New York City residents who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are struggling to get by as the Trump administration's decision to pause payments has left many without access to food. The program, which provides vital support for millions of low-income families, has been severely impacted due to a federal court order that requires the USDA to release funds for this month's benefits.
As a result, New Yorkers are having to make tough choices about how often they can eat, with some being forced to skip meals altogether. The Reaching Out Community Services food pantry in Bensonhurst reported an influx of calls from people needing help, but was only able to serve those living in four neighboring zip codes due to limited staff and budget constraints.
The situation is particularly dire for children, older adults, and individuals with disabilities, who are often the most vulnerable to hunger. "Children and older adults and those who are sick, they're the ones who will feel this the most," said Sharis Suarez, a single mother whose three sons have autism and rely heavily on SNAP benefits.
Garcia, a 60-year-old SNAP recipient from Dyker Heights, is one of many who has been struggling to make ends meet. "I just don't have food," he said. "I eat once a day sometimes." The pause in SNAP payments has forced him to visit the pantry for food, but he worries about how long this will continue and whether it will exacerbate his financial struggles.
The impact of the SNAP cuts goes beyond just individual families, with local grocery stores also feeling the pinch. Gothamist reported that 50-80% of revenue at some stores relies on SNAP customers, who are increasingly being forced to skip meals or go without due to lack of funds. Zac Hall, senior vice president of programs at the Food Bank for NYC, described the situation as "heartbreaking desperation" and warned that it will only worsen unless a resolution is reached.
As the Trump administration continues to appeal the court order, thousands of New Yorkers remain in limbo, forced to make difficult choices about their food security. The long-term consequences of this decision will be severe, with widespread hunger and malnutrition affecting not just individuals but entire communities.
As a result, New Yorkers are having to make tough choices about how often they can eat, with some being forced to skip meals altogether. The Reaching Out Community Services food pantry in Bensonhurst reported an influx of calls from people needing help, but was only able to serve those living in four neighboring zip codes due to limited staff and budget constraints.
The situation is particularly dire for children, older adults, and individuals with disabilities, who are often the most vulnerable to hunger. "Children and older adults and those who are sick, they're the ones who will feel this the most," said Sharis Suarez, a single mother whose three sons have autism and rely heavily on SNAP benefits.
Garcia, a 60-year-old SNAP recipient from Dyker Heights, is one of many who has been struggling to make ends meet. "I just don't have food," he said. "I eat once a day sometimes." The pause in SNAP payments has forced him to visit the pantry for food, but he worries about how long this will continue and whether it will exacerbate his financial struggles.
The impact of the SNAP cuts goes beyond just individual families, with local grocery stores also feeling the pinch. Gothamist reported that 50-80% of revenue at some stores relies on SNAP customers, who are increasingly being forced to skip meals or go without due to lack of funds. Zac Hall, senior vice president of programs at the Food Bank for NYC, described the situation as "heartbreaking desperation" and warned that it will only worsen unless a resolution is reached.
As the Trump administration continues to appeal the court order, thousands of New Yorkers remain in limbo, forced to make difficult choices about their food security. The long-term consequences of this decision will be severe, with widespread hunger and malnutrition affecting not just individuals but entire communities.
This is literally heartbreaking, I'm watching it unfold on socials & news vids and it's getting worse by the day...SNAP benefits are meant to help ppl in need, not punish them. 
It's like, how hard can it be to release funds for a month?! The fact that people r having to skip meals or go without food is just...wow. I'm all about supporting local food banks & pantries but this is on a whole different level. We gotta do better than this as a society 
I mean I get it the Trump admin wants to cut costs but pausing benefits is like taking away our plates at a food festival 
. It's super harsh on families and especially kids, old folks, and those with disabilities who already struggle to make ends meet. It's like they're being forced to skip meals or go without food - that's just not right. 
I'm all for helping the economy but come on, people need food to survive! What's next, cutting off water and electricity too? 
I'm literally shaking my head thinking about those fams who can't afford food because of the Trump admin's decision 
Kids, seniors, and ppl with disabilities are already vulnerable, now they're being forced to skip meals... it's heartbreaking 
. We gotta keep calling out this admin for their lack of care 
. These fams deserve better than to struggle because of politics! 
. the fact that stores are feeling the pinch too is just sad - they're already doing their part by selling affordable food, and now the gov's decision is gonna hurt them too 
. what's even more devastating is it's affecting kids & elderly who can't take care of themselves 
the fact that some grocery stores are already feeling the pinch is a major concern too, imagine if this gets implemented everywhere in the country it'll be chaos, people will have to line up for food just to eat 
... like, I get that the program is super important for low-income families, but at the same time, it's also kinda unfair to those who are struggling because of it 
... I mean, shouldn't the government be doing more to help people out, but then again, isn't that just creating dependency and stuff? 
this is getting crazy! like how can the gov do this to ppl who are already struggling? SNAP is literally a lifeline for so many families in NYC 
. Like, 50-80% of their revenue is from SNAP customers, so when those customers start skipping meals or going without food, it's gonna be tough for the businesses to stay afloat 
. It's time for the gov to find a solution ASAP 
before it's too late 
. I mean, 50-80% of their revenue relies on SNAP customers? That's insane! 
We need to do something about this ASAP 
. We need to do something ASAP to help these people out 
. The thought of grocery stores feeling the pinch too is just devastating 
.
Can't we just find a way to release more funds or something? 
. if anyone knows how this is gonna play out, it's probably the food bank people... they're on the ground, seeing the reality every day 
. The Trump administration should be ashamed of themselves for making this happen...
. I mean, we're talking about people who are already struggling to make ends meet, and now they have to worry about going hungry because of a pause in payments? It's like, can't we just find a way to get these funds released for this month? 
. I'm all for accountability and making sure the system is fair, but come on, people's lives are at stake here 
.
and it's not just about the individuals, it's about the whole community - kids, seniors, and people with disabilities who are already vulnerable to hunger. this is a wake-up call for us to take care of each other, especially those who need it most...