From Our CEO: How You Can Respond to Food Insecurity Today

With the recent and ongoing news about funding cuts to SNAP benefits, Hope For New York is working closely with our nonprofit partners to determine the best ways to address immediate needs. Read a special message from Elise Chong, our CEO, on the ways you can join us in providing tangible hope.

With the city’s ongoing affordability challenges and the news that only half of SNAP benefits will be funded in November because of the government shutdown, over a million New Yorkers are wondering how they’ll feed their families in the weeks ahead. 

This isn’t the first time our city has faced a challenge, and for more than three decades, Hope For New York has stepped into the gap with compassion and care.

That’s the heart behind our Coalition of Hope, a growing community of New Yorkers who pray, serve, and give so every neighbor can flourish. And it’s also why we launched the Hunger Collective, a partnership addressing food insecurity across our city in a more coordinated way.

Right now, our affiliates are preparing for what’s next. Food pantries and soup kitchens are already seeing longer lines, and the ripple effects of food insecurity will only grow in the weeks ahead.

Here’s how you can join the response:

PRAY: Please pray for our 80+ affiliates and the New Yorkers they serve. We’ll be praying together on Wednesday, November 12 via Zoom—please join us.

SERVE: Volunteer at a food pantry or soup kitchen. As demand rises, every extra pair of hands helps ensure no neighbor is turned away.

GIVE: Support the Hunger Collective. We launched this initiative knowing food insecurity is one of our city’s most pressing issues, and your generosity can strengthen food outreaches across all five boroughs as they meet this surge in need. Thanks to a group of anonymous donors, we have a $50K match to unlock; every gift will be doubled dollar-for-dollar!

We’ll continue to share updates as we learn more from our affiliates and assess additional ways to respond together. In the meantime, if you know someone in need, Hunger Free America’s resource map can help connect them to local food assistance.

Thank you for your heart to serve, and for the hope you bring to our city in this time of need.