in food stamps in an omnibus farm bill heading toward Senate agriculture committee vote.

The cut, spread over 10 years, is a lot less than the devastating $20 billion cut over the next decade the Republican-controlled House Agriculture Committee is considering. Yet food stamps are already scheduled to take a hit when increases approved in the 2009 economic recovery act expire in November. The $4.1 billion reduction would result in an average cut of $90 per month for nearly 500,000 households nationwide, according to Congressional Budget Office estimates.

It is especially galling that members of committee, led by Debbie Stabenow, a Democrat of Michigan, seem determined to hurt struggling families and children while perpetuating unnecessary benefits for big agriculture. Ms. Gillibrand would pay for restoring the trims to food benefits by lowering the subsidies to highly profitable crop insurance companies based overseas. 

Some lawmakers complain that parts of the current law providing for enhanced food stamp benefits could be manipulated by states. But the program has very little fraud and, in any case, there is no justification for reducing benefits over all. Allowing cuts in food stamps is the wrong position fiscally and morally, and a terrible strategy for beginning negotiations with the House.

View the Editorial

A Closer Look at Who Benefits from SNAP: State-by-State Fact Sheets

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has recently updated and posted new papers on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).  They have useful information on the program and the role it plays at both the national and state level.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) is the nation’s most important anti-hunger program, reaching nearly 48 million people nationwide in 2012 alone. These fact sheets provide state-by-state data on who participates in the SNAP program, the benefits they receive, and SNAP’s role in strengthening the economy.

To view the NYS SNAP Fact sheet

To view the larger list of all States

School Grant Deadline Extended to May 3, 2013

Action for Healthy Kids is extending the deadline for our School Grants for Healthy Kids application.  Schools now have until May 3, 2013 to submit a proposal to enhance their school breakfast or physical activity initiatives.  

Click here for more information. 

See A Place at the Table

A new documentary about hunger in America called A Place at the Table is being shown in theaters across the country and is available on iTunes or On Demand.

Fifty million people in the U.S.—one in four children—don’t know where their next meal is coming from. Directors Kristi Jacobson and Lori Silverbush examine the issue of hunger in America through the lens of three people struggling with food insecurity.

Visit the web site to find a screening near you or to learn how to host a screening.

President Obama's 2014 Budget Supports Nutrition Programs

Yesterday, President Obama released his Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Proposal. It protects and proposes to strengthen the nation’s nutrition safety net for the many Americans who continue to struggle with hunger. Chief among his proposals is the restoration of cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits made in the 2010 Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act and scheduled to take place in FY 2013.

Click here to read a full analysis from our partners at the Food Research and Action Center.

SNAP Works for the Economy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                          Contact: Alisa Costa

518.436.8757 x122

Albany NY—April 9, 2013- Everyday people make tough decisions between paying heating bills, medical bills, rent, or buying groceries.  For struggling New Yorkers every dollar makes a difference. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the new name for the Food Stamp Program, can help make these decisions a little easier, while benefiting the local economy at the same time.

Federally funded SNAP benefits help struggling families afford food. Money is automatically deposited in participants’ accounts that are accessed using an electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card. Participants may choose to buy most foods and food-producing seeds and plants from approved local stores, bodegas and farmers’ markets.

Purchases made with SNAP have an economic ripple effect. Recipients spend benefits immediately at local stores. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), every $5 in SNAP food purchases generates more than $9 in economic activity.

Grocery stores have experienced an increase in SNAP purchases in the last several years.  “Stores which did not take SNAP benefits in the past found a dramatic increase in requests from recipients and immediately became vendors,” said Mitch Klein of Krasdale Foods. “Our supermarkets play an important role in the community by providing quality at competitive prices, in addition to all the jobs for the community that the store is situated in.” In 2012, more than $5 billion in SNAP benefits were used across the state. “While the supermarket is a business for profit, we are also keenly aware that what we offer is critical to the wellbeing of families therefore we need a high level of in-stock products that will fit the budget of all our customers while also finding ways to provide the consumer with even greater savings,” he said.

