Hunger Solutions New York is proud to partner with the New York State PTA to help ensure students across New York have access to the food they need to learn, grow, and thrive. Following our shared success in securing universal free school meals in New York, we are excited to announce our latest partnership to expand SNAP outreach in schools.
With funding from the New York Health Foundation, this new project aims to strengthen food access for New York students while helping schools meet the new SNAP outreach requirement under New York’s universal school meals program.
SNAP is our nation’s largest and most effective anti-hunger program, providing grocery benefits to nearly three million New Yorkers. Yet, many eligible families are not participating. Schools can play a powerful role in connecting families to SNAP and other critical nutrition supports, helping to close that gap.
Why SNAP Outreach Matters for Students, Families, and Schools
The whole school community benefits when eligible families participate in SNAP. Students experience improved health, higher academic achievement, and increased graduation rates. Families can access additional supports, such as Summer EBT, which provides grocery benefits during the summer months when school is out. Schools spend fewer resources collecting income information from families and may qualify for summer meals, afterschool meals, and the Community Eligibility Program.
To support effective SNAP outreach, Hunger Solutions New York has developed a SNAP Outreach Toolkit for Schools, a collection of ready-made resources in English and Spanish. These materials can be shared through existing school communication channels, including district websites, social media, email, and parent apps. Toolkit resources direct families to a pre-screening tool to determine potential eligibility and connect them with free SNAP application assistance.
How PTAs Are Supporting SNAP Outreach
NYS PTA is engaging its statewide network of parents and caregivers in SNAP outreach. Through its established communication channels, NYS PTA provides direct outreach to families of school-aged children while encouraging parent-leaders to advocate for SNAP outreach in their school communities. PTAs can also amplify the benefits of SNAP, highlight the SNAP outreach requirement as a key component of New York’s universal school meals program, and connect school leaders with available resources.
Beyond SNAP, PTAs can also help address hunger by raising awareness of other federal nutrition programs. These efforts include:
- Encouraging schools to add Breakfast After the Bell
- Spreading the word about summer meals, Summer EBT, and afterschool meals
- Connecting families with WIC
- Advocating to protect and strengthen anti-hunger programs
We’re excited to continue this work alongside New York State PTA and schools across the state. By working together, we can strengthen food security for all New Yorkers.
