This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

WEST HARLEM, NEW YORK — After losing her job during the pandemic, 62-year-old Pat Chisholm now relies on $292 a month in SNAP to buy groceries. She’s among about 180,000 New York City residents who could lose or see their benefits reduced under new federal rules requiring able-bodied adults to log 80 hours a month of work, volunteering, or job training.

The ripple effects are enormous. Statewide, over 300,000 households are expected to lose an average of $220/month. With unemployment still a challenge and volunteer placements limited, the change could mean 180 million fewer meals consumed in NYC each year. At Food Bank For New York City, we’re preparing for increased demand—but charitable food alone can’t fill the gap.

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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