Hunger Free NYC

06/17/2026

Taking food away from even one child in America is wrong.
Taking food away from 770,000 children in America is morally repugnant and will have a horrific impact on public education.

It's also just the beginning.

ProPublica Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

06/17/2026

25 years ago today, Joel Berg joined our team as CEO, bringing with him eight years of experience fighting hunger at the USDA. Back then, Hunger Free America was still the New York City Coalition Against Hunger: a program with an exclusive focus on New York City and fewer than 10 employees.

Under Joel’s leadership, we officially launched our nationwide focus and became Hunger Free America. In all that time, Joel has never wavered in his advocacy for the programs and policies that will finally eliminate hunger across the country.

Watch Joel’s short video message about what this anniversary means to him:

05/27/2026

FACT CHECK: Stephen Miller Claims SNAP Requires No Proof of Financial Need
FALSE!
SNAP applicants go through a detailed application process that requires information on income, household size, and more. SNAP recipients must continue to prove these details when they recertify.

Joel Berg, CEO of Hunger Free America, responded:
“Applicants for SNAP – and those that recertify for SNAP – must go through complex income and other eligibility screenings, which are independently verified by the government through financial and other records.”
“Every American — and especially a senior White House aide — should know that.”

05/25/2026

On Memorial Day each year, we honor and remember the courage and dedication of those who have served our country in the armed services. In particular, those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Did you know that many of our country's veterans, active-duty service members, and their families struggle to afford enough food? 1 in 9 working-age veterans face food insecurity, and over 1 million low-income veterans rely on SNAP to provide for their families.

Our veterans don't deserve to struggle.
This Memorial Day, we're commemorating the incredible sacrifices made by those who have died in service and renewing our fight for service members' right to feed their families with dignity.

Wishing everyone a meaningful Memorial Day.

05/13/2026

As Joel Berg, Hunger Free America's CEO, shared with the NYC Food Policy Center at Hunter College: “It’s unconscionable that veterans, young people aging out of foster care, and older adults just before retirement will lose food assistance if they happen to be unemployed.”
“It’s both morally appalling and economically counter-productive,” he added.

When expanded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) work requirements took effect on March 1,…

05/11/2026

Democracy and upward mobility depend upon each other.
Evidence shows that hunger and democracy are linked: sharp increases in poverty, hunger, and inequality often precede democratic collapse, and soar when democracies weaken or end.

Read our latest policy paper now to learn how, and what you can do about it:

Helping society move 'beyond the soup kitchen' and ensure economic and food self-sufficiency for all Americans. Ending Hunger Lifts Us All.

05/10/2026

This Mother's Day, Take Action to Protect WIC!
This year, Mother’s Day comes at a risky time for mothers in America. WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (under age 5), helps keep about 5.4 million parents and young children in the U.S.A. nourished through healthy food and nutrition education.
Currently, President Trump’s fiscal year 2027 budget calls for an extreme $1.4 billion cut to WIC’s fruit and vegetable component – part of the program that helps provide healthy produce during pregnancy, while nursing, and for infants and children under five.

What does that look like for families? This proposed cut would slash monthly fruit and vegetable benefits from $52 to $13 for breastfeeding mothers and from $26 to $10 for young children.

Ready to do something about it? Use this link to write to your Senators and House Representative. We’ve included all the details, and you can complete a custom message in less than a minute:

Right now, President Trump’s fiscal year 2027 budget calls for extreme cuts to WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (under age 5). Specifically, the plan calls for harsh cuts to the fruit and vegetable component of WIC’s food benefits. WIC helps keep a...

04/24/2026

Have you heard about the Hot Rotisserie Chicken Act?
Just now, we joined ABC News to help break down why it matters for low-income Americans to have options about what they feed their families:

Jay O'Brien explains the legislation gaining attention on Capitol Hill, while Joel Berg breaks down SNAP policy, food costs and what lawmakers say about the ongoing affordability crisis.

04/21/2026

Check out this short video update from our CEO, Joel Berg.
Right now, President Trump’s fiscal year 2027 budget calls for extreme cuts to WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (under age 5).

Specifically, the plan calls for harsh cuts to the fruit and vegetable component of WIC’s food benefits.

This proposed cut would take away $1.4 billion in fruit and vegetable benefits from millions of American children and parents, slashing monthly fruit and vegetable benefits from $52 to $13 for breastfeeding mothers and from $26 to $10 for young children.

Take action now: click through and tell your representatives to reject this cut. https://bit.ly/4mMFxhk