During an appearance at the Food Bank of Central New York, New York Attorney General Letitia James said fighting food insecurity across the state is a priority for her.
"My office will continue fighting every day to make sure New Yorkers are protected, supported, and never taken advantage of in moments of crisis, and that individuals have all that they need to feed their families," James said.
Food Bank Executive Director Karen Belcher said the recent government shutdown caused a large disruption for many local families.
In central New York, about 100,000 people depend on federal food assistance.
"We saw how fragile individual and families' budgets are,” Belcher said. “Suddenly, families who counted on SNAP being available to put groceries in their carts and meals on their tables were turning to the Food Bank and their partners for this time."
Central New York Rep. John Mannion (D-Geddes) said amid proposed changes and potential further disruptions to the SNAP program, the fight in Washington, D.C., is not over.
"These programs help improve the health and the educational outcomes of our kids, of our families, and that provides that stability that they need in difficult moments,” Mannion said.
