Schenectady Legislature honors Food Council as advocates press state to boost SNAP and other funding

Legislator Osterlik presented and the Schenectady County Legislature adopted a resolution recognizing the Schenectady County Food Council and its advocacy work, while a group of trained community advocates and several residents urged legislators to press state lawmakers to raise the SNAP minimum benefit and fund statewide nutrition programs.

The resolution recognized the Food Council as “a collaborative group that unites local farmers, health professionals, business leaders, policymakers, and residents to address food insecurity,” and commended the council’s work to build a more equitable and locally rooted food system in Schenectady County. The Legislature’s Rules Committee moved the resolution to the floor and the full body recorded a roll call of 13 ayes and 2 excused when it passed.

Why it matters: Advocates at the meeting said the countywide rise in need — and gaps in SNAP and other programs — is driving higher demand at food pantries and emergency providers in Schenectady County. Advocates asked the Legislature to sign a letter urging the state to increase the SNAP minimum to $100 and to fully fund the Health, Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program (HIPNAP) and Nourish New York at $75,000,000 each.

Legislator Osterlik introduced the resolution and presented certificates to community members who completed the Food Council’s 10‑week advocacy training. He read the resolution into the record and said the council’s work is “central to all the work that the food council does.” The resolution text, as read, notes the Food Council’s 14‑person steering committee, three working groups with about 60 members, and an advocates program that trained 11 participants.

Reverend Joe Paparon, speaking for the advocates program and identifying himself as an organizer with the Poor People’s Campaign, described the program’s purpose in organizing residents with lived experience of food insecurity. “Our task as community advocates is to begin to get organized, to share our experiences and break the fundamental isolation that divides us so that we can more effectively take action together,” Reverend Paparon said.

Melissa, a program participant, described learning advocacy and public‑speaking skills during the training: “I learned to share my story with clarity, with purpose, to help others see our commonalities and to find a shared path to overcome our common struggles,” she said.

Several residents who served at food pantries or spoke from lived experience called for state action. Carmel Patrick, a City of Schenectady councilwoman who identified herself as a volunteer with the Food Council’s Advocacy and Empowerment Committee, said the Daily Bread food pantry — which she described as the county’s largest provider — distributes close to 28,000 pounds of food per month and spent about $14,000 monthly to do so. Patrick told the Legislature that Daily Bread served 22,543 individuals in 2024, a 24% increase from 2023, and urged support for the council’s state funding priorities.

Other public commenters described the pressures of living on fixed incomes and the difficulty of navigating benefit applications. Darlene Jeloso said she lives on $1,400 a month in Social Security disability and asked legislators to “go to the store” and see how far $100 in SNAP would go. Justice Dazzle, who said they have been unhoused at times, criticized the current SNAP minimum as insufficient and asked legislators to support the Food Council’s letter to Albany.

The Legislature’s chair said copies of the Food Council letter would be made available to members and that he intended to sign it and circulate it to colleagues.

Votes at the meeting: The Rules Committee reported the resolution recognizing and honoring the Schenectady County Food Council (Resolution 17‑25) and the full Legislature approved the resolution by roll call, 13 ayes, 2 excused.

Looking ahead: Food Council members said they will continue to set more specific annual goals and return to the Legislature with additional requests and updates.