SOUTHERN TIER, N.Y. (WBNG) — New York State is committing $26.4 million to an expanded outreach initiative designed to help more than 340,000 residents secure and maintain food assistance as stricter federal work rules take effect.
The program, dubbed Nutrition Navigators, will replace and expand existing state outreach efforts that connect low-income New Yorkers to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, widely known as SNAP, along with other nutritional aid services.
State officials framed the initiative as a direct response to federal policy changes enacted under H.R. 1, which expanded SNAP work requirements. Under the federal rules, recipients who fail to meet mandatory work quotas risk losing assistance after three months within a three-year window.
“At a time when SNAP and other essential safety net programs have been under attack by the federal government, Governor Hochul has made increasing New Yorkers’ access to affordable, healthy food a central priority,” said Barbara C. Guinn, commissioner of the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. “The Nutrition Navigators program will strengthen our ongoing efforts to connect more lower-income New Yorkers to SNAP and other essential food assistance programs, especially in underserved areas of the state.”
In addition to expanding work mandates, the federal legislation reduced federal matching funds for SNAP administrative and outreach expenses from 50% to 25%, taking effect Oct. 1. State officials said the new funding package includes state and local dollars to bridge that gap.
Administered by the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, Nutrition Navigators consolidates two initiatives that expired Sept. 30: the Nutrition Outreach and Education Program and the Targeted SNAP Outreach Program.
Direct services will be deployed through 44 community-based providers operating across every county in the state. Services will include SNAP pre-screening, application navigation, guidance on compliance documentation, and referrals to other nutrition resources, including WIC, Summer EBT, and the National School Lunch Program. Virtual assistance will also be available statewide, including dedicated remote operations in 12 counties.
As part of the rollout, nonprofit advocacy group Hunger Solutions New York received $4.4 million to coordinate statewide technical assistance, provider training, program evaluations, and a comprehensive needs assessment to identify underserved regions.
Among the regional organizations awarded grant funding:
Catholic Charities Food Bank of the Southern Tier: $780,540 to serve Broome, Chemung, Schuyler, Tompkins, Tioga, Steuben, Livingston, and Yates counties.Catholic Charities of the Roman Catholic Church/Broome: $140,677 to serve Broome County.Journey’s End Refugee Services: $152,178 to serve Erie, Broome, Tompkins, and Chautauqua counties.Food Bank of Central New York; $708,457; Cayuga, Lewis, Jefferson, Oswego, Onondaga, Madison, Herkimer, Chenango, Cortland, Oneida, St. Lawrence
The state agency said local social services districts have also been directed to connect recipients with job opportunities, job searches, and qualified volunteer placements to prevent participants from losing their food benefits.
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