Advocacy can make a difference

Join our movement to fight hunger in Westchester County. With your voice, we can make a difference as we advocate for programs that relieve hunger today, and provide the fundamental resources to build a better tomorrow.
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Lend your voice to raise awareness

Together, we raise awareness about hunger, advocate for policies and programs that support food security, and support our neighbors in need of food. Stay informed and join our advocacy efforts by signing up for Action Alerts.

Take a stance, make your voice heard

Legislators need to hear the message loud and clear: no one should go hungry.

Together, we can change our community

With a united voice—individuals, businesses, organizations, and community groups—we can grow support for a hunger-free Westchester.

Meet our collaborators

Know the Issues

Explore the programs and priorities that drive our advocacy to end hunger across Westchester County and beyond.

Advocating for Stronger Food Access in Westchester County and Beyond

Feeding Westchester works alongside national and state partners to strengthen federal nutrition programs that help reduce hunger, support community health, and stimulate local economies. Below are our current priorities in the federal budget and upcoming Farm Bill.

 

Strengthen and Protect Federal Nutrition Programs

Budget Reconciliation

  • Protect SNAP
    • The nation’s most impactful anti-hunger program. Nearly 3 million New Yorkers including 79,000 neighbors in Westchester County rely on SNAP to afford food for themselves and their families. In addition to reducing hunger, poverty, and food hardship, SNAP stimulates local economies while supporting farmers and producers.
  • Protect The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)
    • TEFAP provides food banks with a reliable source of nutritious, American-grown food that can help fill meal gaps for people facing hunger. For the individuals experiencing food insecurity who likely earn too much to qualify for SNAP, food banks are one of the few resources they can turn to. TEFAP is particularly important to bridge meal gaps for working families. 
      • In the past four years, Feeding Westchester has distributed 17.8M pounds of TEFAP foods. 
  • Protect Medicaid
    • Medicaid provides health insurance coverage for over 7 million New Yorkers including children, seniors, and low-income adults. Medicaid cuts could lead to closures of hospitals and clinics, while threatening home-based care services for seniors and New Yorkers with a disability.

 

Farm Bill Priorities

Investing in Long-Term Food Security and Community Health

The Farm Bill offers a critical opportunity to strengthen the nation’s nutrition safety net. Feeding Westchester supports the following priorities.

  • Fund the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)
    • Increase federal investments in The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) in response to the unprecedented demand for hunger relief. 
    • Fully fund food banks’ shelf-stable and cold storage infrastructure, transportation, and distribution capacity through TEFAP’s Administrative Grants account. 
    • Increase the availability of culturally relevant foods, including halal and kosher, through TEFAP. 
  • Enhance, Expand SNAP Benefits & Eliminate Barriers
    • Congress should ensure SNAP purchasing power remains strong so that benefits align with grocery prices and provide adequate support during tough economic times.
    • Allow SNAP participants to purchase hot food and prepared meals with their benefits. 
    • Protect SNAP choice and focus on ensuring affordable access to nutritious foods.
    • Eliminate existing barriers to participation in SNAP for seniors, college students, veterans, working families, able-bodied childless adults, and immigrants. 
  • Invest in the Health & Wellbeing of our Communities
    • Guarantee school breakfast, lunch, after school and summer meals for all children nationwide. 
    • Provide adequate funding to ensure all eligible households can participate in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).

Advocating for Hunger Relief and Food Access Across New York

The final FY26 New York State Budget included several important outcomes for hunger relief programs. While we celebrate some key victories, other priorities remain unmet. Here’s how Feeding Westchester’s advocacy—alongside statewide partners—translated into policy results:

 

Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program (HPNAP) & Nourish New York

  • Funding Maintained, No Increase
    While we avoided budget cuts, the final state budget maintains last year’s funding levels, falling short of rising demand and food costs:

    • HPNAP: $57.8 million

    • Nourish New York: $55 million

    These programs are critical for providing nutritious food to families through food banks and local farms. Feeding Westchester will continue advocating for increased investment in the next budget cycle.

