May 27, 2025

AFTER HOUSE GOP VOTED TO MAKE LARGEST CUT TO FOOD ASSISTANCE IN HISTORY - IMPACTING 108,000 IN CENTRAL NY – SCHUMER WITH SYRACUSE-CNY FAITH LEADERS IN OSWEGO COUNTY WHICH HAS AMONG HIGHEST FOOD INSECURITY IN ALL OF NEW YORK, SAYS WE MUST SAVE SNAP; SENATOR SHOWS DEVASTATING LOCAL IMPACTS OF GOP BILL, DEMANDS GOP BLOCK CUTS THAT RISK MILLIONS OF KIDS, SENIORS, & FAMILIES GOING HUNGRY ACROSS AMERICA

Schumer Says Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ Will Be Ugly For Hardworking NY Families, Decimating Healthcare & Funding For Local Hospitals, Raising Energy Costs By Slashing $$ For Clean Energy Projects Across NY & Raising Costs For Counties Across The Board By Shifting The Costs For Vital Programs Like SNAP & Medicaid

Already The Foodbank of CNY Is Preparing To Lose ~2 Million Pounds Of Food Due To Trump’s Cruel USDA Cuts & Now With GOP Voting To Make Largest SNAP Cut In History; Senator, With Syracuse Church Leaders & Advocates, Says Double Whammy Could Hurtle Central NY & Oswego County Which Has Highest Food Insecurity In All NYS Into To A Hunger Crisis

Schumer: No Child In Central NY Deserves To Go To Bed Hungry

After House Republicans just last week voted to pass the largest cut to the anti-hunger program SNAP in American history, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer stood in Central New York’s hunger hotspot, Oswego County, which has one of the top 5 highest rates of food insecurity in all of NY, with religious leaders, food banks, and farmers on the frontlines of the local fight against hunger to show the devastating local impacts the massive proposed $300 billion SNAP cut to fund Trump’s tax breaks for corporations & billionaires. Over 108,000 in Central NY rely on these anti-hunger programs for food, and Schumer joined with church leaders to detail exactly why these new cuts would be so harmful, and demand that the GOP stop this devastating assault that could hurtle Rochester and millions of others across America to a hunger crisis.

“Last week, in the dark of night, House Republicans rushed to pass their so-called ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ in the hopes that their massive cuts to American families would go unnoticed. We are here in Oswego County which has some of the highest rates of food insecurity in New York to ensure that doesn’t happen. We are here to shine a light on how the largest cut to food assistance in history could hurtle 108,000 Central New York kids, seniors, and families into a hunger crisis,” said Senator Schumer. “Trump already canceled more than a million pounds of U.S. farm-grown food headed to hungry families in Central New York, and these cuts would be a double whammy. This is not a partisan issue, it is a moral issue. I’m here with our food banks, faith leaders, and farmers on the frontlines to stand up to protect these programs and stop this cruel cut to SNAP. Stealing from anti-hunger programs that feed Central New York families to pay for Trump’s tax breaks for corporations & billionaires is as backwards as it gets. There is nothing beautiful about cutting SNAP so children go hungry and can't learn or have productive lives. Senate Democrats are united in opposing this cruel bill, and we are united with the people to demand the GOP block these SNAP cuts. Otherwise, it will be families here in Central New York that go hungry.”

Schumer explained how Trump’s USDA has already cruelly canceled $1 billion in food assistance, and his FEMA has indefinitely frozen over $130 million in previously allocated funds, hurting every level of food distribution from regional food banks like the Food Bank of CNY to local food pantries like Catholic Charities Oswego Food Pantry. If these SNAP cuts move forward it would be a triple whammy for Central NY, hurtling the region’s ongoing hunger crisis to unforeseen levels. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a lifeline for nearly 3 million NY seniors, veterans and families who rely on the critical funding to purchase groceries. Schumer said that we should be investing more not less in anti-hunger programs, but under the Republican proposal, the average family would be reduced to just $5.00 per day per person. A breakdown of SNAP recipients in Central New York from the Center for American Progress can be found below:

County	SNAP Recipients	% of County on SNAP	SNAP Retailers
Cayuga	9,215	12.3%	57
Cortland	5,933	12.9%	52
Madison	6,585	9.8%	68
Onondaga	68,796	14.6%	455
Oswego	18,184	15.4%	109
TOTAL	108,713		741

Last week, House Republicans passed a bill that would rip $300 billion away from SNAP. This proposal would impact Central New York residents in many ways, including the addition of a work requirement which would raise the age to access SNAP benefits from age 55 to age 64 and only exempt SNAP recipients from work requirements if they have someone younger than 7 years old in their household, down from the current exemption for all families with children under 18 years old.

Schumer said, “I’m all for reducing any waste or fraud to make the program more efficient, but rushing to pass these massive damaging cuts with no plan while they slash our food banks is a recipe for disaster. Republicans are tying themselves in knots trying to justify these massive cuts. I ask my Republican friends this: which category does a hungry 7 year old fall under: are they waste? Are they fraud? Or are they abuse?”

