CNY food banks work to fill gaps left by government shutdown SNAP pause
Central New York food banks are working to fill the gap during the federal government shutdown, which is pausing food assistance programs. Food Bank of CNY said they are “committed” to helping families and doing “everything” they can. Elizabeth Billman | Daily Orange File Photo
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Following the United States federal government shutdown on Oct. 1, food assistance programs have been paused, and many Americans may struggle to find meals this month. Food banks throughout Syracuse and central New York are working to fill the gap.
On Oct. 25, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released a statement saying the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits would pause starting Nov. 1 due to the shutdown, saying “the well has run dry.”
SNAP is a federal program that provides food benefits to low-income families, ensuring they receive healthy meals, according to its website.
Despite a ruling in favor of 25 states, including New York, who sued the President Donald Trump administration, the USDA said contingency funds are not available for regular benefits and cannot be used for SNAP.
SNAP benefits will be delayed for millions of Americans this month, AP reported.
In Onondaga County, around one in five households rely on SNAP benefits for their groceries every month, syracuse.com reported. During an Oct. 23 press conference, Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said the county would expand some food security programs for SNAP recipients through working with organizations and expanding senior dining sites.
In a Friday statement, the Food Bank of Central New York said it is “committed” to helping families during the shutdown, doing “everything” it can.
The Daily Orange has compiled a list of available resources throughout the city.
The Coach Mac Food Pantry in the lower level of Syracuse University’s Hendricks Chapel serves as an on-campus food security resource for students, open Tuesdays through Thursdays at varying hours.
In a Thursday statement to The D.O., Hendricks Communications Manager Dara Harper said the pantry expects to see an influx of students who live off campus or have decreased meal plans.
“Food insecurity on college campuses is nothing new, unfortunately,” Alison Murray, Hendricks Assistant Dean, said. “And it is something that I believe affects every student, whether they want to believe it or not.”
South Campus also has a pantry at the Carriage House, located at 161 Farm Acre Road. The pantry is open on Wednesdays from 1 to 3 p.m.
There are also many off-campus food pantries nearby for students.
Samaritan Center, located at 215 North State St., is a five-minute drive from campus. The nonprofit has breakfast available Monday through Friday from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. and an afternoon meal every day from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.
The Clarence L. Jordan Food Service and Culinary Education Center is located at 148 Gifford St, also a five-minute drive from campus, and serves hot breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. As part of the Rescue Mission, the center is available to all and is open for breakfast from 7:00 to 8:00 a.m., lunch from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and dinner from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m.
The Assumption Church Food Pantry & Soup Kitchen also has food available every weekday. Located at 808 North Salina St, its soup kitchen is open Monday through Friday at 11:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. for lunch and 4:00 until 4:45 p.m. for dinner.
Its food pantry is open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:45 to 10:45 a.m. It also has a sandwich program that hands out free bags of lunch. The pantry and soup kitchen are an eight-minute drive from campus.
Abundant Life Christian Center Food Pantry has a Reach Market for grocery assistance open from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Sundays and from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. on Wednesdays. Reservations must be made in advance. The pantry will extend hours and increase the number of Reach Market appointments throughout November.
Other pantries around the city, including Bethlehem Revival Food Pantry, Holy Family Catholic Church’s food pantry and the DeWitt Food Pantry, expect an uptick in residents who need their services, Central Current reported.
Onondaga County compiled a list of all pantries for Syracuse residents.
On Thursday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency, committing $65 million in state funds for emergency food assistance. The money will provide over 40 million meals to New Yorkers and “reinforce” the state’s network of food banks, according to a release.
“Unlike Washington Republicans, I won’t sit idly by as families struggle to put food on the table,” Hochul said in the statement. “Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress have the power to stop this crisis — millions of families depend on it.”
Since Trump took office, several reductions to food assistance programs have been implemented. In March, the USDA paused $500 million in deliveries to food banks nationwide. In August, the Trump administration cut SNAP for 2.4 million Americans through the “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
These cuts impacted the Food Bank of CNY’s grant funding, which said it was “unsure” about its future in March.
The government’s shutdown is two days away as of Monday, from surpassing the longest shutdown, which lasted 35 days at the end of 2018 into 2019 under Trump’s first administration.