Universal School Meals: A Landmark Victory

  • Free Meals for All K–12 Students – For the first time, all New York State public school students will receive free breakfast and lunch, regardless of household income. This historic win follows years of advocacy and ensures:

    • No child goes hungry during the school day

    • Families face fewer financial burdens

    • Schools promote equity and well-being

    This is a major step forward for child nutrition access in Westchester and beyond.

 

SNAP Minimum Benefit: Not Included

  • The proposed $100 monthly minimum benefit for SNAP recipients was not included in the final budget.
    Feeding Westchester remains committed to strengthening SNAP access and benefit levels to help neighbors afford the food they need.

Nutrition Outreach and Education Program (NOEP): Fully Funded

  • The final budget restores full funding to NOEP, including a $2 million legislative add-on, for a total of $5.642 million statewide.

  • This ensures continued support for SNAP outreach services at Feeding Westchester, connecting more eligible neighbors to vital food benefits.

 

2026 Budget Priorities to Come

We’re actively working with state partners to shape our advocacy goals for next year’s budget. Stay tuned for updates on:

  • Funding increases for HPNAP and Nourish NY

  • Strengthening SNAP benefits

  • Expanding access to fresh, local food

  • Ensuring equitable food access for all New Yorkers

Stay tuned for more information coming soon!

Your voice has power

Sharing a story—your own experience with hunger, why you support hunger relief—can allow others to better understand, inspire them to get involved, and give hope to those currently struggling with hunger.

Let us know the impact that hunger—or hunger relief—has had on your life, the lives of your friends and family, and your community. Tell us how you use your voice to inspire others to be a changemaker. These stories help us educate the community, advocate for policies and hunger relief programs, and inspire neighbors to help neighbors.

Share your story if you have:

  • Needed emergency food or food assistance (including food pantries, meal programs, mobile pantries, or child nutrition programs)
  • Utilized nutrition programs such as SNAP, WIC, senior assistance, or child-feeding programs
  • Experience(d) difficulty accessing food or services near where you live
  • Had to choose between paying for food, medical care, rent, childcare, or other necessities
  • A story of someone you love who has struggled with hunger
  • Donated to or supported our mission, and want to inspire others to do the same
  • Experience volunteering with Feeding Westchester or another local community partner or meal program
Tell us your story by name or share anonymously
Upload an image:

I understand that Feeding Westchester may highlight and share my story in any of their materials, through social media, or with the public. This could include being used for fundraising purposes. By uploading a photo, you allow Feeding Westchester to use it for the aforementioned purposes.

Take Action

Joining an advocacy coalition is one of the most powerful ways to create lasting change in our communities. When we come together to address issues like food insecurity, our collective voice becomes stronger. By working together, we can amplify our impact, influence policymakers, and ensure that everyone’s needs are heard. Coalitions offer valuable opportunities to share resources, learn from diverse perspectives, and work toward common goals that help build a hunger-free future. Your involvement can make all the difference—together, we can fight hunger and advocate for sustainable solutions that create healthier, thriving communities.
  • Join us in the fight against hunger by signing up for Feeding Westchester Advocacy Alerts.
  • Healthy School Meals for All: Here is the link to join the HSMFA coalition.
  • Housing Access Voucher Program: Linked here is some information on the Housing Access Voucher Program. 
  • One Fair Wage: Linked here is an organizational sign-on letter in support of NYS legislation to phase out subminimum wages for tipped workers. Through the form, you can also indicate your interest in joining the OFW coalition.
  • Coverage4All: Linked here is more information on the Coverage4All initiative, which seeks to provide health insurance coverage for New Yorkers excluded from the Essential Plan on the basis of their immigration status.
  • Gate Money Campaign: Linked here is some more information on the initiative, which seeks to provide increased and sustained support for New Yorkers transitioning to society after a period of incarceration.

Together, we feed for a better tomorrow

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Closed for July 4th!

Feeding Westchester will be closed on Thursday, July 4th in observance of the holiday.

We’ll resume normal operations on Monday, July 7th.

Thank you for your understanding and have a safe and happy holiday!