by Astrid Spota

New York City’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to 9.4 percent in July, the State Department of Labor has reported. This decrease from last year’s peak of 10.5 percent marks the seventh straight month of declining unemployment in the city, with job gains in financial services, professional and business fields and leisure and hospitality.

But unfortunately, these figures don’t tell the whole story. As a recent study by the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University illustrates, lower-income households are more likely to experience unemployment than higher-income households. This study found that the unemployment rate for households earning $12,499 or less was 30.8 percent, almost 10 times that of households earning $150,000 or more (3.2 percent).

Furthermore, unemployment calculations don’t include job-seekers who have stopped looking for a job because they can’t find work, or underemployed individuals who accepted a part-time position to make ends meet. So the economic situation may actually be worse than reported.

And while the gradual uptick in employment has caused some economists to be cautiously optimistic, the unemployment rate doubled from 4.7 to 9.4 percent between the start of the recession in December 2007 and July 2010 (see chart below).

In these tough economic times, the Food Bank is working to strengthen the safety net that is so essential for New Yorkers affected by the recession. Our network of food pantries and soup kitchens provides food for low-income people of all ages in all five boroughs; our Tax Assistance Program helps secure millions of dollars in refunds to stretch budgets and boost the local economy; and our food stamp programs help enroll New Yorkers in this important federal benefit.

There is a long road ahead before the jobless rate returns to pre-recession levels. And with your support, the Food Bank will be there to help New Yorkers make it through.

by Caitlin Buckley

Rebecca is the mother of a newborn baby, and her husband is in graduate school — money is tight, so she applied for food stamps (also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP) through the Food Bank For New York City. The extra money for groceries relieves her anxiety. “It helped our food budget,” she says.

The Food Bank provides and supports application assistance for many people like Rebecca — more than 26,000 households last year. We have increased the number of Food Bank–run community sites with electronic application submission and helped correct a statewide system error that limited eligibility for some families.

With approximately 1.4 million people relying on soup kitchens and food pantries in our city, access to the federal Food Stamp Program is essential to relieving the emergency food system and supporting low-income New Yorkers. Enrollment is on the rise: 1.7 million New York City residents participate, up 49 percent since the start of the recession in December 2007. Yet proposals have passed the Senate, and are now under review in the House of Representatives, to cut funds from the Food Stamp Program to help pay for other services — use our advocacy alert to tell your legislators to take food stamp cuts off the table today!

In addition to defeating this proposal, the Food Bank’s goal is to increase enrollment until all eligible New Yorkers are accessing the benefits they need. According to a Food Research and Action Center report, there are approximately 420,000 New York City residents who are eligible for SNAP but not enrolled — a loss of more than $270 million in unclaimed federal benefits.

The Food Bank works with its approximately 1,000 member programs to ensure access to this key resource. Our efforts include increasing awareness and fostering a positive perception of food stamps through media campaigns and outreach; one-on-one application assistance and advocacy services at more than 200 community sites and via our food stamp hotline; training for our members and other partners to engage their communities and boost participation; and working with city and state partners to make it easier for eligible New Yorkers to enroll.

Originally featured in Food For Thought Summer 2010, the Food Bank’s print newsletter.

Dear Friends,

Right now, 1.7 million New Yorkers are using food stamps to help make ends meet. Their incomes have been decimated by job losses and rising costs, and food stamps supplement stretched budgets, putting food on the table for children, seniors and other vulnerable populations.

At the Food Bank, we recognize that federal benefits like food stamps are a key piece of the hunger safety net, and it is critical that we do everything we can to connect low-income New Yorkers to the program. That’s why income support is an integral part of our mission, and why we work with our network to raise awareness of food stamps and help eligible households apply. As people reach out for help in increasing numbers, we’re ensuring that they are offered a full range of services.

And with proposals to cut funds from the Food Stamp Program to pay for other services currently under review in Congress, we need your help. Please contact your legislators today to ask them to protect this essential program!

I am grateful to know that despite the staggering levels of need we face, struggling families and individuals can find compassion and respect at food assistance organizations all over the city. Rabbi Shaul Shimon Deutsch, of Food Bank network member Oneg Shabbos, puts it best, saying, “Numbers are important, but what’s more important is that every number has a face.”

We encourage all of our supporters to put a face to these numbers by volunteering at one of the approximately 1,000 food assistance programs in our citywide network and meeting some of the wonderful people they serve. You can also “meet” some of these New Yorkers right now — including Jeff, who has had trouble finding work since an injury and whose kids actually get excited over broccoli — by reading our online Meet the People We Help stories.

Thank you so much for helping us fight hunger — every one of our supporters is making a difference for low-income New Yorkers. And there are so many ways to help the Food Bank: make a one-time or monthly gift, volunteer or buy tickets for the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival. Your dedication is truly appreciated.

Sincerely,
Lucy Cabrera, Ph.D., CAE
President and CEO

by Lucy Cabrera, Food Bank President and CEO

*The following updates Dr. Cabrera's statement of August 6.

