As millions of New Yorkers face the loss of federal food assistance within days, Governor Kathy Hochul on Thursday declared a state of emergency and announced $65 million in new state funding to expand emergency food aid programs across New York.
Hochul said the move comes as the Trump administration continues to withhold billions in federal contingency funds intended to sustain the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) amid the federal government shutdown.
If SNAP is allowed to expire on November 1, the funding freeze is expected to affect nearly three million New Yorkers, leaving families, seniors, and children without what Hochul calls “critical support.”
Historically funded by the federal government and administered by the states, the SNAP program provides approximately $650 million per month in benefits to low-income New Yorkers. The sudden halt in federal funding, state officials warn, threatens to upend that system overnight.
“The Trump Administration is cutting food assistance off for three million New Yorkers, leaving the state to face an unprecedented public health crisis," Governor Hochul said during the announcement in New York City. “Unlike Washington Republicans, I won’t sit idly by as families struggle to put food on the table.”
Combined with the $41 million fast-tracked earlier this week, the new pledge brings the state’s total emergency commitment to $106 million in a matter of days.
Funding will be distributed through two major programs:
- $40 million for the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program (HPNAP), which supports over 2,700 emergency food providers such as pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters.
- $25 million will go to Nourish NY, which redirects surplus agricultural products from New York farms to families in need.
The Governor also announced that SUNY Empire State Service and SUNY Corps members will deploy to support food banks and pantries across the state, assisting with staffing shortages and helping New Yorkers navigate SNAP applications during the emergency period.
While state funds may help fill the gap temporarily, Hochul emphasized that no state can replace federal SNAP funding on a sustained basis.
Governor Hochul also announced a website update to better assist New Yorkers during the federal funding cuts.
The site includes a directory connecting residents to their local food bank or food pantry, as well as a Service Finder Tool designed to connect New Yorkers with available state and community services amid the cuts.
