Schenectady County Urges State Leaders to Increase Food Program Funding in NY Budget
Schenectady, NY —
Over the past year, the Schenectady County Food Council (SCFC) has spearheaded a community-driven initiative to bolster the county’s food system and improve access to nutritious food.
This effort has culminated in two major advocacy priorities for the FY2026 New York State Budget: securing $75 million each for the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program (HPNAP) and the Nourish New York Program, and increasing the SNAP Minimum Benefit to $100.
Following Thanksgiving, the SCFC launched a grassroots advocacy campaign to support these goals.
The campaign has gained traction, with bipartisan resolutions passed by the Schenectady County Legislature, Schenectady City Council, Rotterdam Town Board, and Scotia Village Board, urging state leaders to take action.
The advocacy has reached Albany, where both the State Assembly and State Senate have included full funding for HPNAP and Nourish New York in their “one-house” budget proposals.
This Wednesday, the SCFC, along with allies such as Assemblymember Angelo Santabarbara, the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York, the Food Pantries of the Capital District, the New York State Council of Churches, and Feeding New York State, will convene to urge Governor Kathy Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Speaker Carl Heastie to incorporate these priorities into the final NYS FY2026 Budget.
Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara said,
The Schenectady County Food Council has been a strong voice for addressing food insecurity, and I’m proud to stand with them in this fight. The Assembly’s One-House budget includes $75 million each for HPNAP and Nourish New York—now, we must ensure this critical funding makes it into the final state budget to support families in need across New York.
Rev. Dustin Longmire, Co-Chair of the SCFC Advocacy & Empowerment Working Group, added,
We are in the worst food affordability crisis since the Great Depression. I pray our elected leaders in Albany will hear the bipartisan call of municipal bodies across Schenectady County to address this crisis.