To meet demand, food pantries need help — fast
We are in the midst of a hunger crisis in New York. Food pantries in the Capital Region are currently experiencing the highest demands that we have
Natasha Pernicka is the executive director of The Food Pantries for the Capital District, a coalition of over 65 food pantries serving Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga and Schenectady counties. seen in our over 40-year history.
Consider these recent quotes from Albany County food pantry coordinators:
“Had a senior client register as a new pantry guest. He lives on Social Security only but did qualify for SNAP (the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). Problem is he only gets $28 a week, not much help.” (
Guilderland)
“We are seeing an increase in the working class who are coming to the pantry. They are right at the cusp and don’t qualify for SNAP. I was talking to someone who said, ‘I can’t support my family right now, I am so grateful for the food pantry.’” (Albany)
We are hearing more and more stories from individuals with full-time jobs and from multi-income families who don’t qualify for SNAP, and who are struggling. What’s more, the end of the emergency pandemic
SNAP allotment means that SNAP recipients are expected to receive about 33 percent less each month compared to last year.
When the emergency supplement ended, the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance encouraged people to reach out to their local food pantries for assistance. The state is right to highlight the important role that we play in supporting those who are falling through the gaps of the government social safety net. However, we need people to understand that food pantries are also struggling.
Inflation for food items is at 7.7 percent. The inflation rate for food pantry staples like frozen or canned fruits and vegetables is 10.3 percent. Bread is at 12.6 percent; rice, pasta and cereal are at 10 percent. With higher inflation — and with no increase from New York state this year for Emergency Food
Support Organizations — food pantries are doing much more with less.
It is critical for us to be there for those in need, and we need to ask for support from the community. Donations to local food pantries make a difference.
And we need help from the state, too: As a recent Times Union story pointed out, those who need SNAP can’t always get timely access. For example, 31.5 percent of applicants in Albany County waited for more than the 30-day legal limit last December. We encourage the state to take swift action to increase access to SNAP by, at minimum, ensuring that all counties adhere to the
mandated 30-day processing time.
Food pantries are here for anyone who needs help. There are no income or work-related requirements to receive food from a pantry. Some people use food pantries for emergency situations;
some turn to them on a weekly basis. If you or someone you know needs food assistance, please go to thefoodpantries.org; and people across New York state can search for their local food pantry at our Food Connect Map, map.thefoodpantries.org.