Copyright Staten Island Advance
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — As federal threats to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program loom, H.E.A.L.T.H. for Youths hosted a special pop-up market and pantry on Saturday in St. George, offering fresh fruits and vegetables, pantry staples, and vital community resources. Two federal judges Saturday ordered the Trump administration to fund the SNAP program during the continuing government shutdown, but the delay in payouts will still likely leave millions of people short on their grocery bills. Trump has expressed willingness to do it, but said he needs more details from the court. The event at H.E.A.L.T.H. connected attendees with organizations such as the Social Care Network, the Community Garden Project, and the Hunger Task Force, while distributing details about pantry specifics. According to Heather Butt, chair of the Staten Island Hunger Task Force and the Staten Island Hunger Task Force Team, the group has also begun converting several of its Little Free Libraries into “Little Free Pantries” on the North Shore. The first locations are at 400 Richmond Terrace, (across from the Pavilion on the Terrace) and at the corner of Pauw and Jersey streets, both in New Brighton. “Any libraries that already have books will keep them — now they’ll offer both books and pantry items,’' said Butt. “Top shelves have books, bottom have non-perishable food.” The organization encourages residents to visit its social media pages for updates on future pantry events and new Little Free Pantry locations. The pop-up pantry, though, located at 120 Victory Blvd., marked the launch of these latest efforts Saturday, offering fresh produce, dry goods, and on-site resources to a small crowd of residents. Butt said the decision to open the pop-up on Saturday came with the SNAP uncertainty. “We have a weekly food pantry on Fridays, and that’s for anyone in the neighborhood that can come,’' she said. ”We do yoga, cooking, and other activities for people to come for fresh produce and have activities. But today, due to the SNAP discontinuation, we decided to open it up to get more vegetables and fruit and open it up to people.” She said no visitors Saturday said they came specifically due to SNAP worries. “Nobody has said that they are coming specifically for that, but I know, over the last few weeks, people have indicated they had concerns, so we think as the week continues on, and more people discover that SNAP discontinued, we’ll see an uptick of those in need,” Butt said. Butt told the Advance/SILive.com that the H.E.A.L.T.H. for Youths is looking to keep the pop-up pantry open as needed for people throughout the week, pending the need. In addition, the Mayor’s office of Food Policy will host a virtual Zoom meeting on Monday to discuss SNAP benefits, Social Care Networks benefits, food resources, local food pantries. It is in collaboration with the Staten Island Hunger Task Force. The federal SNAP is a cornerstone of food assistance in New York City, with about 75,000 Staten Islanders relying on the program to help pay for groceries, the Advance/SILive.com previously reported. Changes in the recently passed “One Big Beautiful Bill,” many of which went into effect today, raise the age for mandatory work requirements for able-bodied adults from 54 to 64, and lower the age defining “dependent children” from 18 to 14, reducing eligibility for many households, among other changes. Officials have warned that such changes could limit access for families, increase state costs, and strain local food-assistance systems. Last week, U.S. Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand held a virtual press conference to demand that President Donald maintain SNAP benefits during the government shutdown, ensuring continuity of food access for those dependent on the program. And New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said New York is fast-tracking tens of millions of dollars in emergency food funds to help feed the millions of state residents who are set to potentially lose their SNAP benefits. The Fort Wadsworth food pantry, which supports Blue Star Families’ will be open, helping military and veteran families who have served in the military. The current pantry needs include cereal, pancake mix, shelf-stable milk, peanut butter, jams and jellies, pasta sauce, and canned protein (chicken, tuna, salmon). On Tuesday, Nov. 11, the Democratic Club will be launching its ongoing food drive with its first drop-off event located at the New Brighton WWII Memorial on the North Shore Esplanade. The event and donation drop off is from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. For information on how to support the food drive or to volunteer, contact Ronnie Gambon at Ronnie.Gambon@gmail.com. Residents can help support food pantries across Staten Island by donating money, donating food and supplies, or volunteering their time. Here are a few other ways to help: Project Hospitality, located at 211 Canal St.: Check the website to find ways to help. Community Health Action of Staten Island (CHASI): residents can check the website to learn more ways to donate.
