By Hank Russell
Governor Kathy Hochul announced on November 12 an emergency investment of nearly $550,000 in assistance for the State University of New York’s (SUNY) community college food pantries and related efforts to help campuses address the ongoing food insecurity crisis as a result of the federal government shutdown. Hochul said the emergency assistance will help food pantries located at each of SUNY’s 30 community colleges restock supplies and support students in need.
“As the consequences of the longest federal government shutdown in history drag on, millions of New Yorkers are struggling to make ends meet and facing a food insecurity crisis,” Hochul said. “My administration will continue to take action and use all of the tools and resources at our disposal to protect New Yorkers and ensure they receive the food support they need and deserve.”
The nearly $550,000 food support investment announced by Governor Hochul is part of SUNY’s ongoing efforts to take action against hunger and to support students struggling with food insecurity. These actions include:
- Deploying the SUNY Empire State Service Corps to support local food banks.
- Enacting a statewide Day of Hunger Action where all SUNY Empire State Service Corps students were encouraged to assist food pantries throughout the state.
- Allocating $1 million in ongoing operating expenses each year to support initiatives to address food insecurity on all State-operated campuses.
- Generating a guide to support adult students with children access to SNAP.
- Requiring, through SUNY Board of Trustee action, that information on how to access food and other basic needs resources be included at orientation and on websites for SUNY students, faculty, and staff. This includes encouraging SUNY faculty to voluntarily include basic needs statements on syllabi.
- Hosting a first-of-its-kind Basic Needs Summit, to improve access to essential resources.
According to the governor’s office, over 500 students from 45 SUNY campuses participated in the Empire State Service Corps program this year, and the number of applicants far exceeded the number of available positions, with applications outpacing the number of campus spots at more than 4:1 over the last two years.
SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said, “From our hundreds of Empire State Service Corps members who answered the call and stepped up to take action against food insecurity, to this investment in our community college food pantries throughout the state, SUNY is proud to support our students and all New Yorkers.”
“We have community colleges spread throughout New York State, and these engines of upward mobility recognize that meeting students’ basic needs is essential to student success,” the SUNY Board of Trustees said. “We have been proud to support every SUNY community college and their vital mission, and we are grateful to Governor Hochul for her continued investment in our campuses and in the New Yorkers who rely on them.”