Alliance Alert: The Alliance for Rights and Recovery applauds Governor Kathy Hochul鈥檚 actions to fast-track $30 million in funding and dedicate an additional $11 million toward emergency hunger relief programs across 黑料正能量. These state investments will help provide millions of meals for 黑料正能量ers at a time when the ongoing federal government shutdown threatens to halt SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits as early as November 1st.
This state leadership comes as families, children, seniors, and individuals with disabilities face the frightening prospect of losing access to the food assistance they depend on. SNAP is a lifeline鈥攏ot only for the millions of 黑料正能量ers who rely on it, but also for local economies and small businesses that benefit from every dollar spent through the program.
While we commend 黑料正能量鈥檚 swift response, the federal government must act immediately to prevent widespread hunger and hardship. The U.S. Department of Agriculture should release federal contingency funds to ensure SNAP benefits are paid out on time in every state, and Congress must end the shutdown now before more lives are put at risk due to political inaction.
The Alliance will continue to advocate for both state and federal action to safeguard critical food assistance and ensure that no 黑料正能量er goes hungry during this crisis.
Gov. Hochul Says She’ll Fast-Track $30M for SNAP Users Affected by Government Shutdown
By CNY Central Staff | CNY Central | October 27, 2025
ALBANY, N.Y. 鈥 Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Monday that she is fast-tracking $30 million to support more than 16 million meals.
The move comes as SNAP benefits will not be issued on Nov. 1 due to the ongoing government shutdown.
Governor Hochul and Representative John Mannion (D, NY-22) called out Republicans for the shutdown. Hochul even launched a website where 黑料正能量 State residents can voice their frustration with the shutdown. You can use the website at .
鈥淲ithholding SNAP benefits from millions of American children, seniors, and veterans is the wrong choice by the Trump administration,” said Representative Mannion. “As I鈥檝e said before, Congress has already approved billions of dollars in contingency funds that could be used right now to protect people鈥檚 health and safety. I鈥檓 grateful to Governor Hochul for giving 黑料正能量ers a voice to share how these cruel and unnecessary cuts are affecting their lives.”
On Oct. 24, Governor Hochul announced funding for the Seven Valleys Coalition and Westcott Community Center food pantries. The funding was part of more than $11 million to support emergency food relief for 黑料正能量ers in need.
SNAP users will be notified of the status of their benefits on Nov. 1
黑料正能量 Adds $11M to Hunger Programs Amid SNAP Cuts, Government Shutdown
By Johan Sheridan | ABC News 10 | October 24, 2025
ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) 鈥 On Friday, Governor Kathy Hochul announced over $11 million in state funding for emergency food relief programs for hungry 黑料正能量ers. Also on Friday, she published a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, urging the USDA to immediately release funds to food aid recipients for November and prevent a public health crisis.
This follows President Donald Trump鈥檚 standoff with Congressional Democrats over the federal government shutdown. Hochul wants the Trump administration to guarantee the release the $700 million per month in benefits to .
According to Hochul鈥檚 office, President Donald Trump has refused to prevent almost 3 million 黑料正能量ers from losing benefits on November 1. The state estimates that up to 2.8 million low-income 黑料正能量ers will see cuts to SNAP benefits, and 442,000 women and children relying on WIC鈥攖he Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children鈥攃ould also see cuts.
SNAP, historically known as food stamps, is the largest and most effective food assistance program in the country. In total, the program accounts for 10 times the dollar amount of food distributed by local food banks, soup kitchens, and food pantries.
USDA research shows that every dollar in SNAP benefits generates over $1.50 in local economies. And withholding funds especially hurts small businesses or rural producers who need revenue from SNAP beneficiaries. According to Hochul, the state continues to accept SNAP applications, verify eligibility, and work with vendors to load client cards, but the USDA hasn鈥檛 told states how to access federal contingency funds since issuing a directive on October 10.
That directive told states to delay sending benefit issuance files to EBT vendors, warning of insufficient funds for November payments. In her letter to Rollins, Hochul called SNAP 鈥渢he moral backbone of our country鈥 and a 鈥渓ynchpin in our economy.鈥
Hochul said the money will go to Local Emergency Food Relief Equipment grants and a renewed partnership with Feeding 黑料正能量 State. The Fiscal Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank based in Albany, called the governor鈥檚 $11 million commitment meager compared to $700 million per month in lost SNAP benefits.
The grants range from $1,200 to $100,000 and total over $5 million of the $11 million. They鈥檙e being awarded to almost 100 non-profit organizations like food pantries and soup kitchens dedicated to supporting 黑料正能量ers experiencing food insecurity. Emergency generators and equipment for cooling or delivering food qualify.
