Congresswoman Gillen Visits Island Harvest: Discusses Impacts of Cuts to SNAP
MELVILLE, NY — This morning, Congresswoman Laura Gillen (NY-04) met with leaders and volunteers from Island Harvest Food Bank to discuss how Long Island’s children, seniors, and veterans will be impacted by the Administration’s proposed cuts to food assistance.
“Island Harvest is a lifeline for Long Island’s families, seniors, and veterans,” said Rep. Gillen. “House Republicans just voted for the largest SNAP cut in our nation’s history. Threatening SNAP and other food assistance programs will result in thousands of Nassau County residents struggling to put food on the table. I’ll keep fighting back against these reckless cuts and working to ensure Island Harvest and other food pantries in our region receive the funding they need.”
“Island Harvest Food Bank was honored to host Rep. Laura Gillen for a tour of our headquarters in Melville, her first visit since being elected to Congress,” said Randi Shubin Dresner, president & CEO of Island Harvest. “Congresswoman Gillen has been a longtime supporter of the human and social services sectors and their positive impacts on our vulnerable neighbors. In her new role in Congress, she sees now more than ever the need to protect SNAP from devastating cuts, ensure the continuation of the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) that provides emergency food to our grandparents, and protect access to medical care through Medicaid.”
Island Harvest is the largest food bank on Long Island, supporting a network of 400 community partners that provide vital assistance to programs for children, families, veterans, and seniors, as well as nutrition education and workforce training. The food bank receives critical funding through two U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs: CSFP, which provides monthly food assistance to low-income seniors, and LFPA, which supports New York producers and ensures communities have access to fresh, nutritious food.
Earlier this year, the Administration canceled funding for LFPA and proposed eliminating CSFP through the “Skinny Budget.” The loss of these programs will leave many seniors at risk of going hungry and hinder efforts to deliver fresh, healthy food to families in need across Long Island.
