Three organizations serving Southern Tier counties are among 44 providers selected for a new round of New York funding to help residents connect with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly called SNAP.
The state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance announced $26.4 million for the Nutrition Navigators program. State officials project that the funded organizations will help more than 340,000 households with food-benefit screening, applications and related assistance.
Catholic Charities Food Bank of the Southern Tier was awarded $780,540 for work across Broome, Chemung, Livingston, Schuyler, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins and Yates counties. Catholic Charities of Broome County received $140,677. Journey’s End Refugee Services received $152,178 for work that includes Broome and Tompkins counties.
The navigators can help people determine whether they may qualify for SNAP, complete applications and understand program requirements. The grants also support outreach about nutrition resources for households that may not know help is available.
New York is committing state funding as the federal reimbursement rate for administering SNAP drops from 50 percent to 25 percent. The state also awarded $4.4 million to Hunger Solutions New York to provide technical assistance and statewide support for the navigator network.
SNAP eligibility and benefit amounts depend on household circumstances. Residents seeking help can contact a participating local organization for screening and application assistance; an award does not automatically enroll any household or guarantee benefits.
