In order to survive, people who do not qualify for any direct federal, state or municipal financial aid have turned to queuing twice a week at pantries across the five boroughs.
A group of lawmakers and their advocacy allies are hoping to change that, with a law that creates a fund for excluded workers and pays for it with a tax on billionaires.
‘Most Democrats in Congress support increasing hunger funding while the vast majority of House Republicans, and most Senate Republicans, support such reductions. Hunger is now as partisan as gun control and abortion.’
New enrollees in NYC’s home-delivered meals program for seniors are being diverted to the city’s emergency food program—which advocates say doesn’t deliver the same quality or support.
‘Food waste is troubling in the best of time, but given current hunger epidemic, it’s particularly shocking to see dairies dumping milk and farmers discarding good produce.’
The pandemic forced the city to create a whole new food-distribution system. While there have been bumps, experts say the effort has been a success,
Queues of Latino residents waited recently outside a community center in Corona to collect food and fruit. The line extended for two blocks.
Several dozen programs have closed for lack of volunteers even as demand soars and social distancing rules demand more personpower.
A leading anti-hunger advocate also joined Max & Murphy to talk about how SNAP benefits and food pantries can be reinforced to address COVID’s economic fallout.
‘Unless government takes immediate, bold action, food-insecure Americans will be hit even harder, and their troubles will likely extend long beyond the life of the epidemic.’
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