Why Food Banks Are Worried Now

Good morning. It’s Monday. Today we’ll look at New York City food banks, which are worried about the potential fallout from federal budget cuts.

This is an uncertain time for food banks in New York City. They are not sure how they will survive the Trump administration’s funding cuts, which could affect programs they turn to for help. Demand at food banks has skyrocketed amid the city’s affordability crisis, which has driven even people with jobs to seek the assistance that food banks provide. Almost two-thirds of food bank users are employed, according to the Poverty Tracker from Columbia University and the anti-poverty group Robin Hood.

I asked Sarah Maslin Nir, a Metro reporter who analyzed the problems facing food banks and the people who depend on them, to talk about where things stand as Republicans in Congress push ahead with a plan to cut food assistance.

What’s the scope of the cuts facing New Yorkers who rely on food stamps?

Just under three million people in New York State rely on food stamps, according to the New York City Food Policy Center at Hunter College. A bill championed by President Trump would cut $295 billion in food stamp spending over the next decade. That would affect the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP.

The bill, as approved by the House, would also penalize states based on the percentage of food stamps they paid out in error. If that provision becomes law, New York State would have to kick in about 25 percent of the bill for food assistance.