On Staten Island, NY’s Senator Schumer, GrowNYC, Faith Leaders, Farmers, Seniors, Other Affected Rally Against SNAP, Medicaid Cuts In Budget Bill

SCHUMER RALLIES ON STATEN ISLAND WITH GROWNYC, FAITH LEADERS, FARMERS, SENIORS & GROCERS TO PREVENT WHOPPING 70,000+ SI’ERS FROM LOSING CRITICAL FOOD ASSISTANCE (SNAP); “BIG, BEAUTIFUL” BUDGET BILL WILL BE REALLY UGLY FOR SI; HOUSE GOP’S VOTE LAST WEEK MEANS MORE HUNGER ON SI; URGES ACTION NOW TO BLOCK CUTS THAT RISK KIDS, SENIORS, & FAMILIES GOING HUNGRY

Editor’s note: Senator Schumer and others recently rallied on Staten Island to discuss the devastating impact that losing billions of dollars in funding to Medicaid, SNAP, senior nutrition, and other programs that islanders and New Yorkers around the state rely on to put food on the table and keep themselves healthier would have if passed.  Citizen Action of NY held protests at Rep. Malliotakis’ three offices, including the Brooklyn, Staten Island, and Washington, D.C. offices of the congresswoman.  They wanted to express their opposition to this bill, which would cause unnecessary delays, extra paperwork, and work requirements that would be duplicative and harmful to those who need this critical assistance the most.  As we discussed previously, cutting Medicaid would not only affect those who seek medical care.  It would also affect hospitals.  Since doctors will still make their recommendations and prescriptions, which patients will dutifully fill and fulfill, the issues arise when these residents cannot afford to pay.  They end up with medical bills that negatively impact their own lives, but these unpaid bills also make it so that those hospitals and doctors cannot pay their own bills.  In some instances, rural communities can expect to have only one, or even no, hospital within a reasonable distance of most of their residents.  

More Than 70,000 Across Staten Island Receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Benefits Every Month– And Last Week The GOP Voted To Take ~$300 Billion From SNAP To Fund Tax Breaks For Corporations & Billionaires, Which Will Lead To Families, Seniors & Kids As Young As 7 Getting Kicked Off The Program On SI

Schumer Sounds Alarm & Warns A Staten Island Hunger Crisis Could Impact Tens-Of-Thousands Locally & 2.8 Million People Across NY; Standing With Those On Frontlines Of Getting Food To The Needy, Senator Demands GOP Block Cruel Cut To SNAP & Protect Anti-Hunger Programs

Schumer: Don’t Pass This Ugly Bill That Will Hurt SI’s Kids, Seniors & The Hungry   

After House Republicans voted last week to slash Staten Island’s anti-hunger SNAP funds, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer sounded the alarm on a looming hunger crisis on Staten Island, warning that a GOP-backed proposal could rip critical food assistance away from tens-of-thousands of local families, including SI children, seniors, and veterans. Schumer stood with GrowNYC, faith leaders, farmers, and grocers on the frontlines of the local fight against hunger to show the devastating local impacts of the $300 billion proposed cut to SNAP.

“Last week, in passing the ugly budget bill, House Republicans took their first punch at Staten Island, but Senate Democrats will do everything we can to block the body blow looking to knock out critical services Staten Island needs, especially as it relates to hunger and the more than 70,000 Staten Islanders who depend on SNAP to eat,” said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer. “Tens of thousands across Staten Island receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits every month– and last week the House voted to take $300 Billion from this vital nutrition program to fund tax breaks for corporations and billionaires, which will lead to families, seniors, and kids as young as seven getting kicked off the program on Staten Island.”

Schumer revealed that tens of thousands on Staten Island rely on this anti-hunger program for food, and are now at risk of losing out and going hungry as he made the case to not cut these federal funds. Schumer was joined by faith leaders, farmers, and grocers to detail exactly why these cuts would be so harmful, and to demand a stop to this devastating assault that could launch Staten Island and millions of others across New York into a likely hunger crisis.

Across Staten Island, 70,000 people are on SNAP, many with children, Schumer said. Across NYC, that number is 1.7 million. The proposed SNAP cuts would be a blow to Staten Island food banks, grocers and farms like Heritage Farm. Earlier this year, the USDA canceled $1 billion in food assistance for organizations to purchase locally grown food. USDA programs provide food banks, schools, and other organizations with federal support to purchase local food products from NY farms, Schumer explained.

In 2021, the Heritage Farm grew over 22,000 pounds of produce and donated around 4,000 lbs. of produce to local community partners. Ten percent of their farm stand sales and CSA purchases were made using SNAP/EBT and P-EBT.

Schumer said these proposed cuts will limit food banks’ ability to keep shelves stocked as more people have been forced to rely on food banks to feed their families. Food bank workers, grocers and faith leaders across Staten Island and New York City are concerned about the impact of potential cuts to SNAP on the people they serve, farmers are worried there will be nowhere to sell their food, and grocers worry business will dry up if SNAP funding levels drop.

“No matter which way you slice it, this plan will screw Staten Island families, including kids and seniors, food banks, grocers, and farmers from farm to table. We need everyone to stand up to these cuts that would take food away from our neighbors in need,” added Schumer.

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Proposed rollbacks to the country’s most widely utilized nutrition assistance program would strain budgets for Staten Island families. Schumer said decimating funding for SNAP right as costs at grocery stores across the country are skyrocketing will hit Staten Island hard. According to No Kid Hungry, over half of New Yorkers reported going into debt in the past year due to rising food costs, with over 60% of families with children.

SNAP not only supplements families’ food budgets, it has also generated great economic benefits for New York State. According to the National Grocers Association (NGA), grocery stores across New York State sold over $2.1 billion in groceries to people using SNAP benefits. This created more than 18,500 New York jobs in the grocery industry, and generated more than $820.8 million in grocery industry wages. In NY-11, SNAP contributed to $69.2 million in economic output and $27 million in wages—supporting 611 jobs.

“GrowNYC has spent decades working to ensure that every New Yorker, regardless of income, has access to fresh, healthy food. Federal cuts to Medicaid and nutrition benefits threaten to unravel that mission. This could put the health of millions at risk and jeopardize the survival of vital food access points like our Greenmarkets and Farmstand sites,” said Marcel Van Ooyen, CEO of GrowNYC. “These cuts will harm vulnerable families by limiting access to fresh food and will also drastically impact small regional farmers, who rely on these markets to sustain their livelihoods. The ripple effects would be devastating for our communities and our food system. We are deeply grateful to Senator Schumer for standing up to protect the nutritional safety net that so many depend on.”

GrowNYC Greenmarkets are part of a network of food access retail sites operated by GrowNYC, a New York City-based environmental nonprofit. Greemarkets are the largest year-round outdoor farmers’ market network in the U.S. with 45+ Greenmarkets operating throughout all five boroughs at the height of the season. Every GrowNYC market location accepts nutrition benefits including SNAP. Annually, $4.3 million of nutrition benefits are redeemed to access fresh foods at GrowNYC Greenmarket and Farmstand sites.

Local advocates attribute the worsening hunger crisis to post-pandemic challenges, higher food prices fueled by trade policies, and recent federal cutbacks to key nutrition programs. With more cuts potentially on the horizon, leaders warn that the emergency food system is under significant strain, forcing more families to travel greater distances just to meet basic needs.

Banner Image: Press conference. Image Credit – Senator Schumer