Copyright syracuse.com
Skaneateles, N.Y. -- A CNY businessman has raised more than $20,000 in the past few hours to help families losing their SNAP benefits this week. During that same time period, the need has already outpaced the help. Between 15 and 20 people are applying for grocery gift cards every minute, said Jeff Knauss. Knauss, a Skaneateles-based business owner, decided less than 24 hours ago to raise money that will directly help people losing their food stamp benefits this weekend. His family donated the first $10,000, which is not reflected in the GoFundMe total. The money will be used to purchase as many $150 Wegmans gift cards as possible. “I’m not part of any organization or government agency — I’m just a dad, neighbor, and business owner living in Upstate New York,” Knauss wrote in a social media post explaining his fundraiser. “We can’t wait for the government and bureaucracy to fix this.” The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Monday that the government will stop funding the debit cards more than 100,000 people in CNY depend upon every month to buy their groceries. Knauss’s fundraiser is also for families in the Rochester area. More than 3 million people in the state depend on SNAP benefits for at least a portion of their food budget. The money is caught up in the government shutdown. The USDA has an emergency reserve fund with enough to cover at least part of the month, but government officials have said the shutdown does not qualify as an emergency. The state has shifted $41 million to fund food banks and other emergency food agencies to help fill the gaps, but Knauss said he wanted to do something that would quickly put money directly into the hands of families that are losing it. He partnered with Wegmans, and his friend Evelyn Ingram, director community engagement for the company, is helping with logistics. Families must pick up the gift cards in person at designated Wegmans locations in the Syracuse and Rochester areas. You can apply for a gift card at this link. You can donate money to the effort at this link. All of the money will go directly to families in need, Knauss said. The applications for gift cards will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis. If the government reopens and money is left over, it will be donated to the Food Bank of Central New York.
