ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Local food banks are bracing to be overwhelmed as more than 104,000 people in Monroe County alone who rely on food assistance will likely have to go without next month.
“We’ve already seen around 100% increase in visits to our website in the last week, people are already panicked out there, we know when people are panicked, when people are desperate, bad things happen,” says Mitch Gruber, Vice President of Foodlink.
One in every 7 people in Monroe County receive SNAP benefits. They use them to feed themselves and their families. Grocery and corner stores also rely on the income from those benefits to stay afloat. One store owner along East Avenue tells News10NBC that 40% of his monthly revenue is from SNAP.
“If they do this on November 1st this will mean 104,000 Monroe County residents will no longer receive food assistance, this includes more than 36,000 children, more than 22,000 older adults,” says Monroe County Executive Adam Bello.
The Trump administration says USDA contingency funds that could cover November SNAP payments will not be used because the appropriation for regular benefits no longer exists as the federal government remains shut down.
Congressman Joe Morelle, a Democrat, says the contingency funds can and should be used. “We’re going to continue to work this week to try to reverse this, to persuade the President that this is a very, very bad idea,” Rep. Morelle tells News10NBC.
Jennifer Lewke, News10NBC: “Is there anything that Congress is talking about right now that would just even pull SNAP out of the bigger conversation? And what do you think the likelihood is that Friday and Saturday will come and SNAP will not be here?”
Rep. Morelle: “We’ll continue to be there (in Washington) in the hopes that Republicans will see the light here and just to be clear, in this immediate crisis, if it happens, it’s because the President refuses to use reserve contingency funds that have been set aside for this purpose to keep SNAP running.”
In the meantime, Foodlink is in constant communication with the hundreds of local food banks it supplies, bracing for the worst. “The 200+ members across our network, we’re making sure everyone has more access to food than ever before, we started an emergency food fund, we’ve already raised close to a million dollars and all that money is going specifically to purchase food to go on the shelves you walked through when you came by here,” Gruber says.
“I don’t think there is anyone who is a SNAP participant that is thinking about anything besides the reality that if the government doesn’t act in DC, SNAP benefits will not be issued in the month of November,” says Gruber but there is something else that thousands of people locally need to consider.
If you’re a current SNAP recipient, you may soon need to start working or volunteering in order to keep those benefits once they start being paid again.
Able-bodied adults, those who are between the ages of 18-64, who do not have a dependent child under the age of 14 in the home and who are physically and mentally able to work, will now have to do so for at least 20 hours per week. The new work requirements start February 1st but Monroe County is sending out paperwork this week to people who may be impacted, “if you are impacted by the new requirements, it will give you the information you need to meet those new requirements,” explains Bello.
The County is launching an online tool that will let recipients know if they’ll have to work or volunteer to keep collecting benefits. The tool will then connect you directly with Rochester Works and/or a number of non-profit organizations that will actually help you fulfill the requirement. Monroe County estimates about 6,000 people currently receiving SNAP will be impacted. “The primary goal here is to make sure that everybody who has SNAP benefits has every tool possible to maintain SNAP benefits,” Gruber explains.
For more information about SNAP work requirements: Click Here.
For more information about food banks near you: Click Here.
‘People are already panicked’: Local food banks prepare for overwhelming demand as SNAP benefits hang in the balance WHEC.com.
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