\u201cWe are taking a boots-on-the-ground approach to this because the consequences for New Yorkers are quite significant,\u201d Mamdani told the Bronx Times in an interview.<\/p>\n
The city says that it has assisted more than 220,000 New Yorkers since January, knocking on more than 10,000 doors and conducting 40,000 phone calls. The administration is also coordinating across city agencies to identify recipients who may qualify for exemptions, including those related to medical conditions and caregiving responsibilities.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe reduced the paperwork burden on New Yorkers and helped hundreds of thousands of people keep their SNAP benefits, preserving more than $800 million in food assistance. Still, 26,500 New Yorkers lost benefits, most of them young men without children,\u201d said Department of Social Services Commissioner Erin Dalton.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOn Oct. 1, they become eligible to reapply, and we\u2019re bringing the same smart, targeted approach to get that number as close to zero as we can. Through an awareness campaign and targeted outreach, we\u2019ll reach these New Yorkers directly and connect them to the city resources that can help,\u201d Dalton said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"Customer](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Photo-1-Customer-Paying-with-SNAP-Benefits.jpg\")
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program was established by the Food Stamp Act of 1964 to strengthen the agricultural economy and provide improved nutrition to low-income households. Photo by Kylie Clifton<\/p>\n
The administration has partnered with more than 100 community-based organizations to help connect residents with work opportunities and training that could help them meet the new requirements. The city is also launching public awareness campaigns through flyers, advertisements, social media and other city-owned communication channels, while holding information and training sessions for community partners.<\/p>\n
\u201cNutritious foods should be affordable and accessible to every New Yorker,\u201d said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Helen Arteaga.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\u201cAt a time when too many New Yorkers are already struggling to make ends meet, the federal government has created new barriers to accessing food assistance. New York City has stepped up to help, and we will continue doing everything we can to connect New Yorkers with the benefits they need.\u201d<\/p>\n
Still, the consequences of the new rules are dire for the Bronx, where food insecurity remains rampant<\/a>. More than 20% of the Bronx is food insecure,<\/a> according to 2022 data from Feeding America.<\/p>\n While the city is working with community-based organizations to connect residents with assistance, those groups are also facing pressure to help fill gaps left by the loss of federal benefits. The city is also preparing to open its first city-run grocery store<\/a> in Hunts Point, which is expected to offer residents discounted food.<\/p>\n The state is also stepping in to help residents affected by new federal requirements. Medicaid Director Amir Bassir said the Bronx would be exempt from new Medicaid work requirements because its unemployment rate meets the threshold established under H.R. 1, POLITICO<\/a> first reported. <\/p>\n The provision allows exemptions for counties with unemployment rates at least 1.5 times the national average. The Bronx\u2019s unemployment rate<\/a> is 7.1%, meeting the threshold.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re thankful that Governor Hochul is committed to addressing food insecurity at a similar level of urgency as we are,\u201d Mamdani said.\n<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve always said when it comes to the president that there are a number of policy disagreements that we have,\u201d Mamdani continued. \u201cI will always use the opportunity when we speak or meet to think about the things that we could do together to deliver for New Yorkers. This is a federal policy that has been very difficult for New Yorkers.\u201d<\/p>\n