SNAP emergency: Rockland legislature approves $2 million to feed families whose payments are being cut
The legislature voted Monday morning to allocate $2 million to help the People to People Food Pantry on Route 59 handle a food crisis that could be worse than the one the pantry faced during the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Rockland County is putting millions of emergency funds toward bridging a gap left by a cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which was caused by the federal government shutdown.
The Legislature voted Monday morning to allocate $2 million to help the People to People Food Pantry on Route 59 handle a food crisis that could be worse than the one the pantry faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Per the order of two judges, the federal government announced it will partially funding SNAP this month with emergency funds.
The program requires $8 million each month to fully operate.
The federal government is putting up $4.6 million for this November's SNAP payments, meaning each of Rockland's 55,000 SNAP recipients will still receive less money this month for food.
People to People CEO Diane Serratore said local families will feel that decrease.
"We're gearing up now not only to provide additional food assistance to the folks who come to us every month, but for all of the folks who have SNAP but haven't come here yet," she said. "They are going to need help feeding their families."
At Monday's emergency Legislature meeting where the food pantry funds were unanimously approved, some legislators recognized the shutdown has put People to People in a tough position.
"This shouldn't be necessary," District 12 Legislator Jesse Malowitz said. "To all the nonprofit leaders who seemingly, day by day, do so much more with so much less, you shouldn't have to go through this, either."
Another food pantry volunteer who was at the meeting with a sign that simply stated, "Food," said the solution is about as simple as her sign.
"People who don't have money are getting screwed," she said as she turned her sign toward the camera, "and they need food."
The legislature moved the $2 million from the county's unreserved fund balance to the Department of Social Services, who will release the funds to People to People as needed.
A spokesperson for the legislature said the county attorney will speed up paperwork to move the funds to the pantry as soon as possible.
