Amid Rising Grocery Costs, Empire State Voices and Community Partners Deliver Meal Kits in Pawling
Recent report confirms that New York families are paying an additional $5,500 for goods and services, including $310 for groceries.
PAWLING, NY — Today, Empire State Voices, El Camino Al Exito, and other community partners are taking direct action to combat the rising cost of groceries by feeding over 50 families across Pawling.
The economic burden New York families have been feeling is real. Recent reports estimate that families have spent $5,500 more on goods and services since 2025. This is a direct result of costly tariffs that are making everything from aluminum to tomatoes more expensive, and the ongoing war in Iran, which is skyrocketing the cost of fertilizer and fuel, forcing farmers to raise the cost of food items. Just this week, the House voted for a third time to end the Iran war, and in February, rejected Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada. Congressman Mike Lawler voted to keep the war going and to keep tariffs on Canada.
"Historically, SNAP benefits helped cushion the impact of difficult economic times on hard-working families. The 2025 changes eliminated this cushion for so many," said Stacey, a retired educator from Pawling. "At this time, when the cost of living in all areas (food, housing, childcare, energy, transportation, medical) is rising, more people are having to choose between putting food on the table or paying other bills. Food security is considered a basic human right in many parts of the world. We need to commit to that value and make sure every family, and every child, has adequate nutrition."
“I’ve lived in the town of Pawling for over 30 years, and I am a retired principal, and I know firsthand that SNAP benefits, food for afterschool programs, you name it, are crucial for families,” said Tom Hartford, Board Member from El Camino Al Exito. “More recently, we have noticed that as food costs go up, we see a fall in the amount of food donations we get for distribution. That’s hard, because families depend on us.”
“Every day, we hear from people who are struggling more and more to keep the lights on, put food on the table, and fill up their tanks,” said Zachary Tirgan, Empire State Voices Regional Organizing Director. “This problem is only going to get worse, and while we wait for our leaders in Washington to take action, Empire State Voices is proud to step in and provide some much-needed relief to families.”
In addition to providing meal kits, Empire State Voices is sharing recipes and resources for how to grocery shop more efficiently in today’s economy, including:
Kick the Can: Steel tariffs make canned beans and tomatoes costly. Swap them for dry bagged beans, frozen items, or boxed cartons.
Go Domestic: Choose U.S.-grown produce, domestic store-brand pasta, and local cheeses to completely bypass tariffs.
Pivot Proteins & Produce: Trade tariff-heavy beef and imported shrimp for eggs, chicken, or dry beans. Swap pricey imported veggies (like Mexican tomatoes) for budget-friendly domestic produce like zucchini.
To learn more about Empire State Voices, contact press@empirestatevoices.org.
###
Empire State Voices is a multi-year campaign dedicated to amplifying the voices of everyday working New Yorkers. We are fighting for economic policies that make life more affordable for constituents and holding members of Congress across the state accountable when they fail to do the same. To learn more about Empire State Voices, contact press@empirestatevoices.org
