Monroe County Executive Adam J. Bello and local leaders gathered Monday, Feb. 23, to remind the Rochester community of significant changes to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that could affect thousands of residents across Monroe County. The County’s Department of Human Services (DHS) administers the SNAP program on behalf of the state and federal governments.
“Thousands of Monroe County residents—working families, seniors and young adults—will feel the impact of these federal changes to SNAP. Our responsibility is to make sure no one is caught off guard,” said County Executive Bello. “I urge anyone who receives SNAP to watch for a letter in the mail, attend one of our town halls, or contact our Department of Human Services (DHS) with questions. We are grateful to our DHS team, Mayor Evans, Congressman Morelle, and our community partners at Foodlink and TogetherNow for stepping up to ensure our neighbors have the information, support and resources they need to stay nourished and healthy during this transition.”
MORE INFORMATION: Visit Monroe County’s SNAP page
Beginning March 1, new work and reporting requirements for certain SNAP recipients will take effect as a result of H.R. 1 proposed by the federal administration and passed by Congress in July 2025. These changes represent a major shift in eligibility rules and will require prompt action from impacted individuals to avoid disruption of benefits.
Under the updated federal guidelines, in order to maintain SNAP benefits, individuals who meet the definition of Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) — adults ages 18–64 who do not have children under 14 in their household and are physically and mentally able to work — will be required to:
- Work at least 20 hours per week, or
- Participate in qualifying work-related activities such as job training or volunteer service.
Those who do not meet the new requirements and fail to report qualifying activity risk losing SNAP assistance.
SCREENING TOOL: SNAP work rules screener
SNAP remains one of the most critical anti-hunger programs in Monroe County. More than 104,000 county residents rely on SNAP benefits to help feed their families each month; of those, more than 37,000 are under the age of 18 and 22,000 are over the age of 60.
“We cannot overstate the importance of SNAP as the nation’s most effective anti‑poverty program,” said Julia Tedesco, President & CEO of Foodlink. “As the food bank serving the Rochester and Finger Lakes region, Foodlink has seen firsthand how disruptions to SNAP place an overwhelming burden on the emergency food system and the broader social service sector. During the SNAP crisis this past fall, searches for food assistance surged, underscoring the critical role the program plays in stabilizing families and communities. Foodlink has done—and will continue to do—everything possible to ensure our emergency food network is informed about these changes and prepared to respond to the increased demand resulting from federal cuts to SNAP. Anyone in need of food assistance is encouraged to visit Foodlink’s website and use our ‘Find Food’ map to locate support.”
COUNTY OUTREACH
This week, Monroe County DHS will mail detailed information to SNAP recipients who currently meet the ABAWD definition. The mailing outlines work requirements, reporting procedures, available exemptions, and steps individuals must take to remain eligible.
In addition to the mailing, DHS will host multiple in-person town halls to help residents navigate the eligibility changes and answer questions.
The town halls are open to the public and will be held from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. (unless otherwise noted below) on the following dates and locations:
Wednesday, February 25
Connected Communities Neighborhood Hub
619 N. Goodman Street, Rochester, NY 14608
Partners: Connected Communities and County Legislator Santos Cruz
Wednesday, March 4
Adams Street R-Center
80 Adams Street, Rochester, NY 14608
Partners: City of Rochester and County Legislator Carolyn Delvecchio Hoffman
Wednesday, March 11
Greece Town Hall – Community Rooms A&B
1 Vince Tofany Blvd, Greece, NY 14612
Partners: Greece Supervisor Jeff McCann
Wednesday, March 18
Foodlink Community Farm
585 Lexington Avenue, Rochester NY 14613
Partners: Foodlink & County Legislator Ricky Frazier
Saturday, March 28 (2 p.m.- 4 p.m.)
Webster Recreation Center – Multipurpose Room
1350 Chiyoda Drive, Webster, NY 14612
Partners: Webster Supervisor Alex Scialdon
OTHER RESOURCES
Individuals and organizations seeking additional information about the SNAP changes can visit Monroe County’s website or call (585) 753-5386.
Residents in need of immediate food assistance can contact 211, visit www.My-Wayfinder.org, or go to www.foodlinkny.org/find-food to locate nearby food resources.