Within the past week, both houses of Congress passed legislation that will rob the Food Stamp Program (SNAP) of billions of dollars in order to provide aid for Medicaid and education programs. A Senate vote to reduce food stamp benefits by billions more to pay for child nutrition programs now awaits approval by the House. It is regrettable that these votes are being touted as a victory.

There is no question that our health care, education and child nutrition programs need adequate funding. But our public health care system, public education system and food stamps all serve the same population, and by taking money away from any one of these programs to fund another, Congress is playing a shell game that low-income Americans will always lose.

In fact, Congress is undermining its own goals: a person will not remain in good health if he or she cannot afford a healthy diet; and a child who goes to school hungry will not learn. Low-income families struggling to put food on the table will only find themselves one step closer to a food pantry or soup kitchen door at a time when emergency food resources are already scarce.

Funding services at the expense of those most in need cannot be the answer. It is the worst example of robbing Peter to pay Paul. While it is imperative that Congress find funding for health care programs, public schools and nutrition assistance programs, this funding must not come from other programs and services low-income people rely on. Congress must rectify these misguided funding proposals immediately.

The Food Bank is working hard to take cuts to the Food Stamp Program off the table – and we need your help! Use this action alert to contact your Congress member today, and visit our advocacy page for further actions in support of New Yorkers in need.

by Ashley Goforth

Recently, I’ve met a number of college students who are relying on food stamps in order to make ends meet and I've put a lot of thought into the connection between being able to eat and being able to learn. Many students qualify for participation in the Food Stamp Program (now known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP). When I think of food assistance, my first thought is not college students, but the truth is, if you are hungry, you can’t learn.

I recently learned more about college students relying on food stamps when I met Carlotta — a NYC student living in Brooklyn who has graciously allowed us into her experience as a food stamp recipient. Here is a short interview:

How did you come to apply for food stamps?
I was working as a massage therapist and going back to school. My schedule varied tremendously and sometimes I would have zero massages, which meant I earned no money. My friends and roommates told me about the program. After I heard more about a friend going through the process, I decided to contact the Food Bank for some help, and they took me through the pre-screening process. 

I was surprised that I qualified for food stamps as a student, but hearing it was an easy process convinced me to apply. Having the extra help each month relieved my anxiety about affording food.

How long does your allotment last during the month, and what do you do when it runs out?
From the beginning, I tried stretching my allotment through the first three weeks. Then I’d have enough money to pay for food when it ran out. I was living pretty poorly before so I was already used to being careful with my money.

Do you know of other students who would qualify for food stamps who are not taking advantage of the program?
Yes, many of us in my program are making less than $1,100 a month. I’m sure many of them qualify and aren’t in the program.

If you struggle to afford food, food stamps may be just the thing to make ends meet. Our food stamp information call center (212.894.8060) is available throughout the work week, providing regular access to food stamp specialists who can conduct pre-screenings and answer questions. Call us today! For more information about in-person assistance and food stamp FAQs, visit our Get Food Stamps Now page.
 

by Triada Stampas

Albany's dysfunction is keeping food from people who desperately need it.

The Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program (HPNAP) is a state-sponsored grant administered by the Department of Health that provides emergency food programs with funding for emergency food, operations support and equipment. State administrative functions have been so crippled that HPNAP expenses have not been reimbursed since April — causing a serious cash flow crisis for emergency food providers already struggling to keep up with increased need.* And without a finalized state budget for Fiscal Year 2011, new contracts cannot be approved. The result: the state supply of emergency food has been cut off.

The timing for this could not be worse, with demand for emergency food already at crisis levels because of the recession. Last year, nearly half of food pantries and soup kitchens had to turn people away for lack of food. In addition, when other services, like housing assistance and child care, are cut, low-income families are left with even less disposable income. Research shows these families will sacrifice food spending in order to keep a roof over their heads and cover other basic costs of living. In the long term, cuts to education and job training diminish their only available paths out of poverty, perpetuating a cycle of demand for emergency food.

The Governor, the State Senate and the Assembly must work together to end this crisis. Tell them that New Yorkers who struggle to put food on the table cannot go another day without HPNAP.

EMAIL ALBANY’S LEADERSHIP AND YOUR LEGISLATORS NOW!

* Fiscal Year 2010 HPNAP contracts covered the period from July 1, 2009 until June 30, 2010. Contracts for Fiscal Year 2011 were to have begun July 1, 2010.

by Roxanne Henry

Last week my nephew completed kindergarten, and began his summer vacation along with all the other children in the New York City public school system. It was an exciting week for sure, but also the week that hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren lost access to free and low-cost school breakfast and lunch. Instead of wondering which camp or summer activities their children should partake in, many of these families will have to worry about having enough food to eat during the summer.

As an aunt, I am very involved in my nephew’s life. Playing an integral role in a child’s development underscores the importance of alleviating harsh realities like child hunger. This reality makes my role as the Food Bank’s Community Outreach Manager so important: I advocate for better access to federal Child Nutrition Programs like the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP, or Summer Meals).

