Cutting through the back-and-forth legal battles over SNAP funding during the government shutdown, New York State has released full November benefits to all SNAP recipients with no plans to change course, as of now. While critically helpful, Long Island’s food banks say they believe the crisis of increased need will continue for weeks.
“We have absolutely seen panic in the community on both the recipient side as well as the community donor side,” said Susan Berman, who oversees the JCC’s food and needs bank. “People wanting to help and not knowing how, and people who are SNAP recipients or really food insecureare v ery concerned about what’s going to happen with the continued government shutdown and SNAP benefits being in flux right now.”
