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New York Governor Kathy Hochul has declared a state of emergency as the federal government shutdown continues to threaten Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for millions of residents. Starting Saturday, SNAP recipients in New York will not receive their benefits due to the ongoing federal funding shortfall. In response, Governor Hochul announced an additional $65 million in state funding for emergency food assistance, which aims to provide 40 million meals to New Yorkers in need.
The state has launched a new website to connect residents with food assistance resources, and the Empire State Service Corps and SUNY Corps members have been deployed to support local food banks. Governor Hochul emphasized that she refuses to "sit idly by as families struggle to put food on the table."
The crisis stems from the federal government shutdown, during which the Trump administration has refused to release federal contingency funding for SNAP. This decision affects nearly three million New Yorkers who rely on the program. According to Governor Hochul, "Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress have the power to stop this crisis."
As reported by Newsweek, a federal judge in Boston is considering a motion to force the Trump administration to continue funding SNAP during the shutdown. Meanwhile, other states are also stepping in with emergency measures, including deploying National Guard troops and allocating state funds to support food banks.
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