September marks Hunger Action Month, an annual awareness campaign spearheaded by Feeding America and its network of 200 food banks. Keep an eye on Foodlink’s social media channels all month long for actions YOU can take to address food insecurity in our communities. Below, we encourage you to get educated on the latest food-insecurity statistics in your community, learn more about policy priorities that will impact our neighbors facing food insecurity, and ways to get involved.

Orange is the symbolic color of hunger awareness because the nation’s first food stamps were orange. In fact, the USDA credits a Rochester woman, Mabel McFiggin, as the first beneficiary of the nation’s food stamp program — known today as SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). Join us on Sept. 9 — Hunger Action Day — by wearing orange in support of our mission and this year’s campaign.

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DONATE: Our 2025 Hunger Action Month campaign

“People across the country have demonstrated immense care for their neighbors in crisis time and time again, helping to build stronger, more resilient communities,” said Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America. “Ending the hunger crisis in America is no different. When we all work together, alongside our neighbors facing hunger, we can find solutions to ensure that everyone has the food they need to thrive. This Hunger Action Month, our hope for the nation is to start building this new reality together, through unified action toward a shared vision of a hunger-free America.”

Food insecurity stats

Before we launch into the various ways the public can support Foodlink and families experiencing food insecurity, let’s review the latest statistics:

• Nationwide, food insecurity has reached its highest levels in over a decade.
• In our 10-county service area, more than 160,000 people are experiencing food insecurity — a rate of 12.8%
• In our 10-county service area, more than 44,000 children are experiencing food insecurity — a rate of 17.6%
• There are five zip codes in the City of Rochester with overall food-insecurity rates exceeding 25%:
  • 14605 – 31.7%
  • 14614 – 30.7%
  • 14611 – 26.6%
  • 14608 – 26.4%
  • 14621 – 25.5%
• The county with the highest food-insecurity rate in Foodlink’s service area for both overall population and children is Allegany, with a rates of 14.5% and 19.3%, respectively.
• Check out more detailed stats via Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap interactive report.

The steady rise in food insecurity in recent years correlates directly to the number of recorded visits to local food pantries in our network, which are submitted to and recorded by Foodlink on a monthly basis. Last year, someone visited a local food pantry or meal program 1.86 million times — a 40% increase over the year prior. So far in 2025, the numbers similar to 2024.

Policy Priorities

With the largest cuts to SNAP and Medicaid in history recently signed into law, food and health care will soon be further out of reach for millions of people. Now is the time to advocate for policies that will help put food on the table for our neighbors.

After months of advocacy at the federal level ahead of the passage of the damaging budget reconciliation bill, one of the first actions Foodlink took this month was at the state level, signing onto a letter to the Department of Health in support of funding & outreach for WIC — the Women, Infants & Children federal nutrition program. As a state, New York has seen remarkable 23% increase in WIC participation in recent years. Unfortunately, more than $9.5 million in supplemental funds Governor Hochul proposed in her FY2026 budget to brace local WIC agencies this year were ultimately allocated elsewhere. We are urging state leaders to restore this funding, and reinstate the state’s effective WIC outreach project.

As mentioned, drastic cuts to SNAP were included in a recently passed budget reconciliation bill. Most notably, work requirements will begin to look more stringent for those receiving benefits. Foodlink’s Advocacy Committee has already held two webinars with its network to review the bill’s impact on SNAP and our neighbors, and will continue to provide resources as changes are rolled out at the federal and state level. The timeline for many of the changes remains unclear, however Foodlink will need to engage its state lawmakers in SNAP advocacy in the coming years to ensure the program costs that will be shifted to states adequately cover those who rely on these critical benefits.

• One-page guide to SNAP & Medicaid changes (Foodlink)
• Work requirements guide (American Public Human Services Association)
• Factsheet on the economic impact of SNAP in New York State (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities)

Foodlink also recently convened and participated in a roundtable discussion with Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) in Canandaigua at Gleaner’s Community Kitchen, one of our member food bank partners.

In September, Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT), and House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig (D-MN) will introduce the “Restoring Food Security for American Families and Farmers Act of 2025.” This farm bill marker bill would repeal the SNAP cuts included in the recently enacted “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBB). The marker bill is part of a broader strategy by members of Congress to draw attention to the impact of the new law.

How to get involved

We always encourage the public to learn more about the food-assistance organizations in their local communities — such as food pantries and soup kitchens — and lend your support. You can find a local organization via our Find Food map on our website.

You can also support Foodlink’s mission through a monetary donation, food (or hygiene product) donations, or the gift of time by signing up for a volunteer shift.

Standing up, speaking out and being an advocate is also highly encouraged. Please consider joining our email list to receive future Advocacy Alert updates in the year ahead.

Thank you for your support during Hunger Action Month!