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Economy Growing, but Many Are Still Starving

Coalition Report: City’s Hunger Pains Continue

Despite a purported economic recovery, one in six New York City residents-and one in 10 Queens children-live in food insecure homes, according to a report from the New York City Coalition Against Hunger.

Nearly nine out of 10 Queens feeding charities face longer lines as a result of federal cuts to SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, as noted in the coalition’s 2014 Annual Hunger Survey.

The report found that the city’s food pantries and soup kitchens experienced an increased demand of 7 percent in 2014 and 10 percent in 2013, on top of increases of 5 percent in 2012, 12 percent in 2011, 7 percent in 2010, and 29 percent in 2009.

“The startling new data proves that the Wall Street profit bonanza has yet to aid the most vulnerable New Yorkers,” said Joel Berg, executive director of the coalition. “In past recoveries, a rising economic tide lifted all boats, but now it’s only lifting the yachts. It is particularly perverse then, that Washington has slashed federal food aid. Our data proves that, even when Albany and City Hall are taking progressive actions to fight hunger, as they have been, if the federal government abandons the fight, the huger crises will only worsen.”

Reportedly, 88.4 percent of Queens feeding agencies reported being impacted by the SNAP cuts, with 37.2 percent reporting a significant increase in the number of clients and/or a significant increase in the food needs of existing clients.

Overall, 81 percent of responding agencies reported an increase in the number of people they served over the past year, while 46 percent reported a “big” increase.

The survey report-entitled “The Unkindest Cuts: Federal SNAP Cuts Overwhelm Feeding Charities as NYC Hunger Remains High Despite Wall Street Boom”-is available at www.nyccah.org/hungersurvey. The coalition stated it demonstrates how the recent SNAP cuts, nearly $14 billion over the last year, coupled with a difficult economic recovery for low-income New Yorkers, has made it an extremely difficult year for hungry New Yorkers.

While Gov. Andrew Cuomo was able to take administrative action to prevent some of the cuts from being implemented in New York State, federal mandates still reduced the average household SNAP benefit in New York City by $19 per month, equaling a $228 reduction in groceries per year.

The amount of SNAP benefits per meal in New York City was reduced from $1.70 per meal in August 2013 to an even smaller $1.60 per meal in August 2014. Partially because the benefits were less adequate, few New Yorkers applied or re-applied for SNAP; the rolls declined by 125,487 people in the city during that year.

As a result of both the reduction in average benefit amount and the drop in the overall caseload, low-income New York City residents will receive an estimated $426 million less in federal SNAP funding in 2014 than in 2013.

In 2011-2013, before the cuts kicked in, an estimated average of over 1.4 million (1,415,588) New York City residents, or approximately 16.98 percent of New Yorkers, were food insecure. That number, which represents one in six New Yorkers, also includes children and seniors over the age of 60. It also represents, at minimum, a 300,000 person increase from 2006-2008 when there were approximately 1.12 million food insecure New Yorkers.

The report was released last Tuesday, Nov. 25, at the New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA) SNAP office in lower-Manhattan, the first-time ever that the coalition has held this annual event at a city office, reflecting a new partnership between the de Blasio Administration and advocates.

HRA Commissioner Steven Banks attended and outlined numerous measures the de Blasio administration is taking to fight hunger, reduce inequality, and expand economic opportunity.

“This administration is committed to working on a number of initiatives to increase both access to food and purchasing power for families who are food insecure,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “From increasing wages to focusing on closing the gap between people who are eligible for SNAP and those getting benefits to substantially increasing participation in free summer meals for over 8 million children this year, we are ensuring that New Yorkers have food on their tables so they can begin to get back on their feet and contribute to our city’s growth.”

“Food insecurity and hunger remain as devastating realities for too many New York families,” added Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, first New York senator in 40 years to sit on the Senate Agriculture Committee. “The release of this new data shows that there is more work left to be done to provide access to healthy, safe, and nutritious food to the one-in-ten individuals who are foodinsecure, and to the 1.7 million children receiving subsidized school meals across New York State. As Congress begins work on the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act, I will continue to champion legislation, like the Summer Meals Act, which will strengthen our ability to provide food to the most vulnerable members of our society, so that we can put an end to hunger and food insecurity across the nation.”

“Thanksgiving is a time for us to gather with loved ones and reflect on the good in our lives, but too many hungry families here in New York and across the country are struggling each day just to put food on the table,” said Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney. “I opposed cuts to the SNAP program, and we’re now seeing the result of those cuts. Families are getting less support as the cost of food continues to rise. NYCCAH’s report lays out the challenge facing our city. New York is the greatest city in the world, and it’s on all of us to ensure that nobody goes hungry.”

“It is unconscionable that so many New Yorkers continue to go to bed hungry each and every night,” said Rep. Joe Crowley. “More has to be done to help the most vulnerable among us, and now more than ever, we need to protect crucial benefits like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.”

“I commend the New York City Coalition Against Hunger, whose work helps address hunger and food instability throughout our city. New York City’s hunger needs continue to rise, as approximately 1.3 million city residents are food insecure, including one in five children,” said Public Advocate Letitia James. “The release of the 2014 Hunger Survey will provide a portrait of the overall need, so that we may begin to develop policies to target these issues.”

“Every day, thousands of New Yorkers struggle to put food on the table and many families go to bed unsure of from where or when their next meal will come,” said City Comptroller Scott Stringer. “No one should go hungry in the world’s richest city. I am committed to working with the Coalition to prevent further cuts and expand resources to fight hunger across the five boroughs.”

“While our city as a whole has taken some positive steps to address poverty with affordable housing and free middle school lunches, hunger continues to affect thousands of families,” said City Council Member Daniel Dromm. “The 2014 Annual Hunger Survey shows that federal cuts continue to stress soup kitchens and food pantries. Our federal government needs to step up to the plate and join us in the fight against hunger.”