WAMC New York News
(2008-11-25)
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Volunteer packs canned goods at Albany's FOCUS food pantry.
The number of people at New York's food pantries and soup kitchens is up by 50% in some regions as the recession worsens, and has become "an unprecedented crisis", says the lobbying group Hunger Action Network.
Reverend Debra Jameson runs a food pantry and a breakfast program in downtown Albany. She says she's having to do more, with less.
"Emergency feeding programs are already stretched to the breaking point," Jameson said.
Reverend Jameson says the 250 households that her food pantry used to serve every month has increased to 280 households. Most of the newcomers are members of the working poor, and many arrive because their food stamp allotment runs out well before the end of the month.
Hunger Action Network's Mark Dunlea says a push is on to convince Governor David Paterson to increase the state's basic welfare grant in his new state budget. The amount has not been upped in 18 years, and is now less than 50% of the federal poverty level. Dunlea says he's still holding out hope despite the austere fiscal times, because Paterson long supported an increase in welfare allotments when he was a state Senator. The groups have begun a statewide post card campaign to urge Paterson to support a welfare grant increase.
At the food pantry Stephanie, who did not want her last name used, awaited a bag of canned goods and pasta for herself and her four children. Her food stamp allotment had run out.
"Towards the end of the month it gets a little harder," she said.
She was also seeking diapers, formula and baby food.
Stephanie says the recession has been impacting her. She's been out of work for a while, and was counting on a seasonal job for the holidays, but has had no luck so far.
"I've put in 56 applications in a month and half, and got one interview," she said.
Governor Paterson has said charities will have to step up services in the coming hard times, and the food pantries say they are willing to help, but they warn they are stretched very thin.
© Copyright 2012, WXXI
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