NY Expands Food Access with $10M Hunger Action Grants

By Blake Jackson

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball marked the start of Hunger Action Month by highlighting progress made through the state’s Food Access Expansion Program.

Earlier this summer, Governor Kathy Hochul awarded $10 million in grants to nine projects aimed at expanding access to affordable, fresh food in underserved communities.

The funding supports efforts such as opening and renovating supermarkets, food cooperatives, permanent farm stands, and mobile markets. At the same time, these projects strengthen sales channels for New York farmers.

Hunger Action Month, observed each September, seeks to raise awareness of food insecurity and encourage action to combat hunger.

“One of our highest priorities here at the Department is making sure that all New Yorkers have access to enough fresh, local foods, and that our farmers can get their products to those who need them most," Commissioner Ball said.

"Our Food Access Expansion Grant Program is a great way of connecting those dots and helping us to achieve those goals in real and meaningful ways.”

Commissioner Ball toured the Broome County Council of Churches in the Southern Tier to see progress on its state-funded project. The Council received $1.55 million to renovate a building with a new commercial kitchen and to purchase a Mobile Market Bus.

The kitchen will prepare SNAP-eligible meals for sale at the Greater Good Grocery and through the mobile unit, using products from New York farms including The 607 CSA, Triple J Farms, and Sugar Hill. Guests sampled dishes made with locally sourced chicken, eggs, and beef during the visit.

Other funded initiatives include a cooperative grocery in Schenectady, mobile markets in Buffalo and Monroe County, and expanded retail and food processing spaces across the state.

Projects are underway in regions from the North Country to New York City, each designed to increase food access while supporting local agriculture.

According to the State Comptroller’s Office, about 800,000 New York households struggled with food insecurity between 2019 and 2021. The need may rise further, as Governor Hochul has warned that the recently passed “Big Ugly Bill” could strip more than 300,000 households of some or all of their SNAP benefits.

Photo Credit: gettyimages-valentinrussanov