ALBANY, N.Y. — Gov. Kathy Hochul has declared a state of emergency as the deadline is running out for the federal government to fund SNAP, the nation’s largest meal assistance program.
If there’s no deal to fund SNAP by Saturday, Nov. 1, amid the government shutdown, benefits will pause for 3 million New Yorkers. That includes around 135,000 people in the six-county region around Rochester.
In response, Hochul is setting aside $65 million in state funds to provide 40 million emergency meals and support food banks statewide. Her office is also deploying the Empire State Service Corps and SUNY corps members to help support local food banks…