Schumer explained the Republican proposal to cut $300 billion from SNAP would inevitably mean costs of feeding families shift to states, who simply do not have the capacity to absorb this massive increase in expenses, risking families going hungry. Under this Republican proposal, states would be required to pay 5 – 25% of their state’s SNAP benefits based on the state’s error rate. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), mandating New York State to cover even a modest share of SNAP benefits would shift astronomical costs to the state, with even just 5% increasing New York State’s costs by nearly $3.5 billion from FY2026 to FY2034. The senator said it is impossible to cut this much from federal SNAP funding without ripping food away from hungry children, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and more.

These agonizing decisions would be amplified even further at the local level, with non-profits, many of whom have already had their funding cut, unable to fill in the gap. Counties could even be forced to shoulder the burden of increased costs in SNAP, using more local dollars to provide coverage because less federal funding will be coming in. During recessions or economic downturns, these impacts will be even more acute, as more people apply for benefits and state revenue declines, more children, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and more will be turned away from this vital program due to insufficient federal funding.

According to CBPP, 20,000 people in NY-22 and 14,000 people in NY-24 reside in households with adults ages 18-64 with school-age children and would likely lose SNAP benefits under this Republican proposal, and Schumer said that is only the tip of the iceberg.

The proposed SNAP cuts would be a blow to Central New York food banks which have already been hit hard by Trump’s funding freezes and canceled payments. Earlier this year, the USDA canceled $1 billion in food assistance for organizations to purchase locally grown food. USDA programs provide food banks, schools, and other organizations with federal support to purchase local food products from NY farms. At FEMA, $130 million in previously allocated funding for the Emergency and Food and Shelter Program has been indefinitely frozen since January. The program helps local nonprofit organizations provide food and shelter individuals and families who are experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, hunger or homelessness.

Trump’s USDA and FEMA cuts have already hit Central New York hard. At the Food Bank of CNY, which delivered over 22.9 million pounds of food and over 19 million meals to families across 11 Upstate NY counties in 2024, USDA cuts have already caused a loss of over $450,000 and may cause additional losses of up to $1 million per year, translating to an estimated 500,000 pounds of food and 100,000 meals annually. At Catholic Charities of Oswego County, which served 2,213 adults, 1,368 children, and 360 seniors in 2024, FEMA cuts will slash as much as $14,000 from their food pantry in Fulton, forcing them to cut back on hundreds if not thousands of meals each year. Elsewhere in Oswego County, USDA cuts jeopardize food security for the 10,000 people served by Oswego County Opportunities last year, including 150 people suffering from intellectual or developmental disabilities, mental illnesses, chemical addiction, or homelessness, and more than 50 families with pre- / post-partem women and infant children. In Onondaga County, USDA cuts have meant less food available, unhealthier options, and increased competition. At the Interfaith Community Collective food pantry in Syracuse, USDA cuts have already forced pantry staff to reduce the amount of meals served, shorten meal service time, and even turn people away hungry. At New Americans Blessing Box, USDA cuts have made it more difficult to find fresh foods like vegetables, fruits, and meats, as well as culturally targeted foods like Halal chicken, jasmine rice, and spices.

Schumer said these proposed cuts will limit food banks’ ability to keep shelves stocked as more people have been forced to rely on food banks to feed their families. Food bank workers and religious leaders across Upstate New York are concerned about the impact of potential cuts to SNAP on the people they serve, and farmers are worried there will be nowhere to sell their food if SNAP funding levels drop.

“No matter which way you slice it, this Congressional Republican plan will screw Central New York families, food banks and farmers from farm to table. We need everyone to stand up to these cuts that would take away food from our neighbors in need,” added Schumer.

Murray Gould, Food Pantry Director, St. Lucy’s Church of Syracuse, “We at St. Lucy’s Church are grateful for the efforts of Senator Schumer for highlighting this critical issue. We have seen a 40% increase in people seeking our assistance at our pantry in the last nine months. We do know that approximately 75% of our clients receive snap benefits. The proposed reduction in snap as well as the devastating decrease in funding to the food. SNAP cuts will be creating more hunger in our communities. As a faith based community in our neighborhood, these proposed changes can only be described as cruel.”

Maura Ackerman, Executive Director of the Syracuse-Onondaga Food Systems Alliance, said, “SNAP is one of the most powerful tools we have to fight hunger and poverty, especially for families with children. In a city like Syracuse – with the highest child poverty rate among U.S. cities with populations over 100,000 – that support is not just meaningful, it’s essential. Every SNAP dollar feeds a neighbor and strengthens our local economy, generating nearly twice its value in economic activity. This is about investing in our kids, our communities, and our collective future. We can’t let politics stand in the way of basic human needs. We’re grateful to Senator Schumer for championing this commonsense, bipartisan priority. Making sure children have enough to eat should never be up for debate.”