SNAP benefits are helping farmers too. According to the USDA, on average, $1 billion of retail food demand by SNAP recipients generates 3,000 farm jobs across the United States.

When SNAP purchases are made at farmers markets, the benefits stay local. Throughout New York State, more than 210 farmers markets accept SNAP EBT payments. Recipients can leverage even more dollars through healthy food incentive programs.

Local farmers, especially at farmers’ markets, are seeing a difference. “If it wasn’t for SNAP we wouldn’t be at some of these farmers’ markets. It’s close to 50-70% of our sales,” said Ken Migliorelli, owner of Migliorelli Farm in Tivoli, NY. “I think it’s a great program, beneficial to farmers and our company. It’s a win, win situation for everyone involved.” 

According to the Farmers’ Market Federation of New York State, in 2011, New Yorkers spent about $2.6 million using EBT cards at farmers markets, the second highest amount in the country. This spending was up 34 percent from 2010 thanks to more farmers’ markets accepting EBT.

New Yorkers having trouble affording food can learn more about SNAP and other nutrition assistance programs through the Nutrition Outreach and Education Program (NOEP).  NOEP is available in 52 counties and every borough in New York City to provide outreach, education, and application assistance.

To find a local NOEP provider or to learn more about SNAP and other nutrition assistance programs, visit www.FoodHelpNY.org.

# # #

                                                                                                                                                      

Hunger Solutions New York is a statewide organization dedicated to alleviating hunger for all New Yorkers. For more information visit www.HungerSolutionsNY.org.  

2011 US vs NYS Characteristics Report Now Available Online

The United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (USDA FNS) is the agency that administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly the Food Stamp Program. Each year, USDA FNS releases their SNAP Household Characteristics Report that details the demographic and economic circumstances of  participating SNAP households across the United States. 

Hunger Solutions New York compiles the US and New York State Selected Characteristics of SNAP Households report as an easy to read and interpret version of the USDA's larger national report to highlight New York State SNAP participation data and compare it to the national data. 

Hunger Solution new York's report compares selected characteristics including: 

• Average Monthly Household Benefit Amount

• Number of Children receiving SNAP benefits

• Number of Elderly receiving SNAP benefits

• Percentage of Households with Zero Gross Income

This is a great data source for community agencies, as well as state and local government officials dedicated to finding solutions to hunger in New York State. This report can help  identify populations with low participation rates when designing SNAP outreach strategies. It also shows how participation rates have changed over the last 11 years in our state and nationally. To find this report, you can visit the SNAP Center of Hunger Solutions New York's website, and download the US and NYS Selected Characteristics of SNAP Households FY 2002-2011. 

*report prints in legal size*

State Budget Deal Protects Anti-Hunger Program Funding

The final state budget signed by Governor Cuomo on April 1 maintains funding for the Nutrition Outreach and Education Program (NOEP) and protects other anti-hunger programs from cuts. Below is an outline of funding highlights from the enacted budget.

Program Name	Budget	FY 20120-13	FY 2013-14
Nutrition Outreach and Education Program (NOEP)	OTDA	$    3,018,000	$     3,018,000
Wellness In Nutrition (WIN)/Supplemental (Senior) Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)	OFA	$  21,380,000	$   21,380,000
School Lunch and Breakfast Program	DOE	$  33,700,000	$   34,000,000
Summer Food Service Program	DOE	$    3,049,000	$     3,049,000
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)*	DOH	$  19,811,300	$   26,254,900
Child Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)	DOH	$ 247,694,000	$ 247,694,000
Hunger Prevention Nutrition Assistance Program (HPNAP)	DOH	$    29,702,50	$   28,046,700
Food Banks**	OTDA		$    2,000,000

* The 2013-14 Budget line for WIC is a combined line that includes a budget line previously not tracked by Hunger Solutions New York. The new amount is equivalent to a 5.57% cut when the two lines are combined.

** While HPNAP received a 5.57% cut in the DOH budget, an additional $2 million was allocated to food banks in the OTDA budget for a small increase in overall funding.