Brooklyn Elected Officials, Service Providers Demand Congress Reopen Federal Government and Fund SNAP

Speakers gathered outside a local supermarket in the district of Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, New York City’s only Republican Congressmember

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: OCTOBER 31, 2025

View photos and video here.

Brooklyn, NY — New York State Senator Andrew Gounardes joined Brooklyn elected officials, service providers and clergy to demand Congress reopen the federal government and fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

SNAP benefits for 42 million Americans—including nearly 2.9 million low-income New Yorkers across the state—are set to expire on Saturday, putting families at risk of going without food. But the House of Representatives hasn't met since September 19th, and the Trump administration has refused to fund food stamps during the government shutdown. 

About 1 in 7 New Yorkers rely on SNAP to feed themselves and their families, and most SNAP recipients in New York State are children (30%), elderly (21%), or disabled (10%). SNAP also helps support New York’s economy; studies estimate that $1 in SNAP benefits generates $1.54 in economic activity, which means the $7.4 billion in SNAP funding distributed annually across the state generates $11.5 billion in activity, supporting countless small businesses and local economies.

At the root of the month-long federal government shutdown is the Republican Party’s refusal to extend what are called “Affordable Care Act Premium Tax Credits,” which helps millions of Americans afford their healthcare premiums. Without these credits, Americans who buy their insurance through ACA marketplaces could see costs more than double, rising from an average of $888 in 2025 to $1,904 in 2026. About four million Americans would likely drop their insurance coverage if the credit expires because they can’t afford the costs. 

Congressional Democrats proposed a bipartisan budget that keeps healthcare affordable without giving tax breaks to billionaires, but Republicans have so far refused to compromise, and the Trump Administration has declined to release federal contingency funding.

At the event, attendees gathered in the district of Rep. Nicole Malliotakis to demand Congress do their jobs, reopen the government, and stop forcing families to choose between healthcare and feeding their children.

“The Trump administration is taking food out of the mouths of nearly three million New Yorkers, including over 42,000 people in my Brooklyn district,” said State Senator Andrew Gounardes. “It's deeply shameful, but there's an easy way to avoid it: reopen the government without slashing healthcare for working families.”

“SNAP is a vital lifeline for millions of New Yorkers. Donald Trump and House Republicans are deliberately ripping it away and using hunger as political leverage, Congressman Dan Goldman said. “It’s shameful that New York Republicans like Nicole Malliotakis and Mike Lawler are letting it happen instead of demanding the USDA release emergency funds in their bank account to feed New Yorkers in need. To be clear, this decision has nothing to do with the shutdown — the money is there. It is a choice by Donald Trump to make our children and seniors go hungry.” 

"The Trump administration's refusal to fund SNAP will not only take food off the tables of nearly three million New Yorkers—one in seven of our neighbors—it will immediately rip over $11.5 billion in economic activity out of our city and state economy,” said New York City Comptroller Brad Lander. “To jeopardize the health of our children and elderly, punish our local small businesses, and create a hunger crisis all because of a refusal to compromise on healthcare is a failure of basic governance and a complete moral collapse. Congress and the administration must stop playing political games and release the funding our families and our economy depend on, today." 

“From Bay Ridge to Coney Island, tens of thousands of my constituents rely on SNAP benefits. People will go hungry because Trump Republicans control every branch of the federal government but they’d rather throw a tantrum than feed families,” said City Councilmember Justin Brannan. “Trump Republicans holding SNAP benefits hostage in their pursuit of equally punitive and destructive healthcare cuts tells you everything you need to know about this moment in politics. You don’t save money by taking food from the hungry and care from the sick. Congress must fund SNAP now.”

“A disruption of SNAP benefits will hurt more than the nearly 3 million New Yorkers who rely on food assistance,” said State Senator Kristen Gonzalez. “The government shutdown and the budget cuts to SNAP will drastically impact grocery stores, small businesses, and their employees. The livelihoods of millions are at risk, and a solution cannot wait. The Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans must fund critical benefits now.” 

“Millions of New Yorkers- upstate and downstate- depend on SNAP to put food on the table,” said Senator Zellnor Myrie. “A hungry child cannot learn, and hungry adults cannot support themselves or their families. Congress must get to work and the Trump Administration must fund these critical food benefits now.”

“Inaction in Washington is threatening more than 1.25 million food-insecure New York households absent Congressional funding for SNAP”, said Senator Roxanne J. Persaud, Chair of the Senate Social Services Committee.  “Older New Yorkers, New Yorkers with disabilities, kids and other vulnerable populations will feel this hurt the most. It’s time for the federal government to restore funding for SNAP”.

