As the region’s only food bank, Foodlink collaborates with hundreds of partners to put food on the table for our neighbors experiencing food insecurity.

While this work remains critical, we also understand the importance of legislation, policy change, and advocacy that supports our mission of ending hunger and building healthier communities. Twice in the past month (and once more next week), members of Foodlink’s Advocacy Committee traveled to Albany to meet with elected officials who represent portions of our 10-county service area.

One trip was led by our partners at the Field & Fork Network, which administers the Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB) program through various partnerships throughout the state. Foodlink’s Curbside Market has accepted DUFB as a form of payment since 2016. The program allows shoppers to stretch their dollars by doubling the value of their SNAP benefits through the purchase of healthy food. Foodlink is asking state legislators to increase its investment in the program, from $2 million to $3 million. 

The following week, Feeding New York State convened all 10 food banks from across the state for a day of advocacy to support our other legislative priorities, which include:

• Fund Nourish New York & Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program (HPNAP) at $75M; 

• Raise the SNAP minimum benefit to $100 to ensure participants have an adequate monthly benefit;

• Maintain $5.6 million for the Nutrition Outreach & Education Program (NOEP) 

• Create a SNAP for All program, which would guarantee food assistance benefits for excluded New Yorkers based on their immigration status; 

• Establish and fund statewide, permanent Healthy School Meals for All to ensure an additional 280,000 students receive a free school breakfast and lunch each school day

SIGN OUR PETITION: Tell Gov. Hochul to fully fund hunger relief in New York State

Many thanks to the offices of the following Senators and Assemblymembers who took time to meet with us throughout the day:

• Senator Cooney, Senator Brouk, Senator Ortt & Senator Helming
• Assemblymember Lunsford, Assemblymember Clark, Assemblymember Bronson, Assemblymember Meeks, Assemblymember Gallahan, Assemblymember Jensen, Assemblymember Hawley & Assemblymember Sempolinksi.

Foodlink will continue to advocate throughout the month of March, as legislators attempt to compromise on a state budget before the April 1 deadline.