A Letter from the Desk of Jilly Stephens in Response to the Cuts to Food Assistance

Catastrophic Cuts to Food Assistance Are Now Law
July 9, 2025

On July 4th, the President signed into law the largest cuts to food assistance and Medicaid in U.S. history. In the more than two decades I have worked at City Harvest, we have seen and responded to many crises, but I’ll be frank: This catastrophe has the potential to be unlike any we have encountered before and we need your support now. 

New York City is at risk of losing the equivalent of 250 million meals in a single year because of these cuts. Nearly 1.8 million of our neighbors—children, seniors, working New Yorkers—will risk having to skip meals due to the loss of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Food pantry lines will grow longer, and more of our neighbors will turn to our partner food pantries and our Mobile Markets in order to put food on the table.  

We can and we must do more. At times of crisis, City Harvest steps up. We responded to 9/11 and Hurricane Sandy and government shutdowns and, of course, the pandemic—all because our supporters have stepped up with us. In the face of this new crisis, I am asking you to remain by our side for our fellow New Yorkers.  

We are ready to rescue millions more pounds of high-quality, nutritious food that would otherwise go to waste and deliver it for free to soup kitchens and food pantries throughout the city. But in order to do more, we need extra support.  

Please donate now. Your generosity will enable us to provide more free food for our fellow New Yorkers who are depending on us today and the many more who will count on us in the months ahead. 

Thank you for your continued support. 

In partnership, 

Jilly