Millions of Americans across New York and around the country have started to receive their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) benefits, after federal lawmakers passed, as reported, a resolution by a vote of 222 to 209 in the U.S. House of Representatives to end the federal government shutdown late Wednesday, Nov. 12.

 

According to CBS News, the House vote approved a specific funding package, extending funding for most agencies until Jan. 30 and ending the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. It also includes three full-year funding bills for other parts of the government. CBS reported that most House Democrats opposed the legislation since it did not finally address the expiring health care tax credits that were at the center of that Party’s shutdown demands.

 

As part of the deal with Republicans, CBS reported that Senate Democrats were reportedly promised a further vote on the issue by mid-December. According to some media reports, critics and advocates of those receiving such benefits believe the signed legislation will cut $186 billion from SNAP funding over the next 10 years.

 

A few hours before the budget resolution was passed, Kay, 66, a disabled resident from Indian Village who Norwood News had previously interviewed, and with whom we later followed up, told us gleefully, “Yes! Thanks! I got (the) full benefits! So grateful for your help!” In reference to the passed budget being only temporary, and the possibility of a new government shutdown happening again in the new year, Kay continued, “Even if they settle what’s happening, it’s only until January.” She added, “It’s stupid.” Because of the shutdown delays, Kay’s benefits arrived a week late.

 

A Bedford Park mother who declined to be identified also gave us her reaction to the news, saying, “We all got them [the benefits] on the regular date.” She added that she normally receives her benefits on the 12th of every month. Late on Nov. 12, John, 49, from Norwood told Norwood News, “There’s money on the card but the app on the phone says I can’t access the funds until November 22.” However, the following morning, as the government was reopening, John said he had received his $200 in SNAP funding.

On Thursday, Nov. 13, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said during an interview on CNN that all SNAP recipients would receive their November benefits by Monday, Nov. 17.

 

On Saturday, Nov. 8, Norwood News spoke with another SNAP recipient from Mount Vernon who was visiting Kingsbridge and asked if the SNAP funding disruption had impacted her day-to-day life. “The shutdown? Yeah,” she said. “There’s a lot of people. My baby gets food stamps as well.” The mother of a 7-year-old added, “We’ll have to go to a food pantry; that’s what we do.” Having not yet received her allotted $261 for November at that stage, she added, “It’s hard.”

 

Elsewhere, Priscilla Talbot of the Church of the Holy Nativity in Norwood explained that the church’s pantry has been scaled back to once a week. “Because of fewer donations, presently, we are only open on the last Saturday of each month,” she said. “The church hands out between 35 to 60 bags of food, one to each individual family.” The Church of the Holy Nativity began their food program more than a decade ago.

 

Meanwhile, Aleksander Nilaj, founder and president of the American Albanian Open Hand Association, Inc. (AAOHA), who runs a food pantry on Lydig Avenue to help residents of Morris Park and Pelham Parkway, said during the shutdown, in one week, they had over a thousand people lining up for food. “So, we have to cut (from) different locations to serve it here,” Nilaj said.

 

He added, “The people of The Bronx need help every day.” Nilaj said AAOHA also has a food distribution program once a month at P.S. 108 on Neill Avenue in Morris Park. It also hosts an event every Saturday with the organization delivering food to residents of NYCHA’s Mitchel Houses in the South Bronx, whose residents suffered a partial building collapse on Oct. 1, as reported.

 

People can follow AAOHA on Facebook to learn dates, times and locations.

In the University Heights section of the borough, at St. Nicholas of Tolentine Parish, located at University Avenue and West Fordham Road, the church’s pantry currently provides 300 people with beans, rice, spaghetti, potatoes and onions as well as fresh fruits and vegetables every Thursday morning.

 

In Mott Haven, on Nov. 5, Bishop Dr. Boyde Singletary, senior pastor and founder of The Alpha & Omega Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Inc., located at 535 East 141st Street, celebrated the 15th anniversary of his church by distributing food to local residents outside of “The People’s Park” located at East 144th Street and St. Ann’s Avenue.

 

Singletary said at the time, “I’m doing the free meals because people in our community are still affected by not receiving their SNAP benefits and food. This is heartbreaking because a lot of people in the South Bronx community are struggling and wondering where they are going to get their next meal from.”

 

Information on dates, times and locations of this food distribution can be found on Boyde’s Facebook page and as follows:

Wednesdays 12.15 p.m. to 2 p.m. in front of the People’s Park, E. 144th Street & St. Ann’s Avenue, Bronx

Wednesdays 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Padre Plaza Success Garden, East 139th Street & St. Ann’s Avenue, Bronx

 

Back in October, as the federal government was about to shut down, Crystal Wolfe, founder and president of The Solution to Hunger, Inc., told Norwood News, “People are very scared right now. They’re terrified about how they will survive, and the nonprofits are scared too because with funding cuts, they can’t help as many people, and there are more and more people who need help. This country is becoming a third world country in many ways. Food banks are depleted. My nonprofit has never been so needed as it is right now.”

 

Wolfe’s program saves unused meals from catering companies and businesses and redistributes them to other organizations and food pantries. She currently has 365 partners in 6 states and 25 counties in New York. Wolfe told Norwood News, “My goal is to be in every town, city and state in America and become the leading national hunger nonprofit.”

She added, “I hope this program will spread like wildfire throughout the nation, and then, throughout the world.” According to her website, The Solution to Hinger has so far delivered 3,190,200 meals to food pantries and some of her partners include City Harvest, Catholic Charities and Fordham University. Those wishing to work with Wolfe or who would like to know more about her program, can visit the website at www.thesolutiontohunger.org.