Hudson Valley Children Head Back to School, Many Without Reliable Food Access

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — As Hudson Valley students head back to school this week, many are doing so without reliable access to food at home, a result of funding cuts to the SNAP program in the Republican Tax Law.

Recent reporting has confirmed that since July 2025, 220,000 New Yorkers have lost their SNAP benefits due to funding cuts, which Congressman Lawler supported, and for many New York children, free school meals are sometimes the only reliable meals during the day. Experts are warning that this problem will only get worse.

“To succeed, students must have reliable access to nutritious food, and as educators, all we really want to see is their success,” said Paul, a retired teacher from Suffern. “Every day, it gets harder for parents to keep up, and no one should be deciding between turning on the heater, fueling their car, or going to an appointment, least of all wondering how they are going to put food on the table for their kids.”

Press interested in speaking with impacted New Yorkers can contact press@empirestatevoices.org. 
 

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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