Staten Island Hunger Task Force: SNAP Changes Put Higher Burden On States (75% Up From 50%) With Unknown Effects

Staten Island Hunger Task Force: SNAP Changes Put Higher Burden On States (75% Up From 50%) With Unknown Effects

Editor’s note: At the time of the September meeting, the minutes were available from the June meeting and prior, which can be found here.  Once the November minutes are received, they’ll be added to this article. The new SNAP work requirements have changed due to the new law, and in-kind work as well as community service or volunteer work for a charity are counted toward this requirement.  Previously, participants would work for a company contracted with the city for the pay of their benefits, at a rate much lower than minimum wage.  While the rules now apply to more people, they also allow those same individuals to provide help to their community or a charity rather than a for profit company. 

Staten Island Hunger Task Force Meeting Minutes October 6th 2025

Attendance: Heather Butts, Dawn Bridgeford, Hank Tuell, Antionette Donegan, Gary Chin, Carol Coissito, Rev. Faith Togba, Terry Troia, Tommy Bond, Lynell Bruno, Steven Kaufman, Danielle Parks, Delila Nadal, Rosanna Robbins, Susan Fowler, Lisa Vega, Dr. Ginny Mantello, George Barreto, Alex Hughes, Teddy Odobo-Sherif

Heather Butts –

Kicked off the meeting

The Task Force is working with Lawyers Alliance attorneys to file for federal tax-exempt status using IRS Form 1023, expected to submit within the next couple of weeks.

The process is faster than past experiences; the group hopes to achieve 501(c)(3) status by early next year.

Achieving 501(c)(3) is critical to pursue larger grants, matching funds, and broader support initiatives

Neighbors Feeding Neighbors: $1,500 (crowdsourced funds with no restrictions).

• The group voted by show of hands to distribute $1,500 as $150 each to 10 pantries.

• Plan to publicize through the Citizens Committee and set a return-by date to release funds before the holidays; readiness targeted by the next meeting.

Citizens Committee: $3,500 (previously noted), earmarked for graduate student assistance on data gathering and supporting ongoing efforts by the data committee

Elections are typically in December for terms starting in January; this year follows that schedule.

Open positions include Secretary and Vice Chair; current Vice Chair (Antoinette Dunnigan) may run for Chair.

Interested candidates should notify organizers within the next month to be included on the ballot; brief candidate pitches may occur at the November meeting.

A summer pilot was completed with Mailman School of Public Health; a larger effort will be conducted using a Citizens Committee grant (not the $1,500).

Aim to have students in place by the next meeting, and certainly by December, to provide preliminary updates and support ongoing efforts

Food For All Federal Policy Update

Terry Troia –

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Anticipated federal budget cuts may reduce supportive housing funding; approximately 125 to 150 Staten Islanders currently receiving HUD support (formerly homeless) may lose funding, increasing pantry demand.

Proposed TEFAP eligibility change would bar non-citizens, non–green card holders, and individuals without legal status from receiving TEFAP-funded pantry food, significantly impacting service capacity since many pantries rely on TEFAP allocations.

Suggested response: call pantries to quantify what percentage of clients could be affected by the TEFAP rule change.

Scheduled for 2025-10-15 to generate program/project ideas for Staten Island; hybrid (in-person with lunch and via Zoom).

Venue to be confirmed; the Carter Center was suggested with an offer to connect with Amanda for coordination and space; broader outreach to follow once logistics are set.

Rosanna Robbins – City Harvest Food Distribution Growth and Geographic Coverage

Food distribution growth and targets:

Delivered 2.7 million pounds in FY24 and 2.9 million pounds in FY25 (increase of 300,000; FY25 closed in June).

Goal for FY26 is 3.8 million pounds, adding close to another million pounds over FY25 levels.

Strategy focuses on deepening existing partnerships and onboarding new partners to increase volume to Staten Island.