"In the richest country in the world, Americans shouldn't have to choose between food or affordable healthcare. Yet, that's precisely the choice Trump and Republicans in Congress are forcing by keeping the government shut down. It's time for the GOP to wake up, do their jobs, and to pass a funding resolution that meets the needs of the American public. Thank you Senator Gournades for leading today's rally and calling attention to the looming crisis before New Yorkers,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso.

"It is cruel and immoral to use SNAP benefits as a political bargaining chip. Congressional Democrats are right to fight to keep healthcare premiums affordable and the Trump Administration and Republicans in Congress should be working to find a compromise and end the government shutdown. Instead they are choosing to inflict harm on millions including some of our most vulnerable populations - children, elderly, and the disabled,” said Assemblymember Robert Carroll.

“On November 1st nearly 3 million New Yorkers will be told that their lives do not matter,” said Assemblymember Marcela Mitaynes. “Secure access to food is a basic human right, but the federal government has decided that it’s not. Let me be clear, this is a choice being made by Republicans and Donald Trump. Our community members are not pawns in a political game, they are real people, whose lives are on the line. The funds for SNAP must be released now."

“I want to be clear—this is an atrocity. Three million people across New York State are depending on SNAP to feed themselves and their families. At United Way of New York City, we will continue to do everything in our power to ensure that even when the government fails, our most vulnerable neighbors have dignified access to nutritious food. Anything less than that would be an injustice. That is why we need to come together across philanthropic, government and private sectors to drive solutions,” said Grace Bonilla, President and CEO at United Way of New York City.

“Even before this shutdown and the most recent domestic food aid cuts, 47 million Americans lived in food-insecure homes, unable to afford enough food," said Hunger Free America CEO Joel Berg. "If SNAP payments are significantly delayed, not only could we have the most severe hunger crisis since the Great Depression, but many food retailers might also be forced into enacting layoffs or worse. This would be truly catastrophic for the nation.”

“We show our true character by how we treat the least of us,” said Rev. Micah C. Ma, Interim Senior Minister at the First Unitarian Congregational Society in Brooklyn. “To take food out of the mouths of hungry people, especially children, is unconscionable, especially in one of the wealthiest nations in the world.”

“Congress must act now to reopen the federal government and restore SNAP funding. This is about humanity and dignity, not politics. When food assistance stops, it harms our most vulnerable families, children, domestic violence survivors, and seniors and forces people to choose between food, rent, and healthcare. This shutdown will also hurt our local economy: food pantries are stretched thin, and small businesses that depend on SNAP sales are losing vital income. We urge Congress to do its job and protect both people and the communities they live in.'' Somia El-Rowmeim The CEO & Founder of the Women’s Empowerment Coalition of NYC

“Every month, our organization helps hundreds of low-income New Yorkers access SNAP benefits and connect to food assistance programs,” said Marwa Janini, Executive Director of the Arab American Association of New York. “When these services run out of funding this weekend, millions of families — millions of children — will go hungry. Congress must act now to restore SNAP funding and other critical relief programs for our most vulnerable Americans.”

“As hard as we try, our food pantry and pantries across the country will not be able to suffice the massive need of millions of Americans who will go hungry unless the federal government does its job and restore SNAP benefits to the most defenseless Americans; those in need of food,” said Bibi Esahack, Executive Director of the Bay Ridge Community Development Center.

“The threat to SNAP benefits is an urgent crisis for Red Hook residents who rely on this critical resource to feed their families,” said Michael Partis, Executive Director of Red Hook Initiative. “Next week children, parents, grandparents, and older adults will be left to question where their food will come from, and some will be forced to make impossible decisions between purchasing groceries or other essentials. We stand with our partners in demanding that the federal government act immediately to ensure there is no interruption to SNAP benefits.”

“Emergency food providers in New York City were already reeling from indefinite pauses on the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP), elimination of the New York Food for New York Families (NYFNYF) grant, and cuts to The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP),” said Peter Endriss, Executive Director, Community Help in Park Slope (CHiPS). “This indefinite pause on one of the last reliable safety nets in the area of food assistance is likely to break the system and cause hundreds of thousands in New York City alone to go hungry.  There is only so much that nonprofits can do - we need responsible government to fund SNAP immediately and protect our most vulnerable from further suffering and marginalization.”

Press Contact:

Billy Richling

Communications Director

State Senator Andrew Gounardes

billy@senatorgounardes.nyc

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