ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Nearly $550,000 in emergency assistance is going to food pantries at SUNY community colleges amid the longest federal government shutdown in history.
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the emergency assistance Wednesday, saying it will help SUNY’s 30 community colleges restock food pantries and support students in need.
Other food assistance programs in the state, such as the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program, and Nourish NY, will be getting funding as well to address the food crisis.
Hochul also announced $41 million in state funds to support food banks, pantries, soup kitchens, and more.
On Oct. 30, Hochul declared a state of emergency, setting aside $65 million in state funds and deploying the Empire State Service Corps and SUNY corps members to help support local food banks.
This comes as the government shutdown is potentially nearing its end. As a result of the shutdown, more than 135,000 people who rely on SNAP for food assistance across the Rochester region have faced uncertainty since Nov. 1, when the federal government put a pause on issuing full benefits.
News10NBC has a list of food pantries across the region. See the list here: Where to get meals around the Rochester region amid government shutdown
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