New partners and capacity investments:

About seven organizations joined since February; most are food pantries, some with multiple locations or mobile sites.

Investments include equipment for produce handling, personnel grants, leadership development (peer cohort), and workshops/training.

Prioritizing partner capacity to move more food effectively.

Geographic coverage and supply gaps:

Greatest supply gaps shown in brighter pink areas; significant activity on the North Shore, with sizable gaps in Mid-Island and parts of South Shore.

Mobile distributions help cover areas lacking brick-and-mortar sites; the mobile layer is not fully comprehensive and may lag changes.

City Harvest vetted over 50 locations and recruited about seven; not all sites fit partnership criteria due to food types, distribution frequency, and operational model.

Mobile vs. brick-and-mortar considerations:

Fewer pantries in Mid-Island and South Shore; challenges engaging some sites.

Mobile pantries fill gaps where brick-and-mortar capacity is limited; brick-and-mortar sites face space and utility cost challenges.

Example: Kojo mobile pantry serves multiple Mid-Island/South Shore locations, including Eltingville and Manor Heights.

Produce Pals school-based program:

Monthly food delivery to families with regular nutrition education; PS 13 is a new Staten Island site.

Program is new (about four schools now; planning up to six this year; three schools last year) and requires school commitment to ongoing nutrition and culinary education.

Expansion could include schools with existing culinary programs; City Harvest provides food while schools deliver education.

Partner recruitment, fit, and referral pathways:

Interested organizations should contact City Harvest staff (Rosanna, Dawn; Diana leads recruitment) to begin vetting.

Preference to deliver directly to the site distributing to clients; if food is routed via other organizations, City Harvest wants to vet all locations receiving its food.

Some current partners serve clients across all Staten Island zip codes and beyond, indicating physical pantry location does not fully reflect service reach.

Hub model discussion:

A hub model (one large site receiving pallets and redistributing smaller quantities to pantries) was discussed to serve small-capacity sites.

Implemented previously in Staten Island and other boroughs; hosting requires substantial resources for storage, scheduling, and distribution.

City Harvest remains open to exploring with adequate host support and coordinated planning.

Dr Ginny Mantello –

Awareness raised about the PS18 food pantry in West Brighton serving residents and parents from West Brighton NYCHA; questions on continued resources and partnership.

Schools identified as candidates for resource models similar to PS13 include PS18, PS57, and IS49; PS57’s significant food needs emphasized, with ongoing Saturday evening programming noted.

Proposal to host a meeting of all school pantry leads to share resources, align needs, and enable peer problem-solving; interest in building a centralized list of pantries willing to participate.

Planning a convening for school pantry coordination:

Joint meeting idea received strong support.

Timing tentatively suggested for early 2026; Superintendent Paulton identified as a key stakeholder to engage, given knowledge of school-level needs.

Health for Youth is holding a youth forum in a couple of weeks, with Superintendent Paulton expected as keynote, seen as an opportunity to advance this conversation.

Student-led blood pressure screening and healthy lifestyle education at pantries:

Initiative aims to create an “army of young people” to conduct blood pressure screening and prevention education at pantries, in partnership with the health department, American Heart Association, Dr. Ravenel (NYU) via the CLIP barbershop project, and an Atria Foundation grant.

Training status:

40 clinical Wagner PA students (juniors) trained in Hypertension 101 and blood pressure self-management; 9 rotate every Friday to pantries for screenings.

CSI nursing students and Columbia public health students (with Professor Heather Butts) will be trained on 2025-10-16.

Current deployments:

Three students stationed with CHASI; working with George at a brick-and-mortar site (not mobile).

One group at Project Hospitality; currently tabling on Port Richmond in front of the brick-and-mortar Project Hospitality enrollment center; available to accompany any Friday-open pantry.

One group assigned to the JCC serving senior centers (not the pantry).

Scheduling and site coordination:

City Harvest mobile market operates on Tuesdays at the Stapleton site; Tuesday student coverage would need to be arranged.

