TOWN OF TONAWANDA, NY (WKBW) — More than 140,000 people across Erie County could lose access to food assistance if the federal government shutdown continues past the end of October, local officials warned Friday.
County Executive Mark Poloncarz said SNAP benefits will not be issued by New York State for November if the federal shutdown remains in place. The heating assistance program, known as HEAP. will also be delayed, creating what he called a "heat or eat" situation for those residents.
"It's the perfect storm. It's the double whammy," said Poloncarz. "Because effective in November, not only will we not be able to pay recipients through SNAP benefits, we will not be able to begin the heat program, so we will not be able to pay for and assist with the utility costs. It is wrong. It is shameful. It needs to get fixed."
Poloncarz appeared with Congressman Tim Kennedy, other local leaders and community members at the New Covenant Church Food Pantry in the Town of Tonawanda to highlight the potential impact.
WATCH: Federal shutdown threatens SNAP, HEAP benefits for thousands in Erie County
Kennedy pointed out that one in five households in Western New York benefits from SNAP.
"The nutritional assistance program helps low-income families, seniors, children, veterans, those with disabilities in our community afford nutritious food, put food on the table," Kennedy said. "It's a program that exists to keep the most vulnerable Americans healthy and fed."
Assistant Pastor Kent Arneth shared a conversation with a pantry visitor who described the assistance as "food stability."
"A gentleman came to me during the pantry and said, 'Pastor, this is food stability for me,'" Arneth recalled. "And I asked him, I said, 'Can you explain that?' He said, 'Well, last night, I had ate my last canned soup, knowing that I was coming to the pantry today to get more groceries,' that showed me the need."
Rev. Kinzer Pointer, a Buffalo pastor, joined leaders to encourage other places of worship across the community to be prepared to offer food to those in need.
"If human beings don't have access to food, they will not survive," Pointer said.
Pointer urged religious organizations to establish food assistance programs if they don't already have them.
"If you don't have a food pantry in your church, in your mosque, in your temple, now's a good time to open a food bank," Pointer suggested. "I know that it's a logistical thing, but there are plenty of hands in all of our congregations to do this work."
The poverty issue affects all areas of Erie County, according to Pointer.
"I can tell you this without equivocation, Erie County is made up of 105 zip codes, and there is poverty in every one of them," Pointer noted.
While poverty rates are lower in the Northtowns than in the City of Buffalo, there are still thousands who live in the suburbs who are in poverty and rely on their SNAP benefits.
Deputy County Executive Lisa Chimera emphasized that the most vulnerable populations would be hit hardest by the cuts.
"70% of those impacted by these cuts are our children and our seniors," Chimera replied. "This is unacceptable."
Poloncarz reminded residents that the impact could affect anyone in the community.
"It could be your neighbor, it could be your family member who relies on SNAP as well as HEAP," Poloncarz commented.
Congressman Kennedy blamed congressional Republicans for refusing to end the shutdown, saying the cuts hit the most vulnerable people the hardest.
"This impacts everyone equally, and it hurts people in our community," Kennedy stated.
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