Nearly $6.5-billion in food assistance delivered to low-income New Yorkers in 2024

ALBANY, NY- New York State delivered nearly $6.5 billion in vital food assistance to low-income working New Yorkers in 2024 through SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), the federally funded program that helps families with children, older adults, and those with disabilities across the State, afford the cost of purchasing healthy food.

“As we enter the new year, I am committed to continuing to fight for funding for food assistance programs to make sure that all New Yorkers have the resources they need to put food on the table,” said U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).

Nearly 3 million New Yorkers, or more than 1.7 million households, receive SNAP each month.

"SNAP is New York State’s primary tool to help us fight hunger and food insecurity and helps millions of New Yorkers—including working families, families with children, and seniors — afford to purchase healthy food," said Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner Barbara C. Guinn.

The average monthly SNAP benefit is $376 per household, according to the Governor’s Office.

Every dollar invested by SNAP generates up to $1.54 in economic activity, according to a federal study quantifying the impact of SNAP on the U.S. economy.

In recent years, New York has expanded SNAP by eliminating unnecessary requirements and simplifying the application process, removing key barriers to reducing hunger for children and adults, while continuing efforts to maximize benefits for all New Yorkers who are eligible:

• The Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP) simplifies the SNAP application, recertification and verification processes for eligible households, where all adult members are aged and/or disabled, thereby increasing access to and preventing interruptions in receipt of benefits for these households. Since ESAP was implemented in December 2021, OTDA has enrolled approximately 500,000 eligible households in the program.
• OTDA continues to work closely with local departments of social services and community-based organizations to ensure potentially eligible individuals are aware of SNAP and are able to easily access assistance.
• OTDA contracts with community-based organizations that provide SNAP outreach and prescreening services, application assistance and referrals to potentially eligible households, and provides direct client assistance to enable households to continue to receive SNAP benefits, including individuals with disabilities.
• The SNAP-Ed nutrition education program teaches people how to shop for and cook healthy meals on a limited budget. This program is free to anyone who qualifies for SNAP, including people with disabilities, with the goal of giving SNAP households tools and tips to make nutritious food choices and choose a physically active lifestyle.

Image via the office of New York Governor Kathy Hochul.