This video story originally appeared in The Wall Street Journal.

WEST HARLEM, NEW YORK — Thousands of federal workers are missing paychecks. SNAP benefits could run out just before the holidays. The timing couldn’t be worse for New Yorkers already struggling to make ends meet.

The Wall Street Journal visited Food Bank For New York City’s Community Kitchen to hear from Head Chef Sheri Jefferson and Community Kitchen Director Sultana Ocasio about the impact they are seeing on the ground.

“Tens of thousands of our participants rely on SNAP for every meal,” Ocasio said.

“That’s their breakfast, their lunch, their dinner—their livelihood,” Jefferson said.

Jefferson and her team serve up to 600 meals a day, with demand expected to rise as families face growing uncertainty this holiday season.

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Food Bank For New York City is NYC’s largest hunger-relief organization. For more than 40 years, we’ve been empowering every New Yorker to achieve food security for good. Together with our member network of nearly 800 soup kitchens and food pantries, we provide fresh produce, culturally relevant food, SNAP assistance and nutrition education to nearly every neighborhood in all five boroughs. Learn more or get involved at foodbanknyc.org.

Media Contact

Stefanie Shuman
Director, Media Relations
sshuman@foodbanknyc.org