Brian Reeves, Owner, Reeves Farm said, "Cuts to food assistance programs have several negative impacts to our communities; fewer people receive adequate nutrition, farmers sell less of their production, and any excess unsold production can over supply the marketplace and drive down the price the farmer receives for the food which does get sold. On behalf of farmers across New York, I would like to thank Senator Schumer for fighting to ensure that critical SNAP dollars keep flowing to help farms like mine continue providing fresh, nutritious, locally grown food to the members of our community who need it the most.”

Sheila Dion, Founder & Director, Erin’s Angels of CNY said, “Hunger is not a political issue, it is a human issue. Cutting SNAP benefits is not just a budget decision—it’s a moral decision. Oswego County is often cited among the New York Counties with the highest rates of child food insecurity. According to Feeding America, seventy six percent of the families in Oswego County are income eligible for federal nutrition programs. Every day, we see firsthand the impact hunger has on children in our community. These proposed cuts would leave thousands of kids without the nutrition they need to grow, learn, and thrive. At Erin’s Angels, we fill the weekend gap, but SNAP is the lifeline that helps families feed their children the rest of the week. Undermining this program would deepen food insecurity across the country—and hurt the most vulnerable among us. We would like to thank Senator Chuck Schumer for helping to raise awareness of this very important issue and for advocating for the hungry in New York State and in Oswego County. By denouncing SNAP cuts, highlighting the negative effects these cuts will have on millions of New York residents, calling for a coalition to oppose these devastating cuts, demanding action from New York state republicans to oppose these cuts and protect SNAP, securing funding for food banks, advocating for farmers and visiting food banks across the state he has consistently demonstrated his commitment to addressing hunger and supporting those facing food insecurity in New York State.”

Roseann Bayne, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction, CiTi BOCES said, “Cuts to SNAP will deepen the crisis of food insecurity in Oswego County—already among the highest in New York State. Over 26% of adults here are food insecure, and nearly one in four school-age children live in poverty—well above state and national averages. Even small cuts in benefits could push many from low food security into true hunger, especially seniors surviving on below-average Social Security and limited retirement income. And our students? Many arrive at school undernourished, disadvantaged before the day even begins—struggling at times to focus, learn, or thrive. SNAP isn’t about handouts; it’s a lifeline for families, seniors, and individuals doing their best to get by. Many folks here work full-time and still earn far less than the ALICE survival budget. Opinions and misinformed judgment don’t feed people. Policy rooted in compassion and facts does. On behalf of CiTi BOCES, I thank Senator Schumer for coming to Oswego County to advocate for the critical SNAP funds that our community depends on.”

Peter O. Nwosu, President, SUNY Oswego said, “At SUNY Oswego, we recognize that students cannot achieve academic success while facing food insecurity. That’s why, through our Empire State Service Corps, we’ve established a dedicated team of students who provide peer-to-peer support to help their classmates apply for SNAP benefits. This work reduces barriers and empowers students to focus on their education without the burden of basic needs insecurity. We are committed to sustaining this and other vital services to help our students succeed. We are grateful to Senator Schumer for his ongoing advocacy to expand and protect SNAP access for college students. His continued leadership is instrumental in ensuring that higher education remains accessible and equitable for all.”

Josh Stephani, Director, Adirondack Food System Network said, “Federal cuts to SNAP have disastrous implications the communities across the Adirondacks, our most vulnerable individuals, and further threaten our food system. Nearly one third of our population is supported by SNAP – children, seniors, and many families are supported through this important program. Alongside rising costs for transportation, housing, and living in the region, many families are already struggling to provide for their families without enough resources. These vital programs work to support our economy and provide for our families in need. Specifically, by cutting SNAP, we are placing further economic hardships on our North Country communities, reducing the $300 million economic benefit of this program into our Adirondack region and putting the health of our neighbors at risk. For the communities who call this place home, these programs are a vital lifeline for their moments of need. On behalf of the Adirondack Food System Network, we thank Senator Schumer for his continued advocacy for these critical and lifesaving programs for our communities, New Yorkers, and the entire country. The Adirondacks are often seen as the last mile for essential services, and we are proud to have the Senator as an advocate for the North Country advocating on our behalf.”

Proposed rollbacks to the country’s most widely utilized nutrition assistance program would strain budgets for Central New York families. Schumer said decimating funding for SNAP right as costs at grocery stores across the country are skyrocketing will hit Central New York hard. According to the New York State Community Action Association, more than 17% of people in Oswego County live in poverty, including nearly 25% of children. According to No Kid Hungry, over half of New Yorkers reported going into debt in the past year due to rising food costs, with over 60% of families with children. In Oswego County, more than 26% of adults self-report as food insecure per the NYS Department of Health, and over 20% of children are food insecure according to Feeding America. With 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 5 children suffering from food insecurity, Oswego County food insecurity is the highest of any county in Central New York.

SNAP not only supplements families’ food budgets, it has also generated great economic benefits for New York State and NY-24 specifically. According to the National Grocers Association, grocery stores across New York State sold over $2.1 billion in groceries to people using SNAP benefits, including $103.3 million in NY-24. This created more than 18,500 New York jobs in the grocery industry, including 910 in NY-24, and generated more than $820.8 million in grocery industry wages, including $40.2 million in NY-24.

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