Pantries open on Fridays are encouraged to reach out; other days may be possible once additional students are trained.

Program scope and goals:

Beyond BP measurements, students provide education on hypertension prevention and healthy lifestyle resources, covering eight essential lifestyle elements where nutrition is a major component.

Sites can request on-site staff training; Central Family Life Center serves as an example where many were trained to provide screenings and resources.

Aim is to embed healthy lifestyle education into routine pantry operations.

Meeting Adjourned

Staten Island Hunger Task Force Meeting Minutes September 8th 2025

Attendance: Heather Butts Donna Scimeca, Dawn Bridgeford, Hank Tuell, Antionette Donegan, Gary Chin, Carol Coissito, Rev. Faith Togba, Terry Troia, Tommy Bond, Lynell Bruno, Steven Kaufman, Danielle Parks, Delila Nadal, Rosanna Robbins, Susan Fowler, Aleyah Llovet, Lisa Vega, Dr. Ginny Mantello, George Barreto, Guillermo

Heather Butts –

Kicked off the meeting and took the motion to approve the minutes; approved without abstention or objection.

We are making stellar progress towards our 501(c)3

Neighbors Feeding Neighbors grant from Citizens NYC – $3500

This grant is focused on food security issues throughout NYC, and we are pleased to be one of the recipients of this inaugural grant!

Revenue split: Task Force receives 25%, Love Wins NYC 75%, except 100% of donations from Staten Island donors go to Task Force.

Fundraising ends at the end of September; active promotion ongoing.

Question about bank account: funds will be held by the Citizens Committee until 501(c)(3) status is obtained; fiscal sponsorship is a backup option.

Pet Pantry Legislation (Intro 1172) Status

Heather gave testimony before the City Council supporting a Staten Island pantry location.

Broad Council support: 35 members, including most Republicans, co-sponsored.

The bill was approved in June; funding not yet assigned.

Current hang-up is appropriation of funds; engagement with experts and potential speaker planned.

Donna Scimeca –

 Hunger Free Campus Act Forum (Oct 31)

Venue reserved: Green Dolphin Lounge on campus; AV support available.

The event aims to promote awareness among students; planned as a credit-eligible event.

Need short publicity materials for the college website.

Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal (bill sponsor) invited; follow-up with her staff planned.

Outreach to Wagner College and other colleges ongoing; Halloween-themed treats considered.

Heather Butts –

Fairy Hawks Hunger Days Update

The event allows free stadium entry with canned item donations.

Four events were held; final event in September on the last Tuesday game (date cited as September 16).

Project Hospitality to receive donations; Staten Island Hunger Task Force to be “Harbor Heroes of the game.”

Board and members encouraged to attend; tickets available; canned goods can serve as entry.

H.E.A.L.T.H For Youths Pantry and Food Locker Launch

H.E.A.L.T.H For Youths opened new spaces at 120 Victory Boulevard and 130 Victory Boulevard (former On Your Mark).

Food locker adjacent to 120 Victory Boulevard; aligned with 1115 waiver and Social Care Network for assigned lockers.

Pantries scheduled at 120 Victory Boulevard for two Fridays, 10 a.m.–12 p.m.: September 12 and September 19.

Terry Troia –

Food For All Campaign Update and Federal Policy Impacts on SNAP and Emergency Food

Remarks delivered on behalf of Cheryl Huber (United Way), who is transitioning roles and leaving at the end of December.

Major federal changes from a bill signed July 4, 2025:

SNAP work requirements expanded; time-limited benefits; age threshold raised to 64; caregivers exempt only if children are under 15.

States to pay 1–15% of all SNAP benefit costs starting 10-1-2027; 75% of administrative costs (up from 50%).

SNAP eligibility eliminated for legal refugees, asylees, and trafficking survivors.

Utility assistance no longer boosts SNAP; the internet is no longer treated as a utility.

