Expanding the fight against hunger during the COVID-19 pandemic

As New York’s hunger crisis continues unabated, elected officials are continuing various efforts to feed those in need.

President Joe Biden signed executive orders on Friday to expand food benefits programs and increase funding to a program that provides funding for food to students whose schools have been closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, known as Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer. His proposed COVID relief package calls for extending a monthly increase in benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and dedicates $3 billion to help mothers and children access food. Gov. Andrew Cuomo also recently committed to investing another $25 million into the state’s Nourish New York Initiative, which connects food banks to products from farms throughout the state.

But some politicians and advocates are calling for more to be done. State Sen. George Borrello and Assembly Member Catalina Cruz have sponsored legislation to make the Nourish New York program permanent. No Kid Hungry New York is pushing for the state to expand outreach and application assistance for SNAP and expand the number of summer meal sites for children.