Statement attributable to Andrés Vives, Chief Executive Officer of Hunger Solutions New York
Hunger Solutions New York commends the New York State Legislature for building on the Governor’s efforts to protect food access. Both the Senate and Assembly one-house budget proposals include additional investments to strengthen food security for New York families.
Amid rising food insecurity and unprecedented federal cuts to SNAP, the Senate and Assembly both propose $8.5 million in state funding for the Nutrition Outreach and Education Program (NOEP). NOEP is New York’s statewide network of SNAP navigators who provide expert assistance to help potentially eligible New Yorkers connect with SNAP. The program is especially critical as the state seeks to lower its error rate and families navigate harmful federal changes to eligibility, budgeting rules, and the expansion of work-reporting requirements. Despite the expertise and impact of SNAP navigators, NOEP is set to lose half of its federal funding due to SNAP cuts in H.R.1 — meaning additional state funding is needed to ensure urban, rural, and suburban counties across the state do not lose access to SNAP navigators.
We applaud the Senate and Assembly for including $8.5 million in funding for NOEP and urge leaders to maintain this investment in the final budget.
Additionally, the Senate proposal includes additional funding to bolster the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). The program provides healthy food and vital health services to pregnant and postpartum New Yorkers, infants, and young children under the age of 5. Participation in WIC in New York has risen nearly 25% since 2020, thanks in large part to program modernizations and a highly successful statewide outreach project. However, local agencies — often located within hospitals, community health centers, and county health departments — have remained nearly flat-funded for the past decade and are struggling to serve all eligible families who are seeking services.
We urge state leaders to include an additional $30 million in funding for WIC, which would help stabilize services at local agencies and support access for New York families.
Supporting SNAP and WIC access in the FY2027 New York State Budget will alleviate food insecurity and bring more federal dollars into New York’s economy. We look forward to working with the Governor and Legislature to ensure SNAP and WIC are prioritized in this year’s budget.
