Ahead of Thanksgiving Holiday, Governor Hochul Announces $27.5 Million to Feed New Yorkers in Need

Funding Will Be Awarded To 11 Food Bank Organizations to Provide Resources for Low-Income Communities and Support New York Farmers

Governor Hochul Signed Legislation To Create Permanent 'Nourish NY' Program, Which Has Delivered Nearly 100 Million Meals To New Yorkers In Need 

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $27.5 million in additional funding toward the New York State Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program (HPNAP) and Nourish New York (Nourish NY) programs. This funding will be awarded to eleven food security organizations which support a network of more than 2,600 New York State food pantries, soup kitchens and shelter sites that are particularly busy during the holiday season. Together, they will provide nearly 400 million emergency meals to assist those in need annually, while providing a boost to New York farmers.

"As families gather to celebrate Thanksgiving, we know some may need a little extra help to put food on the table — that's why these investments are so critical," Governor Hochul said. "New Yorkers always help our neighbors when they're in a tough spot, and our efforts to provide food for those in need will deliver more than 400 million meals in the coming months."

Funding has been made available to the following organizations as part of an initiative partnering with the State Department of Health and the State Department of Agriculture and Markets to assist New York State residents and farmers:

• Food Bank for New York City
• Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York, Inc.
• FeedMore WNY, Inc.
• Catholic Charities Food Bank of the Southern Tier
• Food Bank of Central New York
• Feeding Westchester, Inc.
• Long Island Cares, Inc
• Island Harvest, LTD
• City Harvest
• United Way of New York City
• Foodlink, INC.

These organizations will distribute funding to more than 2,600 sites as sub-awards for food assistance services, or as direct allocations of additional food. This includes purchasing additional food, produced by New York State farmers, for their emergency food assistance member agencies.

Food banks will be able to use these to host food assistance activities, including popular distribution programs run during the holiday season.

In addition, the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets administers the federally funded New York Food for New York Families program, providing nearly $50 million to partner food banks and food service organizations to implement projects that purchase New York-grown food products and distribute them to underserved communities. It also provides technical assistance to help growers sell into the New York Food for New York Families program.

On the Department of Health website, you can find more information on the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, Commodity Supplemental Food Program, and the Child and Adult Care Food Program.