Recognizing that more children rely on emergency food during the summer, we work with the NYC Department of Education to recruit members of our citywide network of soup kitchens and food pantries to help provide summer meals at their sites. The Food Bank will support these sites by assisting with community outreach, developing activities to promote participation and providing additional program support. Our goal is to ensure that as many children as possible receive free summer meals, which are also available at schools, parks, libraries, pools and other sites across the city.

My hope is that, with support from the Food Bank and SFSP, New York City children will only have to think about where they want to play this summer, and not where their next meal may come from.

Dear Friends,

President Obama’s commitment to end child hunger by 2015 comes at a critical time. Right now, New York City’s food assistance organizations are struggling to meet the increased needs of a city devastated by unemployment, lost savings and the high cost of living, and many families with children have been hard hit by the recession.

Of course, no matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow, and I hope that in time we will begin to see signs of relief after such a long and brutal economic storm. For now, however, there is still a real and immediate need that must be met. The troubled economy has tried everyone’s resilience — from the city’s poorest, who have struggled with adversity and found themselves fighting even harder to survive, to the newly unemployed, who have turned to food stamps and food pantries for the first time.

I have worked with the Food Bank for more than 20 years to make sure that each of those individuals finds help when he or she needs it. Together, the Food Bank, our network and our supporters like you have worked hard to keep New Yorkers from falling through the cracks — New Yorkers like Alberta, a mother and retiree who came to St. Ann’s Episcopal Church in the Bronx for emergency food and stayed to become a member of a community that supports and looks out for her. Or the many working families and individuals who turned to the Food Bank’s Tax Assistance Program this year — a simple initiative that brings millions of dollars in federal tax refunds into our city.

Your support and dedication help keep programs like these fully funded. The Food Bank is there for New Yorkers in need, and I am grateful to you for standing beside us.

Sincerely,

Lucy Cabrera, Ph.D., CAE
President and CEO

by Carly Rothman

Food Bank For New York City and our network of food assistance programs have been on high alert since Mayor Bloomberg proposed cutting all funding to the city’s Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP) — the second largest source of food for the people we serve.

The cut first appeared in January, in the city’s Contingency Plan for Proposed State Budget Reductions. Although it was later excluded from the Mayor’s Executive Budget, the budget process is not over. And with the number of New Yorkers needing emergency food at crisis levels, the status quo is not enough.

Funding for the EFAP program, which represents just 0.017 percent of the city budget, has not increased since 2003. Meanwhile, unemployment skyrocketed and food prices rose dramatically.

When food prices rise, the same dollar buys less food. For this reason, EFAP lost 20 percent of its buying power during a time when need reached crisis levels. Last year 93 percent of New York City soup kitchens and food pantries reported an increase in first-time clients — and nearly half were forced to turn people away after running out of food.

The situation would have been even worse without the generosity of private donors and an influx of federal stimulus funds, which sustained many soup kitchens and food pantries during those dark months. But this year the stimulus funding is gone, state budget proposals are calling to slash aid for emergency food and private food donations are down from last year’s levels. Meanwhile, unemployment is still high and more than 40 percent of New Yorkers continue to report difficulty affording food.

Bottom line: EFAP is providing less food at a time when more New Yorkers, including 1 in 5 children, need it most. Expanding EFAP by at least $3 million would regain buying power lost to inflation and help protect the thousands of New Yorkers who won’t have money for food this year.

Please join us in urging City Hall to lead the charge against local food poverty by securing sufficient funds for New Yorker’s basic food needs — contact our legislators today!

Read our NYC Hunger Experience 2009 report for further information about hunger in New York City, and visit our advocacy page for more actions that can make a difference for New Yorkers in need.

by Roxanne Henry

As the Community Outreach Manager for the Food Bank For New York City, I get to interact with our city’s unsung heroes.

Those heroes include people like José, a resident I met at a meeting of the Astoria Houses Residents’ Association at the beginning of the year. My team and I were there to talk about Universal School Meals —  specifically, the need to end the application process for school meals, thereby eliminating the stigma and red tape that now keep many eligible students from accessing needed meals.

Food Bank Community Outreach Intern Erica Santiago and Community Outreach Manager Roxanne Henry with more than 4,700 letters in support of Universal School Meals collected through the Food Bank's network of community organizers and food assistance programs

Earlier in the meeting, José said he wanted his community to be a better place for his three children. After the meeting, he and several other community members committed to getting signatures for petitions to send to legislators.

Their voices carried all the way to Washington, where our legislators will now have a chance to approve provisions for Universal School Meals as part of the plan for Child Nutrition Reauthorization recently approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee.

And Astoria isn’t the only place where impassioned New Yorkers urged legislators to support Universal School Meals. During the campaign, I met people passionate about this issue at the First Corinthian Baptist Church Food Pantry in West Harlem, with the Staten Island Hunger Task Force on the North Shore and at dozens of other community organizations across the city.

These are people motivated solely by a belief in the potential of their communities, and the desire to improve future generations’ access to needed resources. Their drive and commitment inspires me, and reminds me every day why I do the work that I do.

What inspires you?