Rockland organizations that feed those in need speak out about federal budget bill
Groups in Rockland voiced concerns about cuts to SNAP and TEFAP because it could impact the people they serve if it's passed in its current language.
A small army of organizations and food pantries spoke out about the federal budget bill Tuesday morning at "Together Our Unity Can Heal" or " TOUCH" located on 9W in Congers.
The groups help put food on tables of Rocklanders in need, like Rockland Community Against Hunger, the Martin Luther King Multi-Purpose Center in Spring Valley, TOUCH, People to People in West Nyack, United Way of Rockland County and the Regional Food Bank.
They specifically voiced concerns about cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) because it could impact the people they serve if it's passed in its current language.
"The math on this bill does not add up and the pain it will cause is undeniable," said Julian Palmer, with TOUCH.
"This is a basic human right to be able to eat," said Anita Dreichler, with Rockland Community Against Hunger.
"It's not because everybody's looking for a handout," Nathan Mungin, with MLK Multi-Purpose Center. "They're looking for a way to make their budget last."
Those groups also sent a letter to Rep. Mike Lawler urging him to vote "no."
News 12 also heard from Traci Pucci.
The woman from Haverstraw is a domestic violence survivor and says it's an experience that left her disabled.
She has turned to People to People for help many times, "and all the programs you are cutting, especially SNAP, is going to put my family possibly on the street. To have no health care. I cannot make ends meet now."
News 12 received a statement Tuesday afternoon from Ciro Riccardi, the director of communications for Lawler who stated, “Rep. Mike Lawler has been fighting for TEFAP and SNAP in the One Big Beautiful Bill, as the legislation is geared to encouraging states to correct bureaucratic inefficiencies."
Riccardi explained, "the Senate's bill extended the deadline for states to get their error rates under 6% and avoid incurring a percentage of the cost share. NY has one of the highest error rates in the country, while overpayments nationwide are wasting $10 billion a year. Rep. Lawler actively addressed concerns to the agriculture committee, successfully advocating for the removal of the quality control zero-tolerance section from the senate bill."
He adds the office has written a letter highlighting issues with potential cuts in order to protect the vital programs.
