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A food pantry in NYC prepares for an increase of need as SNAP benefits are set to end

  //food-wine.news-articles.net/content/2025/10/31 .. ase-of-need-as-snap-benefits-are-set-to-end.html
  Published in Food and Wine on Friday, October 31st 2025 at 0:48 GMT by Associated Press
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NYC Food Pantry Prepares for Surge in Demand as SNAP Benefits Set to End

In the early hours of a recent Monday, the doors of the City Harvest pantry in Brooklyn opened to a steady stream of residents clutching grocery lists and hope. The downtown branch, one of the city’s busiest food distribution hubs, is bracing for a sharp rise in demand as the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)—widely known as the food stamp program—faces a looming expiration of its emergency allotments.

SNAP, which provides low‑income households with monthly benefits to purchase groceries, had been extended by Congress through the COVID‑19 relief legislation and later by the American Rescue Plan Act. Those extensions added a short‑term “emergency allotment” that has been in place for several years, but the next round of extensions is uncertain. The Department of Agriculture announced in a March press release that the emergency allotments will expire on June 30, 2024 unless Congress acts again, leaving families to face a potential shortfall of up to 25 % of their monthly food budget.

“The emergency allotments were a lifesaver for many,” said Laila Hernandez, director of the Brooklyn pantry. “When the USDA announced the expiration, we heard that people were planning to cut back on groceries, skip breakfast, and in some cases, skip meals altogether.” The director noted that the pantry has seen a 12 % uptick in foot traffic since the announcement, with many visitors arriving earlier in the day in hopes of securing a larger share of the limited supply.

City Harvest’s response has been swift. The organization is partnering with local grocery stores, food distributors, and farms to redirect surplus produce to its distribution centers. Over the past week, City Harvest received a $200,000 donation from Whole Foods and a 5‑tonne shipment of seasonal produce from the Brooklyn Farm Collective. The partnership, highlighted in a joint press release, aims to offset the expected increase in demand, which City Harvest estimates could rise by 20 % in the coming months.

The pantry’s new “bulk‑pickup” system—introduced after a local policy change—allows families to order pre‑packaged kits that include fresh produce, dairy, and protein items. The system is powered by a mobile app that syncs with the city’s NYC Food Bank API (https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/snap.page), enabling real‑time inventory tracking. According to the city’s Department of Social Services, approximately 700,000 NYC households receive SNAP benefits each month, and a significant portion—particularly in neighborhoods like Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx—has been affected by the recent policy shifts.

“Food banks are the frontline of our safety net,” explained Robert Kim, a policy analyst at the Urban Institute. “When SNAP benefits are delayed or cut, the burden on local pantries increases. The data from 2023 show that demand at the city’s major pantries spiked by 15 % after the first round of the emergency allotment was rolled back for the first time.” Kim cited a report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-and-nutrition/food-safety-and-nutrition-information/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap) that detailed how the emergency allotments had reduced food insecurity by an estimated $5 billion annually.

City Harvest’s pantry is also expanding its volunteer network. The organization has launched a “Community Champions” initiative, recruiting volunteers through the NYC Volunteer Center (https://www1.nyc.gov/site/volunteercenter/index.page). Volunteers receive training on safe food handling and nutrition counseling, and they play a pivotal role in ensuring that food distribution remains efficient during peak periods.

The community’s response has been equally enthusiastic. A local group of parents, led by Aisha Patel, a mother of three, set up a “Food Swap” program on the pantry’s social media page, encouraging neighbors to share surplus items. “We’re all in this together,” Patel said. “The pantry is doing amazing work, but we can all help by bringing in extra snacks or non‑perishables.”

The federal government’s decision to let the emergency allotments lapse has prompted a wave of advocacy. The National Association of Food Banks (https://www.nabf.org) urged Congress to extend the allotments for an additional year, arguing that the policy is critical for maintaining food security during the ongoing economic recovery. Meanwhile, the National Food Policy Center released a study warning that the expiration could push an estimated 4 million additional Americans into severe food insecurity.

City Harvest’s director acknowledges the uncertainty but remains hopeful. “We’ve seen how resilient our community can be,” Hernandez said. “We’re not just a pantry; we’re a partnership. With the support of donors, volunteers, and local policymakers, we’ll keep feeding families—even when the SNAP safety net weakens.”

As the expiration date approaches, City Harvest, along with other pantries across New York City, will continue to adapt, expand, and innovate. The next few months will test the city’s food system’s capacity to absorb shocks, but the collaborative spirit displayed by the pantry, its donors, and the community suggests that, despite the policy changes, no one will go hungry.