More New Yorkers are now eligible for nutritional benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), what used to be called food stamps.
Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that 750,000 additional working families are now eligible for SNAP, which now can be used to buy food at a number of farmers' markets around the state as well as grocery stores.
Linda Bopp is a member of the Governor's anti-hunger task force and also executive director of Hunger Solutions of New York, a non-profit dedicated to supporting programs that end hunger. She said changing eligibility standards for the SNAP program will alleviate food shortages for a number of families.
“These are parents and caregivers who skipped meals so that their children can have enough to eat. These are individuals working to create a better life for themselves and this is just the hand up that can help them achieve that,” Bopp said.
SNAP is the largest program in the domestic hunger safety net. It offers nutrition assistance to millions of eligible, low-income individuals and families and provides economic benefits to communities. The expansion of the program is expected to bring as much as $688 million annually in additional federally-funded SNAP benefits to New York State.