NEW YORK CITY (WPIX) — Following months of sweeping changes to SNAP, some recipients say their food assistance has been reduced so sharply that they are now struggling to afford enough to eat.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, has been subject to revisions since the passage of the Trump administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill. The program, formerly called the Food Stamp Program, helped 1 in 8 Americans pay for groceries last year.
Since then, the number of people receiving SNAP has fallen to an estimated 1 in 9 Americans, according to the Associated Press. In March, nearly 5 million fewer people received food assistance compared with the same period last year.
Shiela Boyd, an 81-year-old New Yorker who spoke with Nexstar’s WPIX, said she was not removed from SNAP entirely, but her monthly benefit was abruptly reduced from $298 to just $24.
“I can’t buy nutritious food. Who lives on $24 a month?” Boyd said. “I need more money to eat.”
Boyd said she now relies on donated food for nearly everything she eats. At times, she said, there simply is not enough food available, forcing her to skip meals.
Boyd said the reduction came after her income was recalculated in the spring using her gross Social Security benefit, rather than the smaller net amount that is actually deposited into her bank account each month.
Boyd is not alone. Changes to SNAP requirements have been rolling out over the past year, adding work requirements for more adults and granting fewer exceptions. It also removes some income deductions that were previously allowed, like the cost of internet and utilities.
The Congressional Budget Office estimated the changes, in all, would result in 2.7 million fewer people receiving SNAP benefits.
In Boyd’s case, she tried to appeal the benefit recalculation, but was denied in her hearing. She argued her net Social Security income, not gross income, should be used in calculating her benefits amount, but the state commissioner overseeing the appeal disagreed.
“The Agency’s determination as to the adequacy of the Appellant’s SNAP benefits is correct,” the commissioner ruled.
Boyd told WPIX she has been losing weight since going hungry. “I weigh 102 pounds,” she said, and is thinking outside the box to find new ways to feed herself. “I’m trying to sell things … like jewelry. My whole lifestyle is different now.”
“I spend most of my day trying to find a way to get money to sell things,” she continued. “You know you work hard all your life, and this is what they – it’s a slap in the face. I think it’s unforgivable.”
In a press release defending the SNAP reforms, the White House said, “The One Big Beautiful Bill promotes work, responsibility, and restores SNAP to serve the truly needy. … The mission of the program has failed. SNAP was intended to be temporary help for those who encounter tough times—we are strengthening this program to serve those who need it most.”
