Food Bank President & CEO Margarette Purvis; Commissioner Steven Banks, NYC HRA
Photo: Eric Vitale Photography
November 24, 2015 – Food Bank For New York City held its 4th Annual Legislative Breakfast at the Brooklyn Historical Society on November 23rd. Elected officials, Food Bank member charities, and anti-poverty stakeholders were in attendance to hear the findings of Food Bank’s new research, Hunger Cliff NYC: Bridging a City’s Monthly 5.3 Million Meal Loss, which shows that emergency food needs in New York City continue to remain staggeringly high since cuts to SNAP (food stamps) took effect two years ago.
Following remarks from Council Member Steve Levin, Food Bank President and CEO Margarette Purvis explained the findings: New York City has lost more than 116 million meals due to the SNAP cuts alone. Ms. Purvis detailed some of the report’s most alarming findings, including the fact that 90% of food pantries and soup kitchens have seen an increase in demand over the past year, while 49% have struggled with food storages. She reiterated that the only way to move forward in the battle against hunger is through strong partnerships with government.
A panel of Food Bank member agencies also responded to the report and spoke about their firsthand experiences since the cuts went into effect. The panel, moderated by Triada Stampas, Food Bank’s Vice President of Research and Public Affairs, included participants Alex Rapaport, Executive Director of Masbia; Swami Durga Das, Executive Director of The River Fund; and Doreen Rutty, Pantry Director at Bronx Bethany Community Corporation.
Food Bank also honored New York City Human Resources Administration Commissioner Steven Banks with Food Bank For New York City’s Freedom From Want Award for leadership in combatting our city’s hunger crisis. The event was covered by media including AM New York and News 12 Brooklyn.