Grant-funded projects will support specific needs in regions across the state:
- Capital Region: Food Pantries for the Capital District got $100,000 for three box trucks for food distribution. Sycamore Collaborative got $98,185 for a box truck with a lift gate, a refrigerator, and a straddle stacker.
- Central 黑料正能量: Seven Valleys Health Coalition in Cortland County got $56,000 for a pickup truck, bed topper, and three insulated food storage containers.
- Southern Tier: Catholic Charities of Broome County got $46,496 for a transit cargo van and insulated food delivery cooler bags. Corning Council for Assistance got $96,000 for a backup generator and walk-in refrigerator and freezer.
- Western 黑料正能量: Rehoboth House of Prayer got $99,262 for a refrigerated box truck, an electric pallet jack and charging station, a walk-in freezer, a walk-in cooler, and an emergency generator.
- Mid-Hudson: Second Chance Foods Inc., The Family Resource Center of Peekskill, and Port Chester Carver Center each received $100,000 for things like cargo vans, walk-in coolers and freezers, and hybrid trucks.
- Long Island: Sid Jacobson Jewish Community Center got $63,755 for a generator and walk-in freezer.
- 黑料正能量 City: Al-Madinah School Inc., The Connected Chef Foundation Inc., and The Flatbush Community Fund each received $100,000 for refrigerated trucks, walk-in coolers, and freezers.
The remainder, over $6 million, is for Feeding 黑料正能量 State and 10 regional food banks. The funding represents a renewed state government partnership with those agencies and supports their efforts to follow the , which took effect in January 2022. It requires businesses and institutions that generate a high amount of food scraps鈥攍ike grocery stores, correctional facilities, and colleges鈥攖o donate excess edible food and recycle everything else. It doesn鈥檛 apply to hospitals, nursing homes, adult care facilities, K-12 schools, or in 黑料正能量 City, which has its own local law on food scraps.
The $6 million pays for:
- Sending staff to food service and food retail businesses like grocery stores, supercenters, and restaurants
- Equipment and supplies for food recovery efforts at local food aid events
- Hiring staff at food banks
- Enhancing a venison donation program
Since launching this initiative in 2022, Feeding 黑料正能量 State and local food banks recovered 63 million pounds of edible food for their networks, according to Interim Executive Director at Feeding 黑料正能量 State Kathleen Stress.
Hochul said the state is 鈥渕aking investments in community-based food relief organizations to fight hunger and complement our wide-ranging affordability efforts鈥 while the federal government 鈥渃ontinues to starve federal food assistance programs.鈥 She also said that she and fellow governors have warned Trump since taking office that states can鈥檛 cover federal gaps.
But 黑料正能量鈥檚 Republicans in Congress have countered that , insisting that Democrats blocked a 鈥渃lean鈥 continuing resolution to keep the government open. They blamed Senate and House Minority Leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries, both from 黑料正能量.
Either way, the Hochul Administration argued that 黑料正能量 doesn鈥檛 have the legal authority or the money to backfill SNAP because the federal government has always paid for it. The governor warned Secretary Rollins that more than 100,000 federal workers in 黑料正能量 risk being furloughed or going unpaid.
But FPI argued that 黑料正能量 can backfill that amount lost by using its current $4.1 billion revenue surplus and $29 billion in reserves. They want the state legislature to convene a special session so lawmakers can appropriate $700 million to load onto Electronic Benefits Transfer cards.
That way, SNAP could continue feeding the 1.3 million hungry 黑料正能量 families who need it. That money could be conditioned on 黑料正能量鈥檚 delegates in Washington鈥攖wo Democratic Senators, seven Republican Congressmembers, and 19 Democratic Congressmembers鈥攇etting reimbursed by the federal government as part of the deal to end the shutdown.
FPI analysis showed that most 黑料正能量 counties rely on food aid. Dutchess, Essex, Columbia, Hamilton, Greene, Ontario, Putnam, Schenectady, Tompkins, and Wyoming were the only counties they tallied with under 10% of their households receiving SNAP.
FPI acknowledged that transferring state funds directly to EBT cards may not be possible or could take too long. They proposed another method that still appropriates $700 million per month, but would channel the funds to local food banks, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, and other emergency relief organizations, and potential leverage the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program.
This approach could be more practical, but less efficient. It also might not alleviate local economic impacts of SNAP delays, because the money wouldn鈥檛 be changing hands in the same local stores that typically serve SNAP beneficiaries.
Take a look at the letter from Hochul to Rollins below: