New York’s Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program (HPNAP) helps support New York-based food banks, food pantries, emergency shelters, and community-based organizations that work on the frontlines in the fight against hunger. For over 30 years, the program has helped improve nutrition security for hungry New Yorkers through healthy food procurement, storage and distribution, and operational expenses.

As part of the 2022-2023 New York State Budget, lawmakers invested a historic $56.5M in HPNAP. After years of flat-funding, this investment has helped emergency food providers better support the elevated levels of demand for hunger relief. We applaud state lawmakers for prioritizing hunger relief in this current fiscal year budget.

However, due to a confluence of factors – including the expiration of pandemic-era interventions and wage growth not keeping up with the rate of inflation – 80% of our member food banks have reported longer lines at food distributions. Today, food banks across the state are also struggling to keep up with rising food prices.

WE ASK STATE LEADERS to allocate $63M for HPNAP in the 2023-2024 New York State Budget.