Long Island to pay more for SNAP food benefits as federal government shifts program costs to states

Nassau and Suffolk counties are expected to absorb nearly $10 million in costs --- with more costs coming next year --- to support the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, as the Trump administration implements changes tightening eligibility requirements.

The funding shift is just one of the changes that could affect SNAP recipients as the federal government seeks to pass costs to the states for the program that feeds thousands of Long Islanders. 

Starting Oct. 1, Suffolk County will have to fork over $5.8 million in administrative costs, while Nassau’s additional costs will be $4.1 million. But additional costs from program changes could end up costing New York State more than a billion dollars, according to government figures.

Suffolk could not be reached for comment. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said the county was "aware this was coming and proactively budgeted for it."

"No benefits or services to Nassau County residents will be cut," he added.

Previously, SNAP expenditures were split evenly with the federal government. But now, counties are expected to cover 75% of the program's administrative costs because of changes passed under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025, which brought several changes to the nation’s largest food assistance program, formerly known as food stamps.

A key change taking effect next year is an increase in costs for states with “high” SNAP payment error rates, a measurement of whether benefits were correctly paid out.

Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, states with error rates above 6% would have to "match a percentage of benefits issued," the U.S. Department of Agriculture said. New York’s 2025 error rate was 13.18%. The top tier penalty would be 15%, which would cost the state $1.2 billion, state and federal government numbers show.

"Hopefully, the recipients aren't going to see changes because of this particular cost shift," said Gregory May, director of government relations for the Island Harvest food bank. "We are extremely concerned about the benefits cost shift that will be coming later on, where New York State could be on the hook for more than a billion dollars, and that is what we're really concerned about. Folks need to have access to those benefits more than anything.

In New York, counties administer SNAP benefits, and the changes are expected to cost another $168 million statewide, said Ciara O’Brien, director of public policy and government relations for the Long Island Cares food bank.

"The biggest fear that we have is that counties taking on a higher bulk of this cost share is going to put further strain on their ability to be able to do their jobs," O’Brien said. "We don't want to see halts in paperwork, staff not being able to keep up with the demand, the amount of folks that need these benefits, or a reduced eligibility, or an increase in taxes to be able to make up for this cost shift.

Already, 6,000 to 8,0000 Long Islanders may have lost benefits under the new work requirements that went into effect in March, May said. Last year, 168,000 Long Islanders were enrolled in SNAP, compared with more than 145,000 now, according to state figures.

Although SNAP recipients are set to see a cost-of-living bump in their benefits, experts warn that work requirement changes and other SNAP modifications passed under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will make it harder for people to get necessary food assistance.

Among this month's changes, the federal government reopened eligibility on Thursday for some recipients who may have been disenrolled from SNAP benefits because of work requirements. Disenrolled recipients may reapply to receive up to three months of benefits in the next three years for benefits.

The work rules apply to "Able-Bodied Adult Without Dependents" for adults between the ages of 18 to 64 who are medically cleared to work. They must work or volunteer at least 80 hours per month or risk losing SNAP benefits after three months within a three-year period, according to federal officials. 

For Lindenhurst resident Anthony Bacchi, 36, SNAP benefits were a "breather."

Bacchi first started getting food benefits in college, when he was trying to move out of his father’s home. But life happened: rent was high, he lacked transportation and his father died.

"It was hard to juggle and balance finances," he recalled, noting his circumstances left him with anxiety.

SNAP benefits let him work less while attending school and kept food on the table as he moved from one job to another. SNAP, he said, was like a "light that helped shine down upon me."

NewsdayTV's Shari Einhorn contributed to this story.