SNAP changes another pressure for those on the edge

On Long Island, hunger "hides in plain sight."

That's how No Kid Hungry New York director Rachel Sabella describes the region's growing food insecurity crisis. Last year, more than 160,000 Long Islanders sought federal assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.

In the coming months, thousands of them may lose those benefits, previously known as food stamps, thanks to sweeping federal cuts and program requirement changes. That could have an enormous impact on Long Island families, the broader economy and even county budgets.

The cuts to SNAP are only part of a widening problem.

According to a new poll from No Kid Hungry New York, 59% of Long Island residents said they've had to choose between buying food and paying for another necessity, from making the monthly rent or mortgage payment to paying for utilities, gas, health care or child care.

An even higher number of Nassau and Suffolk residents — 62% — said their financial health has suffered due to the increasing cost of food, while half said their mental health has suffered.

Many of those individuals live on the edge, where their earnings are too low and bills are too high to be able to comfortably afford food for their families, but where they also don't qualify for federal food assistance. As gas prices and other costs rise, their concerns grow.

For Long Islanders who previously qualified for federal help, SNAP has long been the first line of defense against looming hunger concerns, advocates say. Limited changes or small cuts might have helped eliminate unnecessary bloat. But the Trump administration used an ax, rather than a scalpel, and the repercussions could be severe.

Under the new rules, adults between the ages of 18 and 64 who are able to work and don't have dependents under 14 will have to show evidence of work, volunteer activities or having utilized job training programs for 80 hours a month to receive benefits. That's a shift from past requirements, which applied to those able to work between 18 and 54 who did not have dependents under 18. Work requirements also will now apply to veterans and homeless individuals, among others.

New York State officials estimate that 17% of those who once qualified for SNAP — amounting to hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers — will lose benefits.

The impact reaches beyond needy families. Grocery store owners and farmers, who've long relied on SNAP funds to boost their revenues, could suffer, too. Food banks could fall under greater strain as they try to fill the gap. And both counties may see consequences as a shift in the shared cost burden could increase Nassau's commitment by $30 million, and Suffolk's by $56 million, according to the New York State Association of Counties.

Our congressional representatives should carefully monitor the impact of the new rules to determine if the cuts went beyond rooting out those who were taking unfair advantage of the benefits. Then, advocates and elected officials must together tackle Long Island's hidden hunger crisis before it becomes impossible to ignore.