More than 22,000 New Yorkers abruptly lost their SNAP food-assistance in June, after expanded federal work rules kicked in and started closing cases, according to city data. That early wave of cutoffs represents millions of dollars in lost grocery money and lands hardest on younger adults and single men. City officials say they have managed to keep hundreds of thousands of residents enrolled, but food pantries and advocates warn the safety net is already creaking under the extra strain.
Data reviewed by Gothamist show more than 22,000 SNAP cases, about 1.3% of the city’s entire caseload, were closed in June alone. That translates to more than $5 million in lost assistance every month. Much of the drop is tied to recipients not meeting the newer ABAWD work-reporting rules for three straight months, according to the coverage.
The Mayor’s Office counters that a massive outreach blitz has helped roughly 223,000 New Yorkers stay on the rolls, either by documenting that they qualify for exemptions or by getting them into compliance with the requirements. City teams, working with more than 100 nonprofits, CUNY campuses, hospitals and the Human Resources Administration, have canvassed thousands of households considered most at risk and set up volunteer and training options that meet federal standards.
Who Lost Benefits and Where
City figures provided to Gothamist show the people losing benefits skew younger. Most were adults between 18 and 35, and single men made up about 44% of the closed cases. Geographically, the hit is not evenly spread: roughly 42% of the closures were in Brooklyn and about 26% were in the Bronx…