BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — As federal lawmakers clash over recent changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), food pantries across Western New York are already feeling the pressure.
The “One Big Beautiful Bill” would shift more of the SNAP costs onto states.
Miranda Pinelli, Program and Volunteer Manager at Felician Community Services, said the demand at their pantry has skyrocketed. The Sister Mary Josette Food Pantry, which opens twice a week, now serves roughly 1,000 people each month. On a single day this week, they saw 121 people walk through their doors.
“We’re already struggling,” Panelli said. “We’re making tough decisions, and we haven’t even seen the full impact of these cuts yet.”
WATCH: SNAP cuts could overwhelm food pantries as demand increases
She said their team is searching for new food sources outside of their typical partners, as donations haven’t kept pace with need.
“Our numbers are increasing so much, and the amount of food that we’re getting is not increasing,” she said. “That means a lot of hard choices with a lot of limits.”
Congressman Tim Kennedy (D/NY-26) is sounding the alarm about the consequences of SNAP reductions.
“The only thing that’s going to do is make things worse for people in our community and across our nation when it comes to food instability,” Kennedy said. “We’re at a time when the need is greater than ever before.”
But not all lawmakers agree. Congressman Nick Langworthy (R/NY-23), who voted in favor of what he called a “big, beautiful bill,” issued a statement defending the changes.
“The truth is, not a single dollar is cut from benefits,” Langworthy said. “What this bill does is restore accountability—ending blanket waivers for able-bodied adults without dependents who refuse to work and requiring New York to verify eligibility and reduce waste.”
Still, organizations like FeedMore WNY, which distributed over 15 million pounds of food last year, say the local impact is already clear.
“If more people have fewer dollars through SNAP, that’s going to increase the demand on FeedMore and all of our partner agencies,” said Collin Bishop of FeedMore WNY.
Pinelli said that rising costs and shrinking support are forcing food pantries to do more with less.
“The more people, the more mouths to feed,” she said. “When the food doesn’t increase, it’s just making it harder on everyone.”
She’s urging community members to step in and help by donating food, funds, or time to local pantries.
You can find more information on the Felician Community Services and how to contribute or get involved here.
