An Assessment of New York State's Disaster Food Stamp Benefits Program

Acknowledgements

This report provides an assessment of New York’s Disaster Food Stamp Benefit Program (DFSBP) put in place in response to the 9/11 Disaster in NYC. We are very grateful to visionary foundations who agreed with the need for this assessment and provided the funding to make it possible: MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger and the New York Foundation.

We would also like to thank all of the individuals who responded to our request for information and an honest critique of their own role in the development, implementation and operation of New York’ DFSBP, including officials from the Governor’s Office, the Mayor’s office, NYS OTDA, HRA, FEMA, USDA and representatives from the American Red Cross, City Harvest, the Community Food Resource Center, the NYC Coalition Against Hunger and other advocates.

Finally, the Consortium would like to acknowledge the role of our Board of Directors whose leadership and commitment make our work possible and the good work of the Consortium staff. Special acknowledgement goes to Colleen Pawling our Food Stamp Specialist who conceived, researched and compiled the initial draft of this report, and to Christine Barberio, Deputy Director who edited and prepared the final report.

The Nutrition Consortium of NYS, a statewide non-profit anti-hunger organization, was in a unique position to perform this assessment because we already had good working relationships with almost all of the involved parties, we were involved as advocates in the development of the DFSBP, and Consortium staff members were on site during its implementation and operation.

With great respect to all involved, we make this attempt to assist other planners, federal, state and local administrators, policy makers and community advocates in their future efforts to develop responsive disaster food stamp benefit programs.

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