Media Contact:
Food Bank Media Relations
212.566.7894
Statement by Margarette Purvis, President & CEO, Food Bank For New York City
This week’s White House budget proposal targets the most vulnerable New Yorkers by proposing a 30 percent cut to the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP). As it currently operates, SNAP is an efficient, cost-effective mechanism to provide food to those who need help making ends meet. We should be strengthening this program, not cutting it.
“One particularly harmful proposal in the White House budget is to provide ‘food boxes’ of processed foods to SNAP recipients, rather than allowing them the ability to choose and purchase their own fresh food that could include produce, protein and dairy. With preventable disease in the poorest communities having a direct tie to insufficient diets, this proposed initiative is not only baseless and inefficient, but will certainly lead to hundreds of millions of missed meals in New York City alone. This proposal would harm the nearly 1.6 million New Yorkers who rely on SNAP to put food on the table.
“While some political observers have concluded this White House budget is dead on arrival in Congress, the sentiment fails to bring calm to servant leaders in NY’s anti poverty space. The destructive ideology of the proposal highlights a serious disconnect from the basic needs of the poorest among us. The 2018 Farm Bill will have an enormous impact on SNAP — we will focus our efforts on protecting this vital lifeline for millions of New Yorkers.
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About Food Bank For New York City:
Food Bank For New York City has been the city’s major hunger-relief organization working to end hunger throughout the five boroughs for 35 years. Nearly one in five New Yorkers relies on Food Bank for food and other resources. Food Bank takes a strategic, multifaceted approach that provides meals and builds capacity in the neediest communities, while raising awareness and engagement among all New Yorkers. Through its network of more than 1,000 charities and schools citywide, Food Bank provides food for more than 62.5 million free meals for New Yorkers in need. Food Bank For New York City’s income support services, including food stamps (also known as SNAP) and free tax assistance for the working poor, put more than $150 million each year into the pockets of New Yorkers, helping them to afford food and achieve greater dignity and independence. In addition, Food Bank’s nutrition education programs and services empower more than 50,000 children, teens and adults to sustain a healthy diet on a low budget. To learn more about how you can help, please visit foodbanknyc.org. Follow us on Facebook (FoodBank4NYC), Twitter (@FoodBank4NYC) and Instagram (FoodBank4NYC).