As this City slowly returns to normalcy, many New Yorkers continue to feel the economic effects of the pandemic. New York families are facing record-high inflation and deep cuts to critical supports including SNAP benefits, tax credits, and the emergency rental assistance program, putting food-insecure families at further risk of not having the resources needed to thrive.
Mayor Adams’ State of the City address vision clearly showed his commitment to the long-term fiscal health of our city. As the Mayor and the City Council negotiate the FY24 budget, we urge our leaders to ensure funding and staffing for government agencies tasked with connecting low-income families to resources and support. City Harvest, Food Bank for NYC, and United Way of New York City believe that now is the time to strengthen the resources that support the social service networks on which millions of New Yorkers rely. We look forward to working alongside the Mayor for an enacted budget that reflects our leaders’ commitments to putting New York families first.
About Food Bank For New York City
Food Bank For New York City is the largest hunger relief organization of the city fighting food insecurity on the ground since 1983. By partnering with over 800 soup kitchens, food pantries, and campus partners across the five boroughs, Food Bank is able to make a direct impact in the communities that need it most, providing some 1.4 billion meals to New Yorkers since its founding. But food alone can’t solve hunger. That’s why Food Bank employs a two-prong approach of Community Nourishment programming (to provide immediate and reliable access to food today) with Economic Empowerment programming (to equip people with the tools they need to achieve food security into tomorrow and beyond). All of these services – from grab-and-go pantry bags to hot meals, tax filing assistance, SNAP enrollment, nutrition education, and financial empowerment workshops – are free and available to anyone who needs them. To learn more about Food Bank’s mission to dignify, nourish, and empower ALL New Yorkers facing food insecurity, visit foodbanknyc.org.