With the next legislative session just weeks away, Capital Region officials say the state should do more to address food insecurity.
Speaking at St. Luke’s Daily Bread Food Pantry in Schenectady Monday, state Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara says Governor Kathy Hochul should raise the minimum Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefit to $100 per month. The Democrat from the 111th District says Schenectady County has experienced a 70 percent increase in demand for food pantry services in the past five years.
“You may see people that are employed. They just by the time they pay the rent, by the time they pay they put gas in the car by the time they pay expenses, no more money left for food. That's there's something we can do about that. What we can do is fund these programs,” Santabarbara said.
Santabarbara also called for the Hunger Prevention Nutrition Assistance Program and Nourish New York program to be funded with $75 million apiece in the next state budget. He says that money could end hunger in the state, and is frustrated with Governor Hochul for not providing that funding in recent budgets.
“We were confident that we had it, we thought that we had it. And when we saw the numbers come out, and we didn't, it was heartbreaking, because we, as I said, we know what it means back home. We know what happens when there's no more bread to give out. People go without, and that is unacceptable,” Santabarbara said.
County Legislator Michelle Ostrelich, a Democrat from District 3, chairs the Health, Housing, and Human Services Committee. She says increasing SNAP would be a lifeline to county residents.
“We've got 12,000 households that are currently receiving SNAP benefits.”
“Just in the county?”
“That's 22,000 individuals and 12,000 homes. So that impact of raising that SNAP minimum benefit could affect one in six households,” Ostrelich said.
Linda Knipper is a member of the Schenectady County Food Council and a volunteer with Street Soldiers Schenectady. Both outreach organizations work to help address insecurity in the county. Knipper says the situation has worsened, especially for vulnerable groups.
“The need has greatly increased since I've been doing at least Street Soldiers. I believe the volume has tripled. 100 used to be a busy week. And you know, 250 or 300 is what it is. Seeing more seniors, in my experience, more seniors and more young children,” Knipper said.
She says she was also surprised needed hygiene products, like toilet paper, toothbrushes, and toothpaste, aren’t covered by SNAP.
Reverend Dustin Longmire is Executive Director of the Rotterdam Community Center and co-chair of the advocacy empowerment working group with the Schenectady County Food Council. He says studies have shown a 90 percent increase in people making use of emergency food sources in the state since 2019, and that’s in line with what he’s seen locally at the Community Center.
“We opened our doors in June 2022; back then, every Friday at our free produce pantry, we had about 35 people. These past couple weeks, we've been averaging around 130 people,” Longmire said.
Longmire says the situation is reminiscent of the Great Depression nearly a century ago.
“We're kind of, at this point hitting a wall where we're pretty much where we're back in the 1930s on food, right? I mean, growing up, I don't remember massive food lines and that sort of stuff, but that happens constantly now, every single Sunday at Street Soldiers, every single Friday at the Rotterdam Community Center,” Longmire said.
Darlene Geloso, a Rotterdam resident, says she’s been there. 66 and taking care of her autistic son while on Social Security, Geloso says she hit a low point when she fell at work in 2020 and had her benefits cut.
“I was getting about $200 a week, way less than normal. I started to seek out help. I went to Schenectady Street Soldiers,” Geloso said.
Geloso adds increased costs are outpacing any increase in benefits, noting her Social Security is going up only $33 a month next year.
“The guidelines need to be looked at, income limits. You know, you can make a little bit more, and you're kicked off. So it's two steps forward, three steps back, and it shouldn't be, and these are working, struggling families. There's no need for it, and we can do something about it,” Geloso said.
In response to a WAMC request for comment, the state Department of Health highlighted a recent announcement from Governor Kathy Hochul outlining $27.5 million in state funding to support nutrition programs.
