The City of Newburgh announced Oct. 29 it has created a $100,000 emergency aid fund to assist residents who would be affected by the suspension of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
The SNAP funding is scheduled to lapse on Nov. 1 due to the ongoing shutdown of the federal government.
Thousands of families in the city would be destabilized if that happens, and dozens of neighborhood grocers who accept Electronic Benefit Transfer cards are likely to experience financial strain as well.
The city created the emergency fund by reallocating $100,000 in existing federal Community Development Block Grant money.
The program will provide $150 local grocery store gift cards to nearly 700 city households that receive SNAP benefits.
“The Newburgh City Council will not sit idly by while vulnerable children, seniors and families are placed at risk of hunger,” Mayor Torrance Harvey said in a statement. “The City Council is stepping up to do what we can with the resources available to us.”
City officials said this program is a stopgap, one-time emergency allocation, and priority will be given to families and seniors at the highest risk of food insecurity following the loss of SNAP benefits.
Program eligibility and the distribution process will be made public in the coming days.
The program is limited to city residents. Harvey urged Orange County to take immediate steps as well to assist the more than 19,000 households county-wide who will face food insecurity as a result of federal actions.
The city is exploring options to expand its program through partnerships, private donations and additional public resources. Local businesses, community groups and donors interested in contributing to the emergency fund should contact City Manager Todd Venning’s office at 845-569-7301.
Mike Randall covers breaking news for the Times Herald-Record and the Poughkeepsie Journal. Reach him at mrandall@th-record.com.
This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: City of Newburgh plans emergency food aid for families affected by federal SNAP cuts
Reporting by Mike Randall, Middletown Times Herald- Record / Times Herald-Record
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