Anticipated impacts:

New York City to pay $111 million additional annually for SNAP administration.

SNAP-Ed eliminated; $29 million loss in New York State; affects nutrition education and workshops (e.g., Cornell programs).

EFSP (FEMA) funds paused since Feb 2025; ~$1.25 million for NYC paused; $3.9 million via United Way to pantries and shelters paused.

LFPA/NIF-NIF (New York Food for New York Families) funds eliminated.

HPNAP, Nourish NY, Community Food Connection ($75 million total) may be affected due to reallocation needs.

Culture of fear (immigration raids) may reduce pantry and school meal access.

Food costs remain elevated since 2020 despite slower inflation; supply chain weaknesses, tariffs, and global conflicts add pressure.

Rosanna Robbins – City Harvest

City Harvest operates first Tuesday and third Saturday markets, 9:30–11:30 a.m.; consistent schedule except holidays.

Typical attendance 250–300 families per market (to be confirmed); broader collaboration notes attendance up to ~450.

Flyer will be shared; hotline available for advance info on produce.

Eligibility and access:

Currently no ID required; all are served during operating hours.

Concerns raised about non-Stapleton and out-of-borough attendees, car pickups, and prioritization of local residents.

City Harvest discourages cross-borough travel and multiple passes; monitors for loading into vans.

Plans to reintroduce registration with key tags and swipe-in this year (date TBD) to better manage attendance and communication (including potential text messages).

Prior reservation system tested previously but increased confusion; discontinued.

Registration/key tags expected to streamline lines.

COVID-era allowance for organizational pickups has ended.

City Harvest prefers delivering directly to agency partners; expanding Staten Island partnerships.

No mobile market in West Brighton; may have agency partners nearby.

Interest in hosting blood pressure screening teams; City Harvest can provide tables, chairs, tents; requests signage.

Noted large Asian population; recommendation to provide materials in Mandarin.

Past collaboration included “prescription for good health” for fresh produce access.

Chris Dowling – SIPPS SCN

SCN has been running for nine months since the beginning of the year.

Approximately 20,000 people screened to date; goal to screen an additional 50,000 by year-end.

Over 100 engaged organizations: 23 health practices, 40+ CBOs, 4 higher education partners.

Funding context: Medicaid 1115 waiver under the New York Health Equity Reform Act (~$6 billion).

77 contracted organizations (as of 8/22 data); leading per capita in state metrics.

5,000 referrals to level one services; 5,000 individuals signed up for benefits.

Benefits include prepared meal delivery (21 meals/week), pantry boxes, and potential home items (microwave, refrigerator, kitchen supplies, asthma kits).

Refrigerated lockers installed at 120 Victory and 1100 Castleton Avenue (A Chance in Life) for secure pickups.

New pantry “supermarket” model being spearheaded by Heather/Health for Youth at a new location.

Request for partners to complete a short form to host PAs for community screenings and health talks.

Dr. Ginny Mantello –

Collaboration with American Heart Association, NYU’s Dr. Joe Ravenel, and Health Equity Research Network for hypertension prevention.

Emphasis on updated hypertension criteria (ACC/AHA 2017) highlighting underrecognized hypertensive populations.

Focus on early detection and lifestyle interventions (Life’s Essential 8) including A1C, cholesterol, BMI awareness.

Training of PA, nursing, public health, and clinical students on Hypertension 101 and self-management.

Program launched; every Friday until next May, 10 students with Dr. Ginny and 10 with SCN teams will conduct screenings at pantries/senior centers.

Initial sites include Community Health Action of Staten Island, Project Hospitality, and JCC senior centers.

Goal to integrate screenings into pantry workflows and establish referral protocols to clinics (FQHCs, Richmond University Clinic, SIUH Clinic).

Meeting Adjourned

New food lockers. Image Credit – SIHTF

Banner Image: SIHTF monthly meeting. Image Credit – SIHTF