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SNAP Eligibility Boosted for Up to Nearly 75,000 Community College Students

Redefining American Greatness, Courtesy of Bronx Community College
(L-R) DEVIN WILLIAMS and Quadir Martin, students at Bronx Community College, take a stroll through the Hall of Fame for Great Americans which is located on the college campus, in June 2019. 
Photo by Síle Moloney

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced on Oct. 16 actions aimed at reducing food insecurity among community college students, older adults and disabled New Yorkers. These actions include expanding Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility to up to nearly 75,000 low-income college students enrolled in career or technical education course work and shortening the SNAP application for those on fixed incomes in an effort to encourage greater enrollment among eligible older adults and disabled individuals.

 

“From the community college student seeking to advance their career to the senior living on a fixed income, food insecurity and hunger are a reality for a wide breadth of low-income New Yorkers and we have an obligation to help them during their time in need,” Cuomo said. “These measures will help a greater number of individuals and families access benefits that will prevent them from facing the dire reality of food insecurity.”

 

The state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) worked with the State University of New York and City University of New York to implement a new policy expanding SNAP eligibility to low-income college students engaged at least half-time in career and technical education courses. The expanded eligibility will help students avoid food insecurity while advancing their education.

 

Income-eligible students enrolled at least half-time in a career or technical education program offered at a SUNY, CUNY, comprehensive, technical, or community college will now be eligible for SNAP. Additionally, income-eligible individuals attending any of the ten Educational Opportunity Centers in New York State and enrolled at least half-time in a career and technical education program, remedial courses, basic adult education, literacy, or English as a second language will be also be included in this new policy. Previously, these students did not qualify for SNAP assistance, unless they met certain criteria such as working at least 20 hours per week, or caring for a child, or were unable to work, among others.

 

This policy change adds another criteria that would allow certain college students and EOC participants to meet the student eligibility requirement for SNAP. Through SUNY and CUNY community colleges, technology campuses, EOCs, and Advanced Technology Training and Information Networking centers, nearly 75,000 students attend part time to take career and vocational courses. At SUNY, about 31,000 students are in those programs and may be eligible. At CUNY, about 42,000 students may be eligible.

 

At Bronx Community College, the Fall 2020 Food Pantry Distribution Kick-off was held on Thursday, September 10 with an official schedule of Food Pantry Distribution dates and times. “Due to COVID-19, we’ve had to make some slight changes as to how the distributions will take place on campus,” the college announced via their social media platforms, adding that distributions would be conducted by appointment only this fall.

 

In addition, Governor Cuomo also directed the OTDA to seek permission from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to offer a simplified application for SNAP benefits in an effort to encourage greater enrollment among eligible elderly or disabled individuals. SNAP applicants on a fixed income or with limited financial resources can complete a single sheet application, front and back, which will greatly reduce the amount of time and effort required to apply or re-certify for benefits.

 

According to the OTDA, although New Yorkers lead the rate of SNAP participation nationally among adults aged 60 or older, or those who are disabled, their rate of participation is still lower than New York State’s overall average SNAP participation rate. New York’s overall participation in SNAP among all eligible people is about 93 percent.

However, only about 70 percent of eligible New York seniors and disabled New Yorkers are enrolled to receive benefits, which is significantly lower than the overall New York State participation rate. Nationally, New York’s participation rate among eligible individuals older than 60 is much higher than most other states, and also higher than the national average participation rate of about 42 percent.

As the rate of SNAP participation among the state’s seniors is lower than the rate of participation for all New Yorkers, it means that there are eligible seniors who aren’t participating in the program who could be. These seniors are encouraged to apply under the new shortened application process.

One leading reason proposed for this lower participation is the length and complexity of the application forms to apply for SNAP. The regular application includes nine pages of questions and information geared at determining a household’s eligibility. Because many elderly and disabled individuals live on fixed incomes and generally experience far fewer household changes, much less information is required to verify their eligibility and calculate benefits.

 

In his 2018 State of the State address, the Governor announced a five-point plan to combat hunger for students in kindergarten through college. As part of that plan, the Governor tasked SUNY and CUNY with the establishment of physical food pantries on campus or stigma-free access to free food, which was completed that year.

 

At SUNY, in addition to the expansion of and access to food pantries, a task force helped establish and grow innovative intervention programs on campuses, including mobile food trucks, local farm crop sharing, a subsidized on campus grocery store, and programming that allows students to “pay” a campus parking ticket in food donations to an on-campus pantry.

 

Meanwhile, the Healthy CUNY program employs a multifaceted approach to address food insecurity on CUNY campuses. To date, food pantries or food vouchers are available at 18 CUNY two and four-year campuses.

 

Following the latest announcement, CUNY Chancellor, Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, said, “I applaud Governor Cuomo for prioritizing the growing problem of food insecurity. We have long known the grave impact of this scarcity on student retention and success, and it is magnified in this time of pandemic.

 

Meanwhile, Office for the Aging Acting Director, Greg Olsen, said, “These important actions announced today by Governor Cuomo build upon previous success that will make it easier for older New Yorkers to receive much needed benefits to combat hunger and food insecurity. Food is medicine, and the one-page simplified SNAP application will help thousands of older adults access hundreds of dollars a month in benefits that will help them make ends meet and improve their health.”

 

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