Summer 2025 Pantry Press Newsletter
Feeling the Impact of Federal Funding
As part of our whole-person approach to address the root causes of food insecurity and to reduce chronic disease, New York Common Pantry (NYCP) offers our Live Healthy! nutrition education program (LH!) for low-income families to learn how to stretch their food dollars, eat healthier, and lead more active lives. Last year, more than 22,000 people participated in Live Healthy! programs. But with the recent approval of the Budget Reconciliation Bill, our Live-Healthy! Program is slated to be defunded entirely.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has been the foundation of US food assistance for decades. For every $1 invested in its nutrition education program, SNAP-Ed, up to $10.64 can be saved in future healthcare costs. Live Healthy! participant Blanca M. is a perfect example. Through participation in nutrition workshops, cooking classes, and our farm share, Blanca learned about health benefits in nutrients, food portions, and ways to combine different fruits and vegetables to make delicious, nutritious meals. Blanca’s daily routine now incorporates walking and counting her steps. Live Healthy! has benefited Blanca and her family in many ways, but perhaps the most significant change is that she no longer has hypertension and was able to stop taking medication for it.
These federal cuts leave us and our guests struggling. We are looking to our supporters to fill our widening budget gap.
Please read more in our: Summer 2025 Pantry